Salome with the head of John the Baptist description. John the Baptist and Salome

Herodias(c.15 BC - after 39 AD) - granddaughter of Herod the Great from his son Aristobulus.

The execution of John the Baptist is associated with her name.

According to the historian Josephus, she was married to her uncle Herod Philip I and had a daughter with him, Salome, and then entered into cohabitation with her other uncle, Herod Antipas.

In the texts of the New Testament, Herodias is mentioned as the wife of the tetrarch of Judea, Herod Antipas, whom he took from his brother Philip. Even at that time, from the point of view of the Jewish religion, and indeed moral standards in general, marriages between relatives were extremely disapproved, and incest was considered a great sin. John the Baptist publicly condemned and mercilessly denounced the blasphemous relationship, for which Herodias fiercely hated the prophet.

Herodias was a cruel, treacherous, greedy, depraved and excessively proud woman. Examining her life, even historians biased towards the Bible cannot find anything even remotely positive in her. Even among the very depraved high society of that time, her figure stands out noticeably in a negative sense. From a young age, she dreamed of the royal crown at any cost. The evil Herodias harbored a grudge against the prophet John because he, without fear, spoke about her depravity. Wanting to destroy him, she influenced Herod to imprison the Forerunner. And then Herodias had the opportunity to destroy John the Baptist.

Ivetta Pozdnikova. Herodias and Salome. 2008

One night in 28 A.D. The palace of Herod Antipas was burning with fire. The court celebrated the ruler's birthday, the feast continued past midnight, when the drunken tetrarch wished that Salome, who was skilled in this, dance in front of his guests, his stepdaughter, the daughter of Herodias. Raised by her depraved mother, young Salome did not hesitate to perform an indecent, voluptuous dance in the nude. The stepfather, seeing the delight of the guests, promised her any reward she wanted, up to half of his kingdom!

Dance of Salome

« She, at the instigation of her mother, said: give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter. And the king was sad; but, for the sake of the oath and those reclining with him, he ordered it to be given to her, and sent to cut off John’s head in prison. And they brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and she took it to her mother"(Matthew 14:8-11). Solomeya was then no more than 15-16 years old.

The Beheading of John the Baptist (Caravaggio. 1608)

Having persuaded her daughter Solome to ask for the head of John the Baptist, Herodias pronounced an eternal sentence on herself and her daughter. What befell Herod, Herodias and Salome after such an atrocity?

With her intrigues, Herodias brought disaster upon Herod Antipas and was exiled with him to exile in Gaul. The incredibly cruel and vicious Herodias ended her life in poverty and obscurity. The proud granddaughter of Herod the Great suffered exactly what she feared most. But she chose this fate for herself when, through Salome, she gave the order to kill John the Baptist, thereby condemning herself.

And Salome later “married the Trachon tetrarch Philip, the son of Herod the Great,” that is, she became the wife of her great-uncle and her mother’s ex-husband. Philip ruled his region for 38 years, from 4 BC. to 34 AD and became famous, in particular, for the fact that on the southern slopes of Mount Hebron he built a pagan temple in honor of the Emperor Augustus, which was a blatant act in the eyes of the monotheistic Jews. After the death of Philip, Salome married Aristobulus, the son of Herod and brother of Agrippa. They had three children - Herod, Agrippa and Aristobulus. Aristobulus pursued a very skillful policy towards Rome, seeking the favor and trust of Emperor Nero, who in 55 AD. gives him the possession of Lesser Armenia, giving him the royal title.

Robert Henry, Salome, 1909

Salome was given a lot of time to repent of what she had done, but instead, in her pride, she rose higher and higher. She had the royal title that her mother so dreamed of. Moreover, she bore the triple title: queen of Chalkis, Lesser and Greater Armenia.

