What was the political situation in Palestine at the time of Jesus?

Answer 1

A:King Herod's father was an Idumean and he became king of Judea and surrounding territories because of Roman military support. As a result, Herod was never accepted by his Jewish subjects. The Jewish historian, Josephus, lists several rebel leaders in Galilee around the time Jesus was born, as well as others in Judea. Herod knew the risks they posed, as he constructed a ring of forts all around his kingdom so that wherever he was he had a safe haven nearby.

After the death of King Herod in April 4 BCE, he left it to the Romans to decide the future of his kingdom, but proposed that it be broken up among three of his sons. Archelaus received Judea, Samaria and Idumea, but only as tetrarch not as king. Antipas became tetrarch of Galilee, as well as receiving the area of Macherus, east of the Dead Sea. Philip received the territories east of the River Jordan.

Archelaus was a disastrous ruler and was deposed and exiled by the Romans after just ten years. A prefect was appointed for Judea and Quirinius was sent to govern Syria in 6 CE, with instructions to conduct a census in Judea in order to regulate taxes.

A string of Roman rulers followed in Judea, and Pontius Pilate seems to have been one of the most unpopular among the Jews. Shortly after his arrival in Judea, Pilate transferred a new military unit to Jerusalem. These units had portraits of the emperor among their insignia, while Jewish law at the time prohibited the representation of human or animal figures. The operation was obviously carried out with some discretion: the new garrison arrived by night and their banners were kept covered. But when Pilate's action became known, the Jews erupted in anger, as they could not tolerate these images near the Temple. Pilate was forced to withdraw the unit.

In Galilee, Antipas fell in love with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, and she agreed to divorce Philip and marry Antipas. As a pagan, Antipas could have only one wife, but was already married to the daughter of King Aretas of the Nabateans. Antipas divorced her and married Herodias in 34 CE. This incensed a popular Jewish preacher, John the Baptist, who publicly criticised the marriage and was later imprisoned and executed in the castle of Macherus, to prevent him from inciting an uprising. King Aretas was also incensed at the insult to his daughter whom Antipas had divorced in order to marry his brother's wife, and attacked Galilee in 36 CE, leading the Jews to believe that this was God's way of punishing Antipas for the death of John the Baptist.