PLOT AGAINST HEROD ANTIPATER

Judah. Year 4 BC

Jews Herod made nations and tribes to tremble under the power of its laws, but he never felt the rest, forever prey fears and fears for his life and power. His family, whose members like no one else should give him comfort and consolation from state care, is the main cause of his death fears.

In 37 BC Herod married Mariamna, a descendant of the ancient royal lineage. She was born sons - Alexander and Aristobulus. The palace of Herod the Great was the site difficult family intrigue.

The fact is that prior to accession to the throne, he was married to Doris, who bore him a son of Antipater. Mariamna demanded that Herod Antipater banished from Jerusalem - and the king fulfilled her wish.

But then began rubbing with relatives Mariamna. At first it seemed to him that her grandfather is too arrogant and overly proud of his royal origin. Conflict of continually increasing, and as a result of Herod killed him. Then, a tradition made Herod erected in the High Priest 17-year-old brother Mariamna, but when his first sermon began to cry all the people in the church - the fate of the talented young man has been solved: it was sent to Jericho, and there on the orders of Herod drowned in a pond. Happened in 35 AD, to

The sad fate itself Mariamna. In a fit of jealousy when Herod ordered the killing of any innocent wife. But as if in punishment for a crime, passion for the dead has risen even more. Herod was in despair. Bay body Mariamna honey, he kept him in the palace at night talking with the dead and tried to convince himself that she is alive.

Children Mariamna - Alexander and Aristobulus - hated his father. King quickly told that his sons were plotting against him that something was wrong. Then frightened Herod Antipater returned from exile and announced a new order of succession: the first was to ascend to the throne of Antipater, Alexander behind him and only then Aristobulus.

But the position of the young heir was not sustainable, while a number were half-brothers. At the instigation of court provoked Alexander and Aristobulus to the sharp remarks against the father. Herod was told that the brothers cry out to the name Mariamna, threatening to settle with relatives after the death of his father. Alexander tempted eunuchs of the harem father gave them rich gifts, called Herod the old rake, coloring gray hair, and promised that takes power by force and will pay in full with the enemies. Of course, everything spies told the king. The interrogation, torture and executions. Herod did not trust anyone. Alone Antipater remained close to the king, man, but he wove a network of diabolical intrigue, in which he would destroy his brothers.

In the end, Alexander and his brother Aristobulus were victims of his father′s hatred. Herod demanded the trial of his sons. He served as the principal accuser, saying the number of crimes in the mockery of his father, the king of personal insults, attacks on his life. All of Judea and Syria with the tensely watching this tragedy. The king asked for the sons of the death penalty - and none of the judges decided not to object to it: Alexander and Aristobulus were strangled. Happened in 6 year BC

By eliminating competitors, Antipater began to complain about my mother that is aging, and his father seems to be not going to die.

Photo — «Plot Against Herod Antipater»

Who knows, I′m not going to survive his son Herod, and why he, Antipater, the power in old age - and not simply whether to shorten the life of the king? . . But before we take power, he had to enlist the support of the people and the army.

Antipater tried to bribe with gifts and speeches to win over his father′s old friends, and even pulled on his side, and enlisted the support of Saturninus, the Roman governor of Syria.

Ferora, brother of Herod, was also closely associated with Antipater, who quietly purchased a significant number of secret supporters, to promote and support are at the right moment might well expect. Antipater continued to flatter her father, and he saw in the rebellious son of the most ardent, reliable and trusted his subject.

Crafty conspirator tried to win over Salome, sister of Herod, but false promises and promises could not deceive the craft and cunning princess. It seemed suspicious behavior Ferory and Antipater. In public, they openly at odds, and under cover of night in deepest secrecy were lengthy discussions. Salome shared her observations with Herod, and advised him to be alert: possibly his life in danger. The king, who knew the character of her sister, did not immediately believe her, but became more attentive.

At the time Herod was mortally offended Feroru, when he married the maid. The king tried to force her brother to terminate such a shameful alliance, but Ferora not retreated.

