In this book, the title “Herod the Great” is not used,
though at one point (above) it was hinted at by Nicholas of Damascus. The
reason is simple: there is no historical evidence that our Herod was ever referred
to, or that he wished anyone to refer to him, by that title. It is one of the
curious ironies that Agrippa I, Herod’s grandson, styled himself “the great king”
on some of his coins, though he has not come down in history as Agrippa the
Great, while Herod, who did not seek this title, has come to be called Herod
the Great. Pompey, by comparison, deliberately wished to be known as Pompey the
Great, imitating Alexander the Great, who he may have resembled. The adjective great
is used once in Josephus (Ant. 17.29) with reference to Agrippa I,
where it may mean in this way, whatever he may mean by it, argues strongly
against first-century use of the title “Herod the Great” of our Herod. IT
probably crept into usage first as a reference to Agrippa and only alter was
transferred to his more important Grandfather. (Peter Richardson, Herod:
King of the Jews and the Friend of the Romans [Edinburgh: T & T Clark,
1999], 12)
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