History has preserved the story of her terrible death. One day, through carelessness, Salome fell into an ice hole, and the ice closed around her neck. No one heard Solomeya’s screams, since at that time none of the people were nearby. Trying to escape from the trap, she wriggled under the water, as if performing a terrible dance, just as in her distant youth she danced in her stepfather’s palace. Despite desperate resistance, Solomeya could not get out of this position and continued to hang on her neck, while her body swayed rhythmically under the ice until the ice supernaturally cut her neck. After this, her body fell to the bottom of the river, and the head of the dead Solome was brought and given to Herod and Herodias.

The great Biblical principle of sowing and reaping was fulfilled especially clearly in the life of Salome. Having sentenced John the Baptist to death with ease, without even a moment’s embarrassment or hesitation, Salome signed her own sentence, and not only to a terrible death in earthly life, but also to eternal death.

Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

The biblical story of Salome, who beheaded John the Baptist, occupies one of the central places in genre painting, as well as in art in general. Over time, Salome became associated with the image of a fatal, and at the same time attractive woman.

Oscar Wilde wrote the play Salome", Richard Strauss created based on it, and Florent Schmitt wrote the ballet "Tragedy Salome", staged at one time by the legendary.

But more often than not, the biblical Salome appeared in the paintings of artists of different eras.

It should be noted that in the New Testament about Salome little said. She was a Jewish princess, queen of Chalcis and Lesser Armenia, daughter of Herodias and Herod Boethes, and later the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. The latter was her paternal uncle, and her mother had a relationship with him. This connection between Herodias and Herod Antipas was publicly condemned by John the Baptist, for which he was imprisoned.

At that time Salome danced at the birthday party of Herod Antipas, and her uncle liked her dance so much that he promised his niece to fulfill any of her wishes. Perhaps under the influence of the mother, but Salome asked Herod Antipas to bring her the head of John the Baptist. By order of Herod, John the Baptist was beheaded and his head was brought to Salome on a platter.

This story is more like a legend, because John the Baptist could have been killed for political reasons. Also the story of dance and desire Salome could have been created as a diversion, because there is an opinion that Herod Antipas did not want to kill John, “knowing that he was a righteous and holy man.” Be that as it may, the image is a fatal image Salome forever captivated the minds of artists.

One of the first to mention Salome in painting by the Italian artist Giotto, in the painting “The Feast of King Herod” of 1320. He was followed by other artists of the Renaissance (Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt) and later (Gustave Moreau, V. Surikov and others).

Giotto. "Feast at King Herod's" 1320

In almost all paintings Salome- This is a beautiful, graceful, young woman. And her innocent beauty contrasts greatly with the head of John the Baptist, which is present on many canvases.

Benozzo Gozzoli. "Salome's Dance" 1461-1462

Sebastiano del Priombo. "Herodias' Daughter" 1510

Titian. "Salome with the head of John the Baptist." 1515

Lucas Cranach the Elder. "Herod's Feast" 1530

Titian. "Salome with the head of John the Baptist." OK. 1530

Caravaggio. "Salome with the head of John the Baptist." 1605

Should I help you or not interfere?

Salome is both a gospel character and, undoubtedly, a historical one. She was the daughter of Philip, the son of Herod the Great, and Herodias, the granddaughter of the same Herod the Great, Herod, who is known for his sad order to kill 14 thousand Bethlehem babies, for which, as legend says, he paid with a terrible death in Jericho, where he was eaten alive worms. Herod the Great first gave Iturius, Avranit and Trachonitis to his son, but then deprived him of his inheritance. The ambitious Herodias was burdened by her humiliating position with her unlucky husband and dreamed of power. When in 26, Philip's brother, Herod Antipas, was visiting Salome's parents, Herodias managed to charm the tetrarch. He was already over fifty, but he fell in love with his niece and decided to marry her, although there were many obstacles: firstly, Herod was already married, and secondly, Herodias was Herod’s niece and brother’s wife, so their marriage promised double if not a threefold violation of the Law. But this did not stop Herod.
John the Baptist openly denounced Herodias for adultery, and for this he was imprisoned by Herod. But the prophet, thrown into prison, did not cease to call Herodias to repentance; she, for obvious reasons, hated the freethinker, but was powerless to do anything, since Herod, on the contrary, favored John and, as St. Mark, “did a lot in obedience to him, and listened to him with pleasure” (Mark VI, 20).
Herodias' daughter Salome (not named in the Gospels) on the birthday of Herod Antipas “danced and pleased Herod and those who reclined with him.” As a reward for the dance, Herod promised Salome to fulfill any of her requests. She, at the instigation of her mother, who hated John for exposing her marriage, asked for the head of John the Baptist and “The king was saddened, but for the sake of the oath and those who reclined with him, he did not want to refuse her” (Mark 6:26). A squire was sent to John’s prison, who cut off his head and, bringing it on a platter, gave it to Salome, and she “gave it to her mother.”

