from destructive wars and free to
develop the great agricultural and commercial resources of the land. While
outside of Judea Herod built heathen temples, he faithfully guarded the
temple of Jerusalem, and was careful not to override the religious
prejudices of his subjects. His measures to relieve their suffering in
time of famine reveal a generosity which under better environment and
training might have made him a benign ruler.

V. The Tragedy of His Domestic Life. The weakness of Herod's character
is most glaringly revealed in his domestic life. Undoubtedly he loved the
beautiful Maccabean princess, Mariamne, with all the passion of his
violent nature. It was a type of love, however, which passes over easily
into insensate jealousy. Accordingly, when he left Judea just before the
battle of Actium, and later when he went to meet Octavian, he had his wife
Mariamne shut up in a strong fortress. Unfortunately Herod, like most
despots, was unable to command the services of loyal followers. The
discovery of Herod's suspicions toward her aroused the imperious spirit of
Mariamne. She was also the victim of the plots of his jealous family.
Human history presents no greater tragedy than that of Herod putting to
death the one woman whom he truly loved, and later a victim of his own
suspicions and of the intrigues of his son Antipater, finally obtaining
royal permission to put to death the two noble sons whom Mariamne had
borne to him. It is difficult to find in all history a more pitiable sight
than Herod in his old age, hated by most of his subjects, misled by the
members of his own family, the murderer of those whom he loved best,
finding his sole satisfaction in putting to death his son Antipater, who
had betrayed him, and in planning in his last hours how he might by the
murder of hundreds of his subjects arouse wide-spread lamentation.

VI. Effects of Herod's Reign. One of the chief results of Herod's policy
and reign was the complete extinction of the Maccabean house. Herod's
motive and method were thoroughly base, but for the Jewish people the
result was beneficial, for it removed one of the most active causes of
those suicidal rebellions that had resulted disastrously for the Jews and
brought them under the suspicion and iron rule of Rome. With his heavy
hand Herod also put a stop to the party strife that had undermined the
native Jewish kingdom and brought loss and suffering to thousands of Jews.
The Pharisees and Sad