first son of Herod
& Malthace.
Designated as chief heir to the Herodian
monarchy (in 4 BCE)
though not yet 20, the oldest
of Herod's
surviving sons was ill-prepared to succeed his father in a time of
political unrest. While he imitated Herod's ruthless brutality, he
possessed none of the latter's diplomatic skills. Archelaus had been raised
in Rome by "a certain Jew" [Josephus,
Antiquities
17.20], unlike his Hasmonean half-brothers who were given a
Roman education in the imperial palace. He did not share in Antipater
III's brief rise to power.
And even after Antipater was imprisoned (5 BCE), Herod initially
chose his youngest son (Antipas)
rather than his eldest (Archelaus) to succeed him as king. But Herod
altered his will just before he died to name Archelaus as heir to
his office & half of his vast estate.
Even before the will was
ratified by the emperor, however, Archelaus proved that he was not
fit to govern Jews, by sending troops into the temple during the
celebration of Passover (4 BCE) to slaughter those who urged him to
correct his father's acts of injustice. No sooner had he left for
Rome to be confirmed as king than Judeans rebelled, with several
self-proclaimed "kings" gathering bands of Jewish
followers. Augustus
confirmed Archelaus as ruler [ethnarch] of Judea
& Samaria
(his mother's homeland) but withheld the title "king" [basileus]
until he proved himself worthy by quelling the rebellion. This
Archelaus failed to do; and after ten years of social chaos in
Judea, Augustus deposed him (6 CE), confiscated his estates in Roman
Palestine, & made Judea & Samaria imperial provinces under
the Roman military governor of Syria. Archelaus was permitted to
retire to his father's estates on the French Riviera, where he died
as he had begun: a private citizen of Rome.
References:
Josephus,
Antiquities
17.20,
80,
146,
188-250,
299-321,
339-355;
18.2,
26.
______, War
1.562,
664-670;
2.1-40;
80-98,
111-117.
Other resources on line:
Perspective on the
World of Jesus 