Category:Herodias (subject)

• BACK TO THE PEOPLE--INDEX

Herodias was a member of the Herodian family, the wife of Herod II and then of Herod Antipas, the mother of Salome.

Overview

The character of Herodias is mentioned both in the Gospels (Mark and Matthew) and in Josephus. In all sources Herodias is presented as a proud and independent woman, capable of influencing and even manipulating her husband(s).

Josephus introduces Herodias as the daughter of Aristobulus IV. Being the descendant of Herod the Great and Mariamne, Herodias was a member of both the House of Herod and the House of Hasmoneus. Herod of Chalcis and Herod Agrippa I were her brothers.

Herodias married Herod II, one of the sons of Herod the Great. The couple lived in Rome and had a daughter, Salome. When Herod Antipas (the half-brother of her husband) fell in love with her during a visit to Rome, she accepted his love and agreed to divorce from Herod II. This created some political turmoil as Herod Antipas was married with Phasaelis, the daughter of King Aretas IV of Nabatea, and divorced her.

Josephus' account of the death of John the Baptist mentions his criticism of Herod's marriage as the cause of his imprisonment but does not give Herodias any role. Christian sources instead blame her more than her husband. According to Mark and Matthew, the opportunity to have John killed came when Herod Antipas on his birthday gave a banquet. Herodias instigated her daughter (Salome) to ask for the head of John the Baptist as her reward for dancing before her uncle (and now step-father) Herod Antipas.

According to Josephus, in 39 CE Herodias convinced her husband to plot against her brother Herod Agrippa I, but Agrippa in return accused Herod Antipas of conspiracy and had him exiled in Lyon, Gaul. As the sister of the winning party, Herodias was offered the possibility to remain in Judea, but proudly decided to follow her husband into exile.

Herodias in ancient sources

• See Herodias (sources)

Herodias in literature & the arts

Herodias was the original villain in the story of the death of John the Baptist. She was the one who plotted to have John the Baptist killed and cunningly used his daughter Salome to reach her goal. The interest in the character began to grow in the 19th century. She was now the undisputed protagonist of the story, and her motivations were scrutinized, from revenge to jealousy to rejected love. It was to her that the infamous kiss to the head of the dead John the Baptist was first attributed by Heine. Gradually however her role was overshadowed by her daughter, Salome, who proved to be more suitable to such metamorphosis into an unstoppable femme fatale and much more credible in the role of seductress. By the beginning of the 20th century, Salome had replaced her mother as the villain of the story and condemned Herodias to a marginal and obscure role.

Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan

• See Herodias (arts)

Herodias in scholarship

From the historical point of view, Herodias is part of the scion of powerful and politically engaged women that characterized the House of Hasmoneus and the House of Herod, from Queen Salome Alexandra to Alexandra the Hasmonean, Mariamne, Salome, Berenice, Drusilla, and others. Research on Herodias however is limited by the paucity of historical sources (Herodias is little more than a name in the genealogy of the descendants of Herod the Great) and by the legendary nature of the Gospel account.

Scholars have rather focused on the study of the Herodias-Salome legend and its ramifications in literature and the arts.

• See Salome--research

Related categories

• Herod Antipas (subject / Salome (subject / Herod Agrippa (subject

External links

• Wikipedia