4 BC
Herod the Great dies, Jesus born?

Previous event | Timeline | Next event

Herod the Great, who was appointed king of Judaea by the Roman Senate in 40 BC, is dead. Herod's alliance with Rome is hugely unpopular among many of the Jewish sects in Judaea, although his rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem provides the city with one of the world's biggest and most impressive structures. In later years, Herod will become famous as the organiser of the tax census requiring all Jews to return to their home towns on a given day. It is said that the baby Jesus is born in a stable because there is no room at the inn as his father and mother, Joseph and Mary, journey from Nazareth to Joseph's birthplace, Bethlehem.

Top