At Giza, in the shadow of the Pyramids, Caesarion is named the new Pharaoh. Afterwards, Cleopatra reluctantly attends the funeral of her brother Theos, whom she had poisoned. He is laid to rest within a modest mausoleum in Thebes. Across the Mediterranean, Arsinoë is similarly placed into a small tomb in Ephesus, having been strangled by Antony’s men. In Parthia, Antigonus and Orodes begin building an Army that will soon invade Judea. 

     Malichus is verbally & physically chastised a 2nd time by Cassius (with Antipater again intervening) – but this time at the Jerusalem Temple. Malichus plots with a palace butler to poison Herod or his father. At Hyrcanus' insistence, Antipater flees to the remote Machaerus Fortress for safety, until Cassius departs for Greece.

SYNOPSIS:

• Teaser: Doris & Salome discuss lives of citizens, family, and the Hasmoneans

• Antigonus is again visited by the beheaded spectre of his brother Alexander, warning his living sibling to avoid hubris

• Herod and Nicolaus travel from the Hasmonean Palace to the Temple Mount with guards to meet again with Cassius and his father Antipater; Herod wishes to speak with Phasael to petition for Malichus to be banned from these meetings and future government decisions; to his surprise Malichus arrives with Phasael and Tero

• [Earlier, Tero & Phasael had physically accosted Malichus, threatening to throw him from the city wall if he didn’t cooperate as instructed]

• In the Baris Fortress adjacent to the Temple, Cassius makes clear his disappointment and anger with the pace the tribute is being paid to him; he beats up Malichus a 2ndtime, and Antipater again restrains the Roman from likely killing Malichus on the spot; later Phasael and Antipater have an awkward painful discussion on responsibility

• At the Giza Pyramids, Caesarion is made the next successor pharaoh of Egypt

• Hatra, Parthia: Pacorus, Labienus, and Antigonus exchange barbs overlooking the massive military preparations for the invasion of Syria & Judea; Antigonus insults the Roman Labienus, and Pacorus attempts to cut off his head; General Barzapharnesblocks the blow, thus saving Antigonus’ life

• Barzapharnes takes Antigonus into the basement of the Hatra Fortress to show him the captured Roman eagles that have been stored there since the Battle of Carrhae

• Antipater and Hyrcanus discuss Malichus, and his possible ties to the attack at Jaffa Gate; they decide Antipater should ‘disappear’ to a secret place until after Cassius has departed Jerusalem; he rides with Tero to the Peraea Wilderness

• Hyrcanus’ butler visits Malichus’ house, but is told by his wife he is missing (hiding from Cassius and his spies); Malichus’ son plays with a family pet, a young puppy dog; the butler has along the poison vile and was going to return it – but instead does something completely impulsive: he places some poison on the dogs chew bone when no one is looking (both to test its strength and to punish Malichus for putting him in such a difficult position); the dog dies shortly thereafter from ingesting the poison

• Antipater and Phasael finally discuss the tavern incident in Rome

• At the Memphis necropolis, Theo (Ptolemy XIV) is laid to rest in his tomb; Cleopatra imagines seeing his spectre again, now joined by the ghost of her dead sister Arsinoë; as they seal his sarcophagus she realizes what she’s done and breaks down in tears

• In Parthia, the military invasion begins, with thousands of trained soldiers marching

• On the banks of the Jordan River near Jericho, Antipater and Tero decide to hideout in the abandoned Machaerus fortress in the desert wilderness • Cassius arrives at the Hasmonean Palace burning with anger; when he discovers that both Malichus and Antipater are not in the city he attacks Hyrcanus’ butler.