The Seven Kings of Revelation 17(and 13) Part 3: Herodian Dynasty

I shall return now to the assumption that the Angel meant John's own time.  Remembering how I ended my Edom=Rome study.  I've considered, and found some others have as well, that they might be the Herodian dynasty.

In Revelation 13 it also says "upon his heads the name of blasphemy". Herod, which is actually "Herodes" in the Greek texts, derives from the same Greek root word as "hero" and "heroic".  To the Greeks however, Heroes were the Demigods, half human half god beings, or deified humans. So the very meaning of the name of Herod was Blasphemous.  It's also occurred to me that the name could be a masculine form of Hera, after whom Herakles(Hercules) was named.

1. Herod The Great, 37-1 B.C. Was the first to have the name and the first to rule as King, being proclaimed King of The Jews (Rex Judearum) by the Roman Senate. He massacred the children of Bethlehem.

2. Herod Archelaus, B.C. 1-6 A.D. Was mentioned at the end of Matthew 2. When he was deposed The Scepter departed from Judah. Babylonian Talmud, Chapter 4, folio 37

3. Herod Antipas, B.C. 1-39 A.D. Beheaded John The Baptist, and mocked Jesus on the day of The Passover.

4. Herod Agrippa I, 37-44 A.D. Only one other then The Great to rule as King of Judea.  Martyred James and tried to kill Peter in Acts 12 which goes on to record his death. And indeed from that account I've considered him more then any other Heordian a type of The Antichrist.

Acts 1220-23

And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.  And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.  And the people gave a shout, saying, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man".  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

This is verified by Josephus in Antiquities of The Jews Chapter 8.

Now when Agrippa had reigned three years over all Judea, he came to the city Cesarea, which was formerly called Strato's Tower; and there he exhibited shows in honor of Caesar, upon his being informed that there was a certain festival celebrated to make vows for his safety. At which festival a great multitude was gotten together of the principal persons, and such as were of dignity through his province. On the second day of which shows he put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theater early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun's rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him; and presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another, [though not for his good,] that he was a god; and they added, "Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature." Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery. But as he presently afterward looked up, he saw an owl sitting on a certain rope over his head, and immediately understood that this bird was the messenger of ill tidings, as it had once been the messenger of good tidings to him; and fell into the deepest sorrow. A severe pain also arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner. He therefore looked upon his friends, and said, "I, whom you call a god, am commanded presently to depart this life; while Providence thus reproves the lying words you just now said to me; and I, who was by you called immortal, am immediately to be hurried away by death. But I am bound to accept of what Providence allots, as it pleases God; for we have by no means lived ill, but in a splendid and happy manner." When he said this, his pain was become violent. Accordingly he was carried into the palace, and the rumor went abroad every where, that he would certainly die in a little time. But the multitude presently sat in sackcloth, with their wives and children, after the law of their country, and besought God for the king's recovery. All places were also full of mourning and lamentation. Now the king rested in a high chamber, and as he saw them below lying prostrate on the ground, he could not himself forbear weeping. And when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life, being in the fifty-fourth year of his age, and in the seventh year of his reign;

5. Herod of Chalcis, ???-48 A.D. After the death of Agrippa was given stewardship of The Temple and responsibility for appointing The High Priest.

6. Herod Agrippa II, 48-100 A.D. Took responsibility for The Temple from Herod of Chalcis. Paul was tried before him in Acts where he said "almost you have convinced me to become a christian". Lived for awhile in rumored Incest with his sister Berenice. He was the current Herodian monarch through both Nero and Domitian's reigns.  Died in about 100 A.D.

7 option 1. Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes, Legatus of the Iudaea Province 99-102 A.D. He is not known to have been biologically Herodian, but he happens to have the name, and little is know about his ancestry. He was the last Herodes to govern Judea or Jerusalem.  And he did so for only 3-4 years.

7 option 2. Bar-Kokhba.  Rashi described Bar-Kokhba as "one of the Herodian kings" at the same time as emphasizing his reign was short (two and a half years).  In his commentary on Sanhedrin 93b.

My Genealogy of The Antichrist study documents potential ties between the Herodian dynasty and modern European Royalty through their intermarriages with Roman Aristocracy.