Wife Ferory surrounded herself with the Pharisees, among which are more often heard talk that God wills to deprive himself of the throne of Herod, and transmit it Ferore. Traitors are brought to execution, and Herod once again tried to persuade his brother to divorce his wife. This requirement Ferora said that has always been and remains faithful to him, the supreme ruler, but his wife does not intend to leave.

Herod insulted so decisive answer, and he forbade Antipater to enter into any communication or correspondence with Feroroy. However, the king′s orders were not executed. The conspirators had strengthened precautions. Antipater saw how dangerous even a shadow of suspicion in the eyes of such a vengeful monarch, and made haste to go to Rome, to Caesar, taking with him the will of the old and the sick king.

Meanwhile, Herod ordered his brother to leave the limits of Judea. Ferora obeyed the will of the king, vowing never to return to the court. And kept his word. He died in exile.

Immediately after the death of Ferory two of his freedmen came to Herod and said that their master was poisoned, and begged not to leave Herod without penalty so obvious villainy. Maids Ferory been severely tortured. Unhappy because of anything, and not admitted, and only a barely audible whispered through her sobs: "Do not allow God to Antipater′s mother escaped the general misery, the only culprit whom she was herself. " These words troubled the king. Poor woman brought to their senses and again subjected to torture. It showed that Antipater mortally hates his father and fervently wished him death, as soon as possible capture the crown.

Then the servant of Antipater had confessed that he gave Ferore deadly poison, which he had to poison the king. The poison that was brought from Egypt Antifilom, a friend of Antipater. The poison was delivered Ferore, and he gave it to his wife.

Photo — «Plot Against Herod Antipater»

Last eventually revealed the truth during the interrogation. "My husband knew everything - she said - and gave its consent to your death because you have brought upon themselves the wrath of the Emperor, and was afraid of his unfortunate consequences. However, the feeling of brotherly love and affection that you yavili him during his illness, completely changed his feelings and thoughts. Once he called me and said: "I was misled by Antipater, and was too weak to prevent themselves to be drawn to the fratricidal case, which now inspires me with disgust. I do not want my soul has passed into another world stained by the most heinous of crimes . And so I ask you to leave now, in my presence, into the fire this poison. "And I, in obedience to my husband, and immediately burned it, cutting only a fraction of that most use if you wish me to betray a shameful punishment after the sudden death of my husband" ;. widow Ferory showed Herod cache, which stores the poison.

Antipater at that time was headed by the embassy in Rome. Herod cunning lured him to Jerusalem, writing to Antipater, that the urgent business in the West require the presence of her son. Although the letter was full of the most tender, the most emotional outpourings and confessions of love and paternal affection, Antipater did not believe them.

Arriving in Sicily, Antipater hesitated whether he should go to Herod. Opinions divided friends. Some urged him to wait, others advised to hasten his departure to the more rapid and has surely dispel suspicions father and thwart the machinations of enemies. Antipater nevertheless decided to continue the journey.

Finally he arrived in Jerusalem. When I met wanted to embrace her father, Antipater, Herod, but with obvious disgust, pushed him and bluntly stated that now is not he, his father, and Varus, the governor of Syria, which will be his judge.

The next day, Herod called a crowded meeting, chaired by Quinn. At trial, attended by relatives of the king, prosecutors and some of the servants, combined with handed, captured letters, able to provide evidence of their crimes.

The latter acts Varus, the governor of Syria. "You can say, if you consider yourself innocent. Once again, we hear you, "- he turned to Antipater. But he was silent. The judge then ordered to bring the poison, about which so much has been said on this process, to try his strength in action. The poison was given to one of those sentenced to death, and he immediately fell down dead. Antipater imprisoned.

Family adversity before marred life of Herod, that he was nothing found himself consolation. Darkened his spirit has led the development of the strange disease, a diagnosis that he still had not installed. Besides fever the entire surface of the skin, he felt an unbearable itch. In addition, his tormented shortness of breath and painful cramps in the muscles. Incidentally, the writer and physician Anton Chekhov believed that Herod was suffering from age-old form of scabies.

Herod said that his suffering will grow, while Antipater was alive, and therefore wanted to personally oversee the execution of his own son.

Herod son survived for five days. The Roman emperor Octavian Augustus, learned about the execution of Antipater, said: "It is better to be Herod′s pig than his son!"