Herod Agrippa I

Herod Agrippa I (born c. 10 B.C., died 44 A.D.) was the grandson of Herod the Great and the last king to rule over all of Judea as a united kingdom. Educated in Rome, he cultivated relationships with the imperial family and was eventually given the territories of his uncles Philip and Antipas, and finally Judea and Samaria as well, reigning from 41–44 A.D. To curry favor with Jewish religious leaders, he executed the apostle James the son of Zebedee and imprisoned Peter (Acts 12:1–3). His sudden and gruesome death — struck down by an angel of God and eaten by worms after accepting divine honors at Caesarea (Acts 12:20–23) — is recorded in both Acts and by Josephus (Antiquities 19.8.2). His death ended the brief restoration of the Herodian kingdom and Judea reverted to direct Roman provincial rule.