Alexander (son of Aristobulus)

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Alexander (* 80 BC in.. Jerusalem , † .. 49 BC in Antioch ) was a son of the Jewish king and high priest Aristobulus II. From the house of the Hasmoneans and a nephew of his brother and rival John Hyrcanus II. He was 49 BC Executed by the Romans in Antioch.

origin

King Aristobulus II had four children, two sons, the older Alexander and the younger Antigonus Matthathias , and two daughters, Alexandra and another girl, whose name has not been passed down. His wife (name also unknown) was a daughter of his uncle Absalom.

Political and military activities

The Roman general Pompey , who had decided to bypass the claims of Aristobulus in the dispute within the royal house of the Hasmoneans and to support his brother John Hyrcanus, took Aristobulus in 63 BC. Captured after the conquest of Jerusalem . He was brought to Rome with his children . During the transport his older son Alexander escaped. His wife stayed behind in Judea . After the reorganization of the political situation in the region by Pompey, John Hyrcanus II was allowed to remain high priest and ethnarch of a smaller Judea under Roman sovereignty .

The escaped Prince Alexander vigorously continued his father's policy and opposed the claim to power of his uncle Johannes Hyrcanus, who was now supported by the Romans. As the Jewish historian Flavius ​​Josephus reports, he roamed the country and called many Jews to arms. Soon he had gathered around 10,000 foot soldiers and 1,500 horsemen. His power grew so threatening that John Hyrcanus began to defend himself during the siege in 63 BC. To rebuild the destroyed city walls of Jerusalem, but prevented the Romans in the city. Alexander in turn strengthened the fortifications of the fortress located at Koreä Alexandrium and in Perea located fortress Machaerus .

The Roman general Aulus Gabinius sent in 57 BC. BC his subordinate Marcus Antonius (the later Triumvir ) with a force mixed from Romans and Jews against Alexander. The Jews were under the command of Peitholaos and Malichos. The governor of Idumea , Antipater , also provided auxiliary troops, while Gabinius followed with the heavily armed. Alexander withdrew near Jerusalem, where the battle broke out. The Romans slaughtered 3,000 enemies and captured as many.

Defeat against Gabinius

Gabinius now marched to the fortress Alexandreion, in front of which Alexander had holed up with the rest of his army. In the battles with the defenders, Marcus Antonius did particularly well. However, the siege of the fortress dragged on. Gabinius offered the besieged forgiveness and forbearance against the surrender of the fortress.

The severity of the siege finally forced Alexander to send an embassy to Gabinius and to accept this offer. He now handed over the fortresses of Hyrkania, Machaerus and Alexandrion to Gabinius, who had them all destroyed. Alexander's mother, who was worried about her prisoner-of-war family in Rome, had moved from her home to the theater of war. She turned personally to the Roman general and managed to get him to promise her freedom for her children in return for the surrender of the fortresses.

Marriage and offspring

In order to seal the end of the civil war that came about in this way, John Hyrcanus II married in 57 BC. His daughter Alexandra with her cousin Alexander. This marriage resulted in two daughters, Mariamne , later married to King Herod , and a sister of Mariamne (name unknown), later married to Herod's youngest brother, Pheroras . The couple also had a son, Aristobulos Jonathan , who was later a 17-year-old high priest for a year (36/35 BC), but then died in a bathing accident staged by King Herod.

Another rebellion

The peace in the internal Jewish power struggle was short-lived, however. In the year 55 BC When the Roman general Gabinius for the military repatriation of Ptolemy XII. invaded Egypt, Alexander seized the opportunity and rebelled again against the Romans. He was able to raise a considerable army and made arrangements to put down all the Romans in the country. On the mountain Itabyrion (Tabor) it came to the decisive battle in which Gabinius was able to prevail. As Flavius ​​Josephus writes, the Roman general Cassius subsequently forced the restless Prince Alexander to remain calm "through diplomatic channels".

Execution on the orders of Pompey

Caesar's military successes against the Pompeians also seemed to turn the tide for King Aristobulus II, a prisoner of war in Rome, and his son Alexander. Caesar gave Aristobulus freedom, gave him two legions and gave him the order to move to Syria, in the hope that he would easily get this country and the areas around Judea into his hand through him. But before these plans, which would have given the history of Israel a different course, could be realized, Aristobulus was in 49 BC. On the orders of Pompey, murdered by poison before he left Rome.

Pompey was now also determined to eliminate the troublemaker Alexander: at his instigation, the prince was publicly charged with his war crimes against the Romans. Alexander was sentenced to death and 49 BC Executed in Antioch.

Alexander's mother lived in Askalon at the time. Alexander's younger brother Antigonos Matthathias and his two sisters, including Alexandra, were also there. The Prince of Chalkis, Ptolemaeus Mennaei, offered the half-orphans his protection and exile in his domain. He sent his son Philippion to Ashkelon to escort the youth. Philippion fell in love with Alexandra and married her. Later he found - as Flavius ​​Josephus reports, without giving details - for it death at the hand of his own father. After the assassination of Philippion, Ptolemy himself took the widow Alexandra as his wife. The younger brother of Alexander, Antigonos Matthathias, continued the fight against the Romans in the spirit of his father and brother soon afterwards. With the help of the Parthians, he reached 40 BC. Even the royal dignity and the office of high priest. He was 37 BC However, during the conquest of Jerusalem by the Roman general Sosius, he was captured and also executed in Antioch.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ The indication of the year of birth around 100 BC Chr. By the Jewish Encyclopedia hits (* around 100 v. Chr.) Certainly can not be the father, taking into account the year of birth.
  2. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus, Antiquitates iudaicae 16, 4.5; Bellum iudaicum 1, 7, 7.
  3. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus, Bellum iudaicum 1, 8, 2.
  4. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Ant. 14, 5, 2; Bell. 1, 8, 3.
  5. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Ant. XIV 5.3.
  6. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Bell. 1, 8, 4.
  7. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Ant. 14, 5, 4.
  8. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Ant. 14, 5, 4 and 14, 6, 1; Bell. 1, 8, 5.
  9. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Ant. 14, 6, 2; Bell. 1, 8, 7.
  10. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Bell. 1, 9, 9.
  11. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Bell. 1, 9, 1.
  12. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Bell. 1, 9, 2.
  13. ↑ Flavius ​​Josephus: Ant. 14, 7, 4; Bell. 1, 9, 2.
personal data
SURNAME Alexander
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Alexandros; Alexander II (Judea)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Son of Aristobulus II, father of Mariamne
DATE OF BIRTH around 80 BC Chr.
PLACE OF BIRTH Jerusalem
DATE OF DEATH 49 BC Chr.
Place of death Antioch