Herod's Oath of c. 6 BCE

This paper attempts to connect Josephus' short reference to the oath taken to Herod the Great and Augustus with the so-called imperial oaths. In these oaths of loyalty to Augustus, which have been preserved on stone from various parts of the empire, the subjects are not only expected to pledge their allegiance to the supreme ruler in Rome, they are at least in one case also required to swear by Augustus. Furthermore, the oaths are taken at an altar, thus connecting this practice with the imperial cult. Accordingly, we argue that not only chronologically, but also thematically, Herod's oath is very reminiscent of imperial oaths. This study attempts to contribute to the increased interest in the role of the imperial cult played in the kingdom of Herod the Great.