“hung up within the limits of the temple at Jerusalem, over the treasury, that it might be a memorial of the severe fate he had lain under. Caligula immediately “put a diadem upon Agrippa’s head, and appointed him king of the tetrarchy of his uncle Philip and that of Lysanius.” He also “changed his iron chain for a gold one of equal weight,” which he hung about his neck. Agrippa shaved and presented himself to his friend, Caligula, the new emperor. Īgrippa remained in prison for six months until Emperor Tiberius died in 37 A.D. Eutychus overheard the remark and reported it to Emperor Tiberius, who immediately ordered Agrippa chained and imprisoned for treason. In the course of conversation, Agrippa enthusiastically confided to Caligula that he wished old Tiberius would die, so Caligula could assume the throne. He paid his debt to Antonia and continued lavish spending while his friendship with Caligula grew. One day Agrippa and Caligula were riding together in a chariot, driven by Eutychus, a freedman. During that time Agrippa befriended Antonia’s grandson, Caligula.Ī Samaritan freedman of Tiberius loaned a huge sum of money to Agrippa. Later Antonia loaned Agrippa the required sum to pay the debt, because he had been raised with her son, Claudius. Agrippa later returned to the island of Capri and met Tiberius, who employed him as teacher of his grandson, Tiberius Gemellus. Tiberius prevented Agrippa’s entry to Capri until his debt to the imperial treasury had been paid in full. However, a complaint arrived from an angry Herennius Capito regarding Agrippa’s debt to the Roman treasury. He departed to Italy but stopped to visit Tiberius Caesar on the island of Capri. Antipas blamed Agrippa for his poverty and declared Agrippa owed him the very food he was eating.Īgrippa was humiliated and angry. His relationship with Antipas deteriorated one evening at a feast in Tyre. Antipas gave Agrippa a home, a large allowance, and a new job as supervisor of Antipas’ new capital city Tiberias. Agrippa found his new position inadequate. Josephus wrote he contemplated suicide.Īgrippa’s wife, Cypros, won favor for Agrippa with his sister’s husband, Herod Antipas. He had no money and owed many angry Roman creditors. Agrippa lost the support of Emperor Tiberius and was forced to retire quietly to Malatha, a fortress in Idumea. his childhood companion Drusus suddenly died-poisoned by Sejanus, who was tried and executed. He borrowed large sums of money and accumulated significant debt.
Claudius was Agrippa’s age and Drusus was slightly older.Īgrippa lived careless and extravagant, especially after his mother Bernice’s death. Among his companions were the later emperors Caligula and Claudius, as well as the son of Emperor Tiberias, Drusus. His life illustrates the dependence of the Judean rulers upon the favor of the Roman emperors of the first century.Īt age eleven he was sent to Rome for an education with the princes of the ruling dynasty. īecause of his Roman connections, he was the last to unite the Jewish territories. In religion he was a zealous rather than a devout Jew, attentive to “tithe mint and dill and cummin,” but neglectful of “the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.” He was keenly fond of popularity and possessed much personal magnetism. Josephus records the following: Agrippa appears to have been a man of gracious manners, very kind, gifted with eloquence, yet filled with vanity. He was also the brother of Herodias, wife of Herod Philip, who later married Herod Antipas-the one who killed John the Baptist. He was named Marcus Julius Agrippa-after the Roman statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. Aristobulus was executed by his father in 7 B.C, but Agrippa’s life was spared at the age of four. Herod Agrippa I was one of the children of Mariamne and Aristobulus, the son of Herod the Great. Agrippa’s territory comprised most of Israel, and included Judea, Galilee, Batanaea, and Perea. He did so by executing James the Apostle and imprisoning Peter (Acts 12).
He was the only Herod to gain support from the more orthodox Jews. His reign was short and he died unexpectedly. Agrippa I, Herodias’ brother, acquired all the territory of his grandfather, Herod the Great and ruled over it as king for seven years.
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