Britannica Sources used in this answer

What role did Mark Antony play in establishing Herod as king of Judaea?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Mark Antony marble bust — Mark Antony Mark Antony, detail of a marble bust; in the Vatican Museum.

Mark Antony played a pivotal role in establishing Herod as king of Judaea by leveraging his authority as a Roman triumvir to secure Herod's political future. Following a Parthian invasion of Palestine in 40 BCE, which led to the installation of the Hasmonean ruler Antigonus, Herod was forced to flee to Rome.123

While in Rome, Herod—who had already established a long-standing friendship with Mark Antony—successfully petitioned the Roman Senate for support. The Senate nominated Herod as king of Judaea and provided him with an army to reclaim his position. By 37 BCE, Herod had successfully defeated his rivals and established himself as the unchallenged ruler of the region. Antony’s continued political backing and influence in the East were instrumental in this transition, solidifying Herod's status as a client king loyal to Rome.1245