Herod's games in honor of Caesar provoke opposition
About this date: Josephus places the games before the famine. 27 BCE follows this edition's editorial chronology rather than an exact date in the episode.
Herod introduces costly games and performance venues honoring Caesar. Josephus describes objections to the displays and a conspiracy against the king.
Historical context
The episode brings imperial public spectacle into tension with local religious expectations. It is distinct from Herod's later Temple rebuilding.
Key points
- Performers and competitors are invited from outside Judea.
- Images and trophies become a point of dispute.
- Herod responds to opposition with security measures.
People
- Herod the Great
Sources and further reading
- Jewish Antiquities, Book XV
Games, objections to trophies, and the conspiracy.