It can be reliably stated that Salome was born in the year 15 A.D., so at this time of the ill-fated dance she was about 15 years old. A year later, she married her uncle, was widowed in 34, remained a widow until 54, and then married again, this time to the king of Armenia, Aristotle. Salome died in 72. According to the legend told by Nikephoros (Book I, Chapter XX), Salome suffered a terrible death-retribution, namely: in winter, on the river, Salome fell through the ice. Her head, cut off by a sharp ice floe, was brought to Herod and Herodias, just as the head of St. John the Baptist, and her body was never found, but, apparently, this story is a product of a propaganda religious hoax. It is believed that Salome was extremely beautiful, but her appearance can only be reliably judged by the “sharp Semitic profile” that is stamped on the coins of her second husband.

Salome in painting.
I chose only what I liked, mainly paintings by old masters.

Herodias was the granddaughter of King Herod the Great of Judea - the same one on whose initiative the massacre of the infants took place. And on the orders of his granddaughter, John the Baptist, the righteous man and predecessor of Jesus Christ, was killed.

The name of the Jewish king Herod the Great has become a household name: the word “Herod” in our minds is associated with cruelty and inhumanity. However, historians evaluate his activities not only negatively. This king did a lot for the construction of Judea. But history has not brought us a single good word about his granddaughter Herodias.

The language of the rebellious Forerunner

John the Baptist (Forerunner) was the son of Elizabeth (a relative of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ) and the priest Zechariah. He was born a few months before the one whom Christians consider the Savior. And later in his sermons he predicted its appearance.

John the Baptist led a hermit's life: he wore simple, rough clothes and ate the simplest food. At the age of about 30, he began to walk around Judea, preaching to its inhabitants repentance for their sins. He baptized people by washing them in the waters of the Jordan River and saying that this rite would bring repentance and cleansing from sins. Moreover, John stated: “I baptize in water; but there stands among you [Someone] whom you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, but who stands in front of me. I am not worthy to untie the thong of His sandals.”

Having once seen Jesus, the Forerunner said: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. This is the one of whom I said: A man comes after me, who stood before me, because He was before me. I didn't know Him; but for this reason He came to baptize in water, so that He might be revealed to Israel.”

Soon John the Baptist became known to all the inhabitants of Judea. He enjoyed great popularity among his compatriots, although he clearly did not preach the Jewish tradition. The Baptist's compatriots were clearly impressed by John's asceticism, his desire to make the world a better place, as well as his fearlessness. The fact is that the Forerunner was not shy about telling the truth to anyone’s face. And government officials, too. For this he had to pay a heavy price.

Cruel incestuous

At that time, Galilee and Perea, part of Judea, where subsequent terrible events unfolded, were ruled by the son of Herod the Great, Herod Antipas. The ruler of this area was considered a woman named Herodias. She was not Herod’s legal wife and was actually his niece.

From childhood, Herodias was distinguished by more than just a penchant for debauchery. She neglected one of the most important rules - the ban on incest. From an early age, this woman aspired to the highest position, so in her intimate preferences she did not go beyond the “framework” of the Herodiad dynasty, founded by her grandfather.

