18. Herod Ruthlessly Banished his first wife and son.
Mariamne was not Herod’s first wife. He initially married Doris or ‘Sarah,’ a woman from Jerusalem. The pair had one son, Antipater. When he decided to marry Mariamne, Herod did not just divorce Doris – he also exiled her. Once her and Mariamne had sons, he sent Antipater to join his mother, only allowing him to return to Jerusalem for festivals. Herod’s first family stayed banished until after Mariamne’s death in 14 BC. First Antipater and then Doris returned to Herod’s side briefly before she was once again sent away due to court intrigues.