Map of the Herodian Tetrarchy in the Levant, c. 5 CE
This map illustrates the geopolitical situation in the Levant after the death of Herod the Great (ruled 37–4 BCE), the ambitious client king of Judea appointed by the Roman Senate. His death marked the breakup of his kingdom into the Herodian Tetrarchy, a division intended to preserve stability while ensuring loyalty to Rome. The arrangement created four smaller political units ruled by Herod’s sons and relatives, reflecting both dynastic continuity and increasing Roman oversight in the region.
By the terms of Herod’s will, confirmed by Emperor Augustus (reign 27 BCE–14 CE), Judea was divided as follows: Archelaus (r. 4 BCE–6 CE) received Judea, Samaria, and Idumea as ethnarch; Herod Antipas (r. 4 BCE–39 CE) became tetrarch of Galilee and Perea; Philip (r. 4 BCE–34 CE) governed the northeastern territories of Batanea, Trachonitis, and Auranitis; and Salome I, Herod’s sister, received smaller holdings around Jamnia. This division marked a transitional phase in Levantine politics: while Herod’s heirs sought to rule as client princes, Roman authority deepened, especially after the removal of Archelaus in 6 CE and the creation of the Roman province of Judea. Over the following decades, Roman governors and legions increasingly overshadowed the Herodians, setting the stage for direct imperial control and the eventual decline of the dynasty.
