Aristobulus II

From New World Encyclopedia