in december 40 bc cleopatra received herod i (the great) in alexandria as an unexpected guest and refugee who fled a turbulent situation in judea. mark antony had established herod there as a tetrarch, but he was soon at odds with antigonus ii mattathias of the long-established hasmonean dynasty. antigonus had imprisoned herod's brother and fellow tetrarch phasael, who was executed while herod was in mid-flight towards cleopatra's court. cleopatra attempted to provide him with a military assignment, but herod declined and traveled to rome, where the triumvirs octavian and mark antony named him king of judea. this act put herod on a collision course with cleopatra, who wished to reclaim former ptolemaic territories of his new herodian kingdom.