Herod's Massacre and Death

In his final years, Herod's paranoia consumed him entirely. He executed three of his own sons for alleged conspiracy, prompting Augustus to reportedly quip, 'I'd rather be Herod's pig than his son.' Matthew 2 records him ordering the killing of male infants in Bethlehem after learning from the Magi that a new king had been born. He died in 4 BCE from a painful illness, and his kingdom was divided among his surviving sons — none of whom proved capable of holding it together.