Unexpected Twist: A Jewish King Shapes the Roman Empire's Fate

Life was harsh and bitter for our ancestors under the tyrannical Roman rule toward the end of the Second Temple period. Since the civil war when the Romans were called in to broker peace, only to conquer Jerusalem, Jews suffered under King Herod's tyranny, oppressive Roman governors, and as the Torah warns: "The foreigner who resides among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower... Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes."

After forty years of suffering under Herod's tyranny, of whom his friend Emperor Augustus said, "It’s better to be Herod’s pig than his son," given that Herod killed his own sons fearing they might be crowned by the people, the Romans crowned Herod's grandson, Agrippa, a descendant of Miriam the Hasmonean, son of Aristobulus, whom Herod brutally killed.

Agrippa I was a righteous king, God-fearing, praised by our sages at various times. He was raised in Rome, as was customary, sending royal offspring to be educated in Rome. There he was raised by Princess Antonia, a prominent Roman woman, the mother of Germanicus – conqueror of Germany, and of Claudius, a clever but physically disabled youth with an unimpressive appearance. Over the years, Agrippa exercised with the Roman brothers, trained in combat techniques, studied philosophy with them, yet remained a faithful Jew, observing commandments, adhering to the sages' teachings, and fearing God.

In 41 CE, Agrippa reached Rome. His goal was to plead with the mad Emperor Caligula to protect the Jews in his empire, who were then targeted by malicious attacks. However, before Agrippa could secure an audience with Caligula, Caligula was assassinated by a group of conspirators in the royal passage between the circus and the palace. Caligula employed German bodyguards, distrustful of his Roman subjects whom he treated with madness and insanity. The bodyguards charged at the conspirators, succeeding in killing some. Additionally, they killed Roman senators in the vicinity. Chaos erupted in the royal Roman palace. The conspirators hadn't planned who the next emperor would be, nor was it within their authority—Caligula left no will, considering himself a deity, plunging the city of Rome into bewilderment. The Senate convened, senators argued intensely throughout the night, arriving at no conclusions or agreements. Like a ship whose captain was lost, as mad as Caligula was, he was still the emperor, holding the empire's reins.

During this time, the royal Praetorian guard roamed the palace, trying to restore order. There they unexpectedly discovered Claudius hiding behind a curtain. As a relative of the emperor, he feared the conspirators might want to eliminate him too, so he hid for hours. The soldiers thought otherwise. Seeing a relative of the emperor, they assumed he must be the emperor, placing him on a litter and transporting him to the military camp as emperor. The Senate did not accept the announcement, and Claudius himself was bewildered and confused. He lacked representativeness; he appeared strange and ridiculous. Among Romans, physical appearance was crucial—a Caesar had to be a powerful speaker, thunderous in voice, charismatic, and dominant.

At this moment, Agrippa entered the scene. He arrived at the military camp as a friend and stepbrother of Claudius, encouraging and calming him, advising him on how to appeal to the Romans, rather than hiding behind curtains. Simultaneously, Agrippa addressed the Senate, persuading them to engage with Claudius, who would undoubtedly listen to their voices and be a suitable emperor agreeing with their opinions. Indeed, Claudius entered the Senate as a victor, accompanied by the Praetorian guard. From the moment senators accepted his entry into the chamber, it was clear he would be crowned emperor. They reached agreements, orchestrated by Agrippa, and Claudius became emperor.

Thus, a Jewish king found himself, like Charvonah, at the center of an unplanned event, wielding significant and meaningful influence. Claudius, of course, remembered this favor and thanked Agrippa, expanding his kingdom and powers. Throughout Claudius' 13-year reign as emperor, Agrippa and all of Israel's inhabitants enjoyed the emperor's support.