714, while he began his actual rule after taking Jerusalem A.U.C. Now Herod was made rightful king of Judea A.U.C. Josephus (Ant., XVII, viii, 1) informs us that Herod died after ruling thirty four years de facto, thirty seven years de jure. Matthew (2:1) tells us that Jesus was born 'in the days of King Herod'. As we cannot fully examine the data entering into these several problems, the reader ought to compare what has been said on these points in the article BIBLICAL CHRONOLOGY.
The incidents whose absolute chronology may be determined with more or less probability are the year of Christ's nativity, of the beginning of His public life, and of His death.