Success with the men of her own family first led her to marry her first uncle, Herod Beth. From him, 20-year-old Herodias gave birth to a daughter, Salome, around 5 AD. A marriage between such close relatives was a real slap in the face for devout Jews, who feared incest like fire. But her compatriots still somehow digested this marriage of Herodias.

However, this relative did not seem promising enough to the ambitious woman. And she turned her gaze to the next one. Another uncle, Herod Philip, became the new husband of the libertine. The people shuddered. But Herodias didn’t care about the customs of her ancestors. The lust for power became her religion.

And again there was a mistake - Herod Philip was not destined for a high position. What should I do? The evil and power-hungry Herodias wrung her hands in frustration. I had to change my life partner again. And there is no doubt about it - the closest relative has again become. And again the uncle is Herod Antipas, who at the time of the beginning of his life together with Herodias was the ruler of Galilee and Perea. Of course, these parts of Judea are not the entire Roman Empire. But it’s better this way than to vegetate among ordinary aristocrats, the ambitious woman thought. It should be noted here that at the time of his rapprochement with Herodias, Herod Antipas was married to the daughter of Aretas, the king of the Nabateans. The wife did not want to so easily let her husband go to the homewrecker. She complained to her father, and Aretas went to war against Antipas. The son of Herod the Great lost this battle. But he did not return to his wife - his beautiful niece Herodias had bewitched him too much with her charms. How many people died in that battle is unknown. And for Herodias, human blood was thinner than water...

Having become the wife of Herod Antipas, Herodias, for the most part, satisfied her power ambitions. She lived happily with her husband and her daughter Salome. The couple robbed their subjects mercilessly, imposing an unbearable tribute on the Jews.

The people were terrified. But, as often happens, he remained silent. The greedy incestuous woman became more and more impudent.

The only person who openly opposed the presumptuous government was John the Baptist. This man, as we have already written, led a hermit’s lifestyle. And he didn’t look at all like the sleek representatives of the local aristocracy. He openly denounced the incestuous woman and her husband for robbing their people.

At first, Herodias did not take the Forerunner and everything he said to heart. “You never know what some ragamuffin is carrying there,” she thought. But soon Herodias began to hear that John, despite his poor appearance, enjoyed great authority among the Jews (despite the fact that some of his statements were contrary to Judaism). And she realized: she had to somehow shut him up. But how? It was a failure that Herod Antipas, who was always ready to submit to the insidious beauty, began to resist. He asserted: John is a righteous man and a wise man. In addition, Antipas did not want to execute the Baptist for fear of popular anger.

The only thing Herodias achieved was the imprisonment of John in the Macheron fortress. This is how the historian describes this terrible place: “The fortress itself was formed by a rocky hill, rising to an extreme height and therefore difficult to reach, but nature made sure that it was inaccessible. On all sides the hill is surrounded by incredible depths of abysses, so that crossing them is practically impossible. The western mountain depression extends for 60 stadia and reaches the Asphalt Lake, and it is on this same side that Macheron reaches its greatest height. The northern and southern depressions, although inferior in length to the one just mentioned, also make an attack on the fortress impossible. As for the eastern one, it is at least 100 cubits deep, but is adjacent to the mountain opposite Macheron.”

There was no doubt that imprisonment did not become a serious test for John, a wise man and an ascetic by nature. Herodias understood this immediately. And she decided to destroy the Baptist at all costs.

Birthday execution

It was 28 AD. One night, the ruler’s birthday was celebrated in the palace of Herod Antipas. Both guests and hosts were so drunk after midnight that they no longer remembered themselves from the fun and drunken prowess.

At that moment, an insidious plan matured in Herodias’s head. She asked her young daughter Salome to dance a lewd dance in the nude in front of the guests. Antipa really liked this proposal. But then Salome, spoiled from a young age, as her mother advised, decided to break down a little. Drunk Antipas said: he is ready to pay any price for the dance. And Salome “at the instigation of her mother, said: Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter. And the king was saddened, but, for the sake of the oath and those reclining with him, he ordered it to be given to her, and sent to cut off John’s head in prison. And they brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and she took it to her mother” (Matthew 14:8-11).

John was killed. His head was brought on a platter to Salome - she called her mother, and Herodias, in a rage, stabbed the tongue of the man who had told the people so much truth about her with a needle...

What happened next? According to one version, Antipas and Herodias lost power and died in poverty around 40 AD. According to another, the earth opened up under the feet of the murderers and swallowed them up...

Salome's death was also terrible - she was crushed to death by the ice floes of the river that she crossed in winter. Two ice floes closed around her neck and tore off her head, just as the murderer’s knife once cut off the head of John the Baptist.

Maria Konyukova

According to the classic biblical legend, one of the daughters Herod Antipas, Salome gave her father a magnificent passionate Syrian dance for his birthday. Guests asked to perform it again and again. When the very drunk king of the Jews asked her what she wanted as a reward, then at the instigation of her mother Herodias, Salome asked for the head of John the Baptist.

Dance of Salome

Before analyzing this story, I note that this is a crime against the entire Christian world, which is often attributed to Herod the Great by not very historically savvy citizens. The same one who gave the order to kill the Bethlehem babies.

However, he has absolutely nothing to do with it. One of the main characters in this story is Herod Antipas. He was one of the sons of Herod the Great. He adopted the family name Herod after the expulsion of another son of Herod, Archelaus, for the bad rule of Palestine. And Salome, by the way, was the daughter of Herodias from her first marriage and was the stepdaughter of the king of the Jews.

Just like the story of the “massacre of the infants,” the legend of Salome’s dance and the terrible gift is very, very doubtful.

Herod Antipas

Firstly, none of the Gospels mention the name of Salome in the context of the death of John; everywhere they speak about the daughter Herod Antipas, but her name is not mentioned.

Secondly, it is difficult to believe that the king’s daughter would dance in front of some guests. Even then, times and morals in the East were harsh and did not encourage princesses to dance in front of drunken men.

Dance of Salome

Thirdly, despite all the obvious shortcomings of the king of Judah, he still did not allow his daughters to get involved in state affairs, no matter how they danced or what their names were. As for the murder of John, then Herod Antipas really guilty of it. But he did this not out of a woman’s whim, but out of “state necessity,” because he believed that the preaching of the Baptist could lead to unrest. Here is what Josephus writes about this: “Since many flocked to the preacher, whose teachings elevated their souls, Herod began to fear that his enormous influence on the [completely subordinated to him] masses would lead to any complications. Therefore, the tetrarch chose to prevent this by seizing John and executing him before he would have to repent when it was too late.”

Walter Kremer and Goetz Trenkler in their book “Lexicon of Popular Delusions” answer the question of why the story of the dance of Salome and the head of the Baptist as a reward has sunk so deeply into the souls of many artists and writers, as follows:

“Yes, only because it fits so well into the “sex and crime” scheme, which underlies many other real and fictional plots (Judith and the Head of Holofernes, Mary Stuart, Mata Hari). The contrast between dance and death is the most living embodiment of such fundamental principles of existence. Like love, life and death, which seem to appear on stage simultaneously.

Head of John

By the way, the not-so-talented writers Mark and Matthew also understood this. In their interpretation, John dies not just as a political prisoner, but as a victim of a love affair. And thus the death of John the Baptist firmly sank into the memory of his descendants. And since the memory of generations should be helped. By giving events and characters names. In further interpretations, the daughter was also “baptized” Herod Antipas, giving her the sonorous name Salome.”

It is unlikely that the real Salome would have liked the fact that her name would thus be enshrined in the memory of her descendants. But this is not the first and, certainly not the last, case when