Imperialism and Jewish Society, 200 B.C.E. to 640 C.E. - Seth Schwartz

48 CHAPTER ONE
Herod died in 4B.C.E., and a series of small-scale uprisings at once broke
out. Augustus decided to divide Herod’s Jewish state into several pieces and
distribute them among Herod’s lesser sons, the only ones who survived. Arche-
laus was assigned Samaria, Judaea, and Idumaea, and Herod Antipas, Galilee.
The pagan territories of southern Syria were assigned to Herod Philip. Arche-
laus was vicious and incompetent. In 6C.E., the leading Jews and Samaritans
asked Augustus to remove him, and he did so. Antipas ruled peacefully for
forty-two years, a successful and competent ruler, notwithstanding his reputa-
tion among the early Christians, and Philip ruled until 34C.E. Though Her-
od’s Jewish state did not survive his death as a political unit, as a religious,
cultural, and social entity it fell only in 70C.E.