While I thought I was fairly well versed on the bible and biblical history, it turns out that I had a major gap in my knowledge—knowing almost nothing about the Herodian dynasty. These are the men that scripture tells us ordered all the male children murdered and sent Jesus to Pontius Pilate to be executed. They were fascinating men, often politically very canny, often paranoid, and always blood thirsty. What surprised me the most was their close alignment with Rome and actual friendship with critical emperors such as Augustus. It also surprised me to learn that John the Baptist belonged to a sect that had always rejected the Herodian dynasty’s right to rule. It adds dimensions to a story that I thought I knew very well.
This is a very interesting book for those interested in a little bit of the political history regarding Judea and Rome.