Roman troops shortly afterward expel the Parthians, whose popularity in Palestine has been and subsequently remains considerable.

Herod now marches on Jerusalem, hoping to capture the city and bring a swift end to the war.

Faced, however, with corruption among his Roman officers, mutinous Roman troops and Antigonus's guerrillas, Herod is forced to abandon his siege of the city.

He operates in Judea, Samaria and the Galilee instead, fighting against both insurgents and bandits, while sending his brother Joseph to deal with Idumaea.

Reinforced by several Roman legions and having fought two years of counterinsurgency, Herod by late 38 BCE s finally able to pacify the Galilee and march south towards Jerusalem.

Antigonus attempts to face Herod in pitched battle, striking against both Jericho and Samaria, but both efforts are defeated.

Herod once again pitches camp outside Jerusalem, though the onset of winter brings military operations to a halt.