Herod the Great and Political Boundaries

Herod the Great, who rebuilt the temple, was an Idumaean and the first foreigner ruled Judea. This was because of his prominent position given by the Roman Empire. He somewhat gained favor with the Jews by his marriage with Mariamne, a Princess of the Hasmonean Dynasty, but quickly lost it when he placed a golden eagle, in honor of Caesar, over the great gate of the temple, which was torn down immediately after his death. This was the Herod the Great who, in a jealous rage, sought to murder He was born the true King of the Jews.

Herod the Great assigned to his son, Archelaus, by his sixth wife, Malthace (A Samaritan): Idumaea, Judea, and Samaria. But soon after Archelaus was banished by the Roman government, when Pontius Pilate became procurator of the new imperial province of Judea.

At the same time Herod Antipas was given Tetrarchy of upper and lower Galilee, the district of Perea, which was formerly the land of Gilead and Bashan.

Philip, who was brother of Herod Antipas, was given Tetrarchy of Itrurea and Trachonitis, the country around Hermon, the stony Argob, and the fertile Hauran. Abilene was a district of anti-Lebanon.

These political divisions of the holy land existed during the public ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The western portion of the holy land was divided into Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. The eastern region beyond the Jordan bore the Greek name Perea which means "beyond."