principality · Anatolia and the Levant

Herodian Ethnarchy of Judea

4 BCE – 6 CE · capital Jerusalem

The short reign of Herod Archelaus over Judea, Samaria and Idumaea, whose failure led Rome to rule Judea directly through prefects.

Origins

Herod the Great's will named Archelaus as heir to the kingship, but Augustus in 4 BCE gave him only the title ethnarch and the heartland of the kingdom: Judea with Jerusalem, Samaria and Idumaea, about half of his father's territory, with the promise of a crown if he governed well.

Rule and society

His reign began with the killing of some three thousand people when he suppressed a Passover protest in the Temple courts, and further revolts had to be crushed by the Syrian governor Varus. Archelaus founded the village of Archelais, planted palms near Jericho and rebuilt the palace there. His marriage to Glaphyra, widow of his half-brother, offended religious opinion.

Decline and legacy

In 6 CE a joint delegation of Judeans and Samaritans complained to Augustus, who deposed Archelaus and exiled him to Vienne in Gaul. Judea became a Roman province under equestrian prefects, and the census of Quirinius that followed provoked the revolt of Judas of Galilee.

Lineage

Herodian Kingdom of Judea 37 BCE – 4 BCEHerodian Ethnarchy of JudeaRoman Empire 27 BCE – 476 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Herodian Ethnarchy of Judea. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/herodian-ethnarchy-of-judea
MLA
“Herodian Ethnarchy of Judea.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/herodian-ethnarchy-of-judea. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Herodian Ethnarchy of Judea.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/herodian-ethnarchy-of-judea.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Herodian Ethnarchy of Judea’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/herodian-ethnarchy-of-judea (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