The name Herodion, a diminutive form of Herod, appears in the closing salutations of the Apostle Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. While the Herods of the palace were defined by their pursuit of earthly crowns and their resistance to the Messiah, this Herodion represents the transformative power of the Gospel—a name once associated with tyranny now redeemed for the service of the King of Kings.
The Kinsman in Rome
In the final chapter of Paul’s great theological treatise, he sends personal greetings to the believers in Rome. Among the names listed is one that stands out for its connection to the ruling dynasty of the day: “Salute Herodion my kinsman” (Romans 16:11).
The term “kinsman” (Greek: sungenēs) most likely indicates that Herodion was a fellow Jew, a member of the “remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5). Some scholars suggest he may have been a member of the “household of Aristobulus” mentioned in the preceding verse—Aristobulus being a grandson of Herod the Great who lived in Rome as a private citizen. If Herodion was indeed connected to the Herodian family or their vast circle of freedmen, his conversion serves as a powerful testimony that “the gospel of Christ… is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16), even those within the shadow of a corrupt dynasty.
The Saint in the Shadow of Caesar
Herodion lived in the heart of the Roman Empire, a city where the cult of the Emperor demanded absolute soul-allegiance. For a man bearing a name so closely tied to political power, choosing to follow the crucified Nazarene was an act of profound “costly grace.” He was among those who “yielded their members servants to righteousness unto holiness” (Romans 6:19), standing as a light in a dark place.
While the “leaven of Herod” sought to blend faith with political survival, Herodion followed the “Ancient Paths,” recognizing that his citizenship was not in Rome or Judea, but in Heaven. He is a reminder that God can call a man out of any background—no matter how bloodstained or worldly—and make him a “new creature” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Martyr of Tradition
Though the Holy Scriptures are silent on Herodion’s life after the Roman salutation, early Church tradition identifies him as one of the Seventy Apostles sent out by the Lord. Tradition holds that he became the Bishop of Patras or Tarsus and eventually returned to Rome.
It is said that during the fierce persecutions under Nero—the same era in which Paul and Peter were martyred—Herodion was put to death for the faith. Whether by the sword or other means, the tradition suggests that he who bore the name of an earthly king died for the glory of the Eternal King. He proved by his end that “precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15).
The Fortress of Herodium
While the man Herodion represents the redeemed spirit, the name is also etched into the earth in the form of Herodium (or Herodion), the massive fortress-palace built by Herod the Great. Located south of Jerusalem, it was a man-made mountain, a “monument of pride” intended to preserve the memory of the King.
Today, the palace of Herodium lies in ruins, a heap of stones and dust. In contrast, the Herodion mentioned by Paul lives on in the “book of life” (Philippians 4:3). The fortress was built to defy time, yet it fell; the man was built upon the “Chief Corner Stone,” and he stands forever. It is a vivid illustration of the truth that “the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17).
The legacy of the name Herodion is a tale of two kingdoms. One is a mountain of stone that has crumbled into the Judean desert; the other is a soul “called out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).