Herod

This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Hērṓidēs (Ἡρῴδης)”, composed of two elements: “hḗrōs (ἥρως)” (watch over, protect, A hero of the Trojan War) plus “aoidḗ (οιδή) ōidḗ (ᾠδή)” (song, ode, legend, tale, story). In turn, the name means “song of the hero, hero song, heroic one”. Herod is a name used of several kings belonging to the Herodian dynasty of the Roman province of Judaea: Herod (Herod the Great) was a Roman client king of Judea. His epithet of ‘the Great’ is widely disputed as he is described as a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis, “the evil genius of the Judean nation,” “prepared to commit any crime in order to gratify his unbounded ambition” and “the greatest builder in Jewish history.” Herod appears in the Gospel, according to Matthew, which describes an event known as the Massacre of the Innocents.