Herod Antipas was one of several sons of Herod the Great who divided their father's kingdom after his death. Antipas ruled Galilee and Perea (east of the Jordan) for 43 years. He was not a king but a tetrarch (literally "ruler of a fourth"). Antipas appears at two dark moments in the Gospels. First, the murder of John the Baptist. Antipas had seduced and married his brother Philip's wife Herodias, who had divorced Philip for him. John the Baptist denounced the marriage publicly: "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife!" (Mark 6:18). Herodias wanted John dead; Antipas feared the popular prophet and at first protected him, but imprisoned him in the fortress of Machaerus. At Antipas's birthday banquet, Herodias's daughter (traditionally called Salome) danced and pleased Antipas so much that he offered her anything up to half his kingdom. Prompted by her mother, she asked for John the Baptist's head on a platter. Antipas, "exceedingly sorry" but unwilling to lose face before his guests, gave the order. John was beheaded. Mark's account (Mark 6:14-29) is one of the most chilling in the Gospels. Second, the trial of Jesus. When Pilate learned that Jesus was from Galilee — Antipas's jurisdiction — he sent Jesus to Antipas (who happened to be in Jerusalem for Passover). "When Herod saw Jesus, He was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him" (Luke 23:8). Antipas wanted entertainment, a show. Jesus gave him nothing — not a word. Antipas mocked Him, dressed Him in a "gorgeous robe," and sent Him back to Pilate. That day Antipas and Pilate became friends; before this they had been enemies (Luke 23:12). Jesus had earlier called Antipas "that fox" (Luke 13:32). Herod Antipas is the picture of the man who hears the truth — even from the prophet who would have baptized his Lord — and chooses amusement over repentance, and gets nothing from Jesus but silence.