Herod
Massacre-ordering monarch
Herod was a Roman client king of Judea in the first century BCE, known for grand building projects and ruthless consolidation of power.
In the New Testament, a Herod orders the massacre of infants in Bethlehem after hearing of Jesus's birth.
The name has become shorthand for tyrannical cruelty, especially toward children: He's a regular Herod.
Triply sacred ancient capital
- JudeaAncient Palestinian territory
- tetrarchRuler of a fourth
- RomanOf ancient Italy's capital
- AugustusRome's inaugural emperor
dynasty · reign · Galilee · Temple · Masada · architecture · palace · fortress
Large-scale unlawful killing
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- paranoiaIrrational persecution fears
- executionCompleting a planned task
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
despotism · brutality · infanticide · ruthlessness · jealousy · suspicion · murder · sons
Nativity's traditional setting
- MagiEastern priests, biblical visitors
- New TestamentSecond biblical division
- Gospel of MatthewOpening New Testament text
- JosephCommon masculine given name
Mary · Jesus · star · gold · frankincense · myrrh · prophecy · Messiah
Wicked story antagonist
- atrocityUnforgivable mass cruelty
- notorietyFame from misdeeds
- wickednessMoral corruption or evil
- disgraceLoss of honor
monster · archetype · theatrical · melodrama · mystery plays · villain role · byword · epithet
Jerusalem
Triply sacred ancient capital
Augustus · dynasty · reign · Galilee · Temple · Masada · architecture · palace · fortress · aqueduct
massacre
Large-scale unlawful killing
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- paranoiaIrrational persecution fears
- executionCompleting a planned task
oppression · despotism · brutality · infanticide · ruthlessness · jealousy · suspicion · murder · sons · wives
Bethlehem
Nativity's traditional setting
- MagiEastern priests, biblical visitors
- New TestamentSecond biblical division
- Gospel of MatthewOpening New Testament text
Joseph · Mary · Jesus · star · gold · frankincense · myrrh · prophecy · Messiah · Rachel
villain
Wicked story antagonist
- atrocityUnforgivable mass cruelty
- notorietyFame from misdeeds
- wickednessMoral corruption or evil
disgrace · monster · archetype · theatrical · melodrama · mystery plays · villain role · byword · epithet · Shakespeare
- Ancient RulersNebuchadnezzar, Genghis Khan, Hammurabi, Cyrus the Great, Ramesses II
- GospelsJesus, gospels, Jesus Christ, apostles, Gospel of Mark
- Biblical FiguresJesus, Adam, Eve, Moses, Noah
- nativitynativity set, baby Jesus, Christ child, Bethlehem, Mary
- Christmas NamesSanta, Rudolph, Frosty, Scrooge, Blitzen
- Ancient IsraelIsraelites, Jerusalem, Israel, twelve tribes, Judea
HerodMother Teresa
Canonized Albanian missionary
Saint Nicholas · child advocate · humanitarian · Good Samaritan · guardian
HerodJoseph
Common masculine given name
Mary · Magi · Simeon · guardian angel · shepherds
HerodKing David
Ancient Israel's greatest monarch
King Solomon · wise king · benevolent despot · philosopher king · Marcus Aurelius
- King Herod
- Herod the GreatParanoid Judean monarch