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King Herod Although King Herod championed the Roman emperor as god-like, he belongs in the Hall of Fame because he fostered unity in Judea. Kaolin McEvoy http://goo.gl/ok6xfc Justified Militant Overthrow King Herod came from a wealthy political family, and eventually became governor of Galilee, a land rife with political and cultural tension. This tension was emblematic of the region, as Rome and Judea had a contentious relationship, which was exemplified by Pompey’s violent conquering and heinous acts in the Temple in 63 BCE. He was able to officially capture Jerusalem with help of Romans in 37 BCE, due to allegiance he extended to Augustus. After obtaining Judea via violent overthrow, his reign from 37 BCE - 4 BCE was characterized by harshness, but also savvy, diplomacy and reasonable actions given the political climate. http://goo.gl/2VO2AL Facilitated Cultural Synthesis http://goo.gl/MP1BFa “[He gathered] around him some of the leading scholars, poets, sculptors, painters, and architects of the east and west. He gave with kingly generosity, to his own subjects in times of famine and natural disaster, and far beyond the boundaries of his kingdom, in Greece and Asia Minor. [In fact] the citizens of Olympia were so grateful for his lavish donations that they elected him agonothete, or president, of the Olympic Games” (Mueller 34). Herod was not simply interested in quelling the destruction and violence of the past, but actively creating a most robust Judea. His tendency to openly accept and encourage people from diverse backgrounds turned Judea into a cosmopolitan scene, capable of solving new problems with rich, and assorted cultural solutions. Created Political and Religious Harmony “The Jews were loth to have their Temple pulled down, fearing lest it might not be rebuilt. To demonstrate his good faith, Herod accumulated the materials for the new building before the old one was taken down. The new Temple was rebuilt as rapidly as possible. As it was unlawful for any but priests to enter the Temple, Herod employed 1,000 of them as masons and carpenters” (Jewish Encyclopedia). By subscribing to Jewish religious law in rebuilding the Temple, Herod underscored his own Jewish background, and revealed that he was committed to political stability. Because so many citizens of Judea were Jewish, he recognized and respected the importance of following their customs in order to maintain stability, as religious intolerance had prompted political unrest in the recent past. http://goo.gl/ZHtF3t Encouraged Assimilation The employment generated by his large building projects like: the harbor at Caesarea, the development of water supplies for Jerusalem, the fortress at Herodium, resulted in an exchange of culture which is evident in the blending of styles seen in the various projects (Levine 78). Herod’s commitment to public infrastructure projects resulted in disparate groups actively working together to solve new architectural problems. This prompted assimilation which actively blended the community, causing a more harmonious existence for the citizens of Judea compared to their recent violent experiences. http://goo.gl/Zk31IV Reverence in Death “...Herod's funeral procession suggests the respect, even the reverence, that his subjects still felt for him. [His] body was placed on a golden bier studded with gemstones and draped in royal purple, with a scepter in his right hand and a gold crown on his head. His numerous family ranged themselves around the bier, together with his army dressed in full battle array and 500 servants and freed slaves carrying spices. Together they escorted Herod 25 long, hot miles southwest, to a cone-shaped hill at the edge of the desert that gleamed with white stonework. Here they laid him to rest” (Mueller 37). While his allegiance to Rome, and criticisms about the extent to which he was Jewish abound in historical record, the actions of his subjects at the time of his death underscore his commitment to Judea and that this legacy was felt and acted upon by the people. http://goo.gl/rEuAVc Works Cited Emmons, Jim Tschen. "Nerva." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. Rabello, Alfredo. "Marcus Cocceius Nerva." Biography in Context. Encyclopaedia Judaica, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. Scarre, Chris. Chronicle of the Roman Emperors. London: Thames and Hudson Inc, n.d. Print. "Silver Denarius of Roman emperor Nerva." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. "Silver Denarius Of Roman Emperor Nerva (Reverse)." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO,