The Herodians (Greek: Ἡρώδειοι; Latin: Herodiani) were a sect of Hellenistic Jews mentioned in the New Testament on two occasions – first in Galilee and later in Jerusalem – being hostile to Jesus (Mark 3:6, 12:13; Matthew 22:16; cf.
[1] According to many interpreters, the courtiers or soldiers of Herod Antipas ("Milites Herodis," Jerome) were intended; others argue that the Herodians were probably a public political party who distinguished themselves from the two great historical parties of post-exilic Judaism (the Pharisees and Sadducees) by the fact that they were and had been sincerely friendly to Herod the Great, the Edomite placed as king over Judea by Rome, and to his dynasty.
Anglican bishop Charles Ellicott notes a consistency in format with other designations such as "Mariani (supporters of Gaius Marius), Pompeiani (relating to Pompey the Great), and, we may add, Christiani".
[2] Robert Eisenman of California State University, Long Beach argues that Paul the Apostle was a member of the family of Herod the Great.
This man once saw Herod when he was a child, and going to school, and saluted him as king of the Jews; but he, thinking that either he did not know him, or that he was in jest, put him in mind that he was but a private man; but Manahem smiled to himself, and clapped him on his backside with his hand, and said," However that be, thou wilt be king, and wilt begin thy reign happily, for God finds thee worthy of it.