The Death of Herod the Great

Herod became seriously ill in 4 BCE when he was about 70 years old. While ill, he moved to his palace in Jericho. Josephus wrote at length about Herod's horrid illness including ulceration and terrible pains in the colon, malignancy, and purification of organs. Many agreed that his end was well-deserved with his brutal actions leaving him with no one to mourn him.

‍Josephus, Antiquities, Book XVII, Chapters 6-8

‍"(Herod) spoke thus to them: ‘I shall die in a little time, so great are my pains. Which death ought to be cheerfully born, and to be welcomed by all men. But what principally troubles me is this; that I shall die without being lamented, and without such mourning as men usually expect at a King’s death…"…And now Herod altered his testament, upon the alteration of his mind. For he appointed Antipas, to whom he had before left the Kingdom, to be tetrarch of Galilee and Perea: and granted the Kingdom (of Judea) to Archelaus.”

As Augustus did not confirm this revision, no one received the title of King. However, three of Herod’s sons, Herod Archelaus, Herod Antipas and Herod Philip II were ultimately granted rule of the stated territories.