Though officially Herod`s Temple is recognized in Judaism as being a continuation of the 2nd temple, because animal sacrifices continued during the construction process, the old structure had to be torn down completely. Hence, Herod`s Temple was a completely new construction and was so magnificent as to be considered on par with the 7 wonders of the world.
It should also not be forgotten that though Herod was of Judaized Edomite ancestry (i.e. considered descendants of Jacob`s brother Esau), Herod married into the royal Levite Hashmonean dynasty. As a result, from his marriage to Mariamne, his successors Agrippas I and II were both Herodians and descendants of the original Hashmonean dynasty. |
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