Was Salome Herod Antipas's Daughter? Untangling the Herodian Family Tree

August 6th, 2026
by Dr. Timothy Steele

Was Salome Herod Antipas's Daughter? Untangling the Herodian Family Tree

One of the most common misconceptions in the New Testament is that Salome—the young woman whose dance led to the execution of John the Baptist—was the biological daughter of Herod Antipas. She was not. She was his stepdaughter.

Understanding this relationship helps make sense of why John the Baptist so boldly condemned Herod's marriage.

Who Were Salome's Parents?

Salome was the daughter of Herodias and Herod II (sometimes called Herod Philip I in modern scholarship). Herod II was one of the many sons of Herod the Great, but unlike some of his brothers, he never ruled a kingdom.

Later, Herodias left Herod II and married Herod Antipas. That marriage made Antipas Salome's stepfather.

The family relationships were extraordinarily complicated—even by ancient royal standards.

Antipas was the half-brother of Salome's father, Herod II.
Antipas was also the uncle of Herodias, Salome's mother.
By marrying Herodias, Antipas became Salome's stepfather.

It is no wonder the Herodian family tree can leave readers scratching their heads!

What Do Our Sources Say?

The Jewish historian Josephus explicitly states that Herodias and her first husband had a daughter named Salome (Antiquities of the Jews 18.5.4).

Interestingly, the Gospels never actually name the young woman who danced before Herod. Matthew and Mark simply identify her as "the daughter of Herodias" (Matthew 14:6; Mark 6:22). A textual variant in Mark refers to her as "his daughter Herodias," but the traditional identification with Josephus's Salome has been accepted by most historians. This means she should be understood as Antipas's stepdaughter rather than his biological daughter.

The Three Sons Who Inherited Herod the Great's Kingdom

When Herod the Great died (traditionally dated to 4 BC), Rome did not allow one heir to inherit his entire kingdom. Instead, Emperor Augustus divided the territory among three of Herod's sons, each ruling under Roman authority.

Herod Archelaus

Title: Ethnarch
Territory: Judea, Samaria, and Idumea (including Jerusalem and Bethlehem)
Ruled: 4 BC–AD 6

Archelaus received the largest and most important portion of his father's kingdom. Herod's will had proposed that he become king, but Augustus granted him the lesser title of ethnarch, meaning "ruler of a people," with the possibility of becoming king later if he governed well.

He did not.

His rule became notorious for brutality and instability. In AD 6, Rome removed him from office and exiled him. Judea was then placed under direct Roman administration, paving the way for governors such as Pontius Pilate.

Matthew records that Joseph avoided returning to Judea because Archelaus ruled there (Matthew 2:22).

Herod Antipas

Title: Tetrarch
Territory: Galilee and Perea
Ruled: 4 BC–AD 39

Antipas governed Galilee, where much of Jesus' public ministry took place, as well as Perea on the eastern side of the Jordan River. His capital was Tiberias.

Although the Gospels sometimes refer to him simply as "King Herod," his official Roman title was tetrarch, not king.

He is remembered as the ruler who:

married Herodias, his brother's former wife;
imprisoned and executed John the Baptist;
questioned Jesus during His trial (Luke 23); and
was eventually exiled by Emperor Caligula in AD 39 after unsuccessfully seeking the title of king.

Philip the Tetrarch

Title: Tetrarch
Territory: Iturea, Trachonitis, and other northeastern regions
Ruled: 4 BC–AD 34

Philip was the half-brother of Archelaus and Antipas. His mother was Cleopatra of Jerusalem, another of Herod the Great's wives.

He ruled the largely Gentile territories northeast of the Sea of Galilee. Luke 3:1 mentions him as the ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis. Philip rebuilt the city of Paneas and renamed it Caesarea Philippi, a place that later became significant in Jesus' ministry (Matthew 16).

Unlike his brothers, Philip's reign appears to have been relatively peaceful and stable.

The "Other Philip"

Much of the confusion comes from the fact that the New Testament and later historians refer to two different sons of Herod the Great as Philip.

The first was Herod II (often called Herod Philip I by modern historians). He was Herodias's first husband and Salome's biological father. He never ruled a territory.

The second was Philip the Tetrarch (sometimes called Herod Philip II). He governed the northeastern territories and, according to Josephus, later married Salome.

These numerical labels—Philip I and Philip II—were created by later historians for convenience. They do not appear in the Bible and are not used consistently in every historical work, which explains why readers often become confused.

Why Does This Matter?

Understanding the Herodian family helps explain why John the Baptist condemned Herod Antipas's marriage so forcefully. Antipas had divorced his first wife in order to marry Herodias, the wife of his own brother. John publicly declared, "It is not lawful for you to have her" (Mark 6:18).

This was more than political controversy—it was a violation of God's law. John's unwavering commitment to proclaiming God's truth ultimately cost him his life.

The Herodian dynasty can seem bewildering at first, but the basic picture is straightforward:

Herod Archelaus ruled Judea but was removed because of his cruel government.
Herod Antipas ruled Galilee and Perea and is the Herod most closely associated with John the Baptist and Jesus.
Philip the Tetrarch ruled the northeastern territories in relative peace.
Salome was not Antipas's biological daughter but his stepdaughter through his marriage to Herodias.

Knowing these relationships not only clears up historical confusion but also deepens our understanding of the Gospel narratives and the courage of John the Baptist's prophetic witness.

Posted in Bible, Scripture, Truth, Prophecy