King Herod, also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman client king of Judea from 37 to 4 BC. He was appointed by the Roman Senate after the defeat of the Hasmonean kingdom in the Roman–Parthian War of 40–38 BC, and he ruled with the support of the Roman army. Herod was a controversial figure, known for his ambitious building projects, such as the expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the construction of the port city of Caesarea Maritima. He was also known for his cruelty and paranoia, and he executed several members of his own family, including his wife Mariamne and his sons Alexander and Aristobulus. Herod's reign was marked by political instability and violence, and he was eventually succeeded by his son Herod Archelaus.
