Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 14:6

"But when Herod`s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod." — Matthew 14:6 (ASV)

Herod’s birthday —Some critics have viewed the feast as one commemorating Herod’s accession—his birthday as a ruler—but there seems to be no reason not to accept the word in its simple, natural sense. Such feasts were common enough in the imperial life at Rome, and Herod’s birthday had become proverbial even there (Persius, Sat. v. 180).

The daughter of Herodias danced before them —Dances in filmy garments that only half-concealed the form, commonly of an impure or voluptuous nature, were common enough at both Eastern and Roman banquets, where the guests were simply spectators. However, the dancers were for the most part women who made it their profession, like the nautch-girls of India. It was therefore a new and shocking thing, at which every decent Jew would shudder, for the daughter of a royal house to enter into such shameless publicity and expose herself to the gaze of the banqueters. These guests included the chief captains and chiliarchs of the Roman legions, as well as Herod’s own courtiers and the leading men of the province (Mark 6:21).

But Herodias, it would seem, knew the tetrarch’s weak point just as Madame du Barry knew that of Louis XV of France, and she sought to bend him to her will, even at the cost of her daughter’s modesty. She danced before them—literally, in the midst of them—as they reclined on their couches, indolently gazing. Her name is given by Josephus (Ant. xviii. 5, § 4) as Salome.