rule Idumæa himself, and "to achieve greater things". These attitudes led him to three acts which aroused Herod against him and eventually led to his execution.

His first transgression to become known (but the second to be initiated) was to approach Cleopatra to ask Antony for Idumæa to be transferred to her (instead of to Herod), as it "had always belonged to her ancestors". Costobarus was "ready to transfer his loyalty to her" and hoped that he would eventually become its ruler. Cleopatra did ask, but Antony refused. Herod sought