Iulius Agrippa (1) I, Marcus, 37–43/44 CE

Agrippa I was the third member of the Herodian dynasty to rule over Judaea, after Herod Archelaus and Herod the Great, Agrippa’s grandfather, before him. His full reign as monarch in the southern Levant extended from 37 to 43/44 ce , but only from 41 in Judaea. He was the grandson of Herod the Great and his Hasmonean wife, Mariamme, through their second son Aristobulus and his wife and first cousin, Berenice, the daughter of Herod’s sister Salome; see PIR 2 1.131. His reign was largely characterized by a difficult balancing act. On the one hand, he endeavoured to act as a staunch champion of Jewish interests while, on the other, he tried to fulfil his duties as a Roman client king and patronizing Graeco-Roman culture. Agrippa I found it practically impossible to meet these different expectations, which often made contrary demands. The author of the book of Acts portrays Agrippa I as proscribing Christianity and its early proponents. His son, Agrippa II, ruled after him, but not immediately and never over Judaea proper.