Glorifying the Present through the Past: Herod the Great and His Jewish Royal Predecessors (original) (raw)

Throughout his reign as King of Judaea, Herod the Great (40-4 ) struggled for legitimacy and recognition from his Jewish subjects. He began his reign as a bankrupt usurper, who had succeeded in seizing the throne mostly through the aid of Roman military might. He ended it as a wealthy and powerful king, who founded a dynasty and brought Judaea to its greatest prominence and prosperity. This article focuses on how Herod achieved legitimacy among his Jewish subjects, specically how he used the historical past to strengthen his hold on the present. By appropriating past sources of legitimacy through multiple media, he positioned himself as a rightful Jewish king. Although not all of his subjects accepted his claims, he managed to acquire enough support to rule successfully for over thirty years and to pass on his kingdom to his chosen successors.