BERNICE (bêr-nī’sē, Gr. Bernikē, victorious). Three times in the Book of Acts reference is made to Bernice (Acts.25.13, Acts.25.23; Acts.26.30), Herod Agrippa’s eldest daughter (Acts.12.1), a wicked woman who lived an incestuous life. According to Josephus, she was first married to Marcus. After his death she became the wife of Herod of Chalcis, her own uncle (Antiq. 19.5.1; 20.7.1-3). After Herod’s death she had evil relations with Agrippa, her own brother, and with him listened to Paul’s noble defense at Caesarea. Later she was married to King Ptolemy of Sicily. This marriage was of short duration, as she returned to Agrippa. She was later the mistress of Vespasian and Titus, who finally cast her aside.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

Henry E. Dosker