Herod the Great was ruling over Judea at the time Jesus was born. He was the first of several Edomite rulers named Herod who ruled over parts of the Roman Empire.
* This Herod was very cruel and had many people killed. When he heard that a "king of the Jews" had been born in Bethlehem, he had all the baby boys in that town killed.
* His sons Herod Antipas and Herod Philip and his grandson Herod Agrippa also became Roman rulers. His great-grandson Herod Agrippa II (called "King Agrippa") ruled over the entire area of Judea.