Video: Mysteries of the Bible - Herod the Great

Summary:

Scholars may debate whether Judean King Herod committed the act he is most famous for--the slaughter of a nation's young boys in a failed attempt to assassinate the baby Jesus--but no one doubts that he was mean enough to do it. After all, the king did murder his second wife, their two sons, and all of his in-laws, according to this A&E program. While this is part of the Mysteries of the Bible series, this 45-minute installment actually serves more as a biography of the half-Jewish king known for his Roman affiliations, brilliance in building, and penchant for murdering those who got in his way. Since Herod actually appears only infrequently in the Bible, the producers rely heavily on the biographical work of first-century historian Josephus, with Jean Simmons reading quotations. Richard Kiley narrates and various professors weigh in on the fine line between brilliant madman and great king. The video charts Herod's early political rise and his unprecedented architectural accomplishments, from enormous temples to Caesarea, a coastline port city built probably as much for the challenge as the necessity. But much of the focus is on his long, violent decline, which ended only with his own death.

(1 hour)