Agrippa I (10 BCE–44 CE), the son of Aristobulus and grandson of Herod the Great and Mariamne the Hasmonean. Unlike Herod's other descendants, he strove to be a true leader of his people, and is considered as the last patriotic Jewish king.
Educated in Rome with other princes, he exploited his connections to get himself named ruler of what had been Herod's kingdom. He did not stoop to his Roman patrons, upheld Jewish honor, and strictly observed the Torah. His popularity among the Jews was enhanced when he made a point of standing to read the Torah though kings were permitted to do so sitting (Mishnah Sot. 7:8). He bolstered Jerusalem's fortifications by building the Third Wall and strengthened ties with other Asian countries chafing under Roman domination.
Finally, the Romans prevented him from completing the wall, halted his political activities, and apparently were responsible for his death in Caesarea.
