Why did Claudius make Judaea a Roman province in 44 CE?

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Claudius Claudius I, detail of a bust found near Priverno; in the Vatican Museums.

Claudius did not make Judaea a Roman province in 44 CE as a result of a specific policy decision to annex the territory; rather, it returned to provincial status because of the death of Herod Agrippa I that year.12

Herod Agrippa I had been a loyal ally to Claudius, and in return, the emperor had added Judaea and Samaria to Agrippa's kingdom, effectively reuniting the realm of his grandfather, Herod the Great. However, when Agrippa died in 44 CE, his son was only 17 years old—too young to assume the responsibilities of ruling the kingdom. Consequently, the entire territory passed under direct Roman rule and was reconstituted as a procuratorial province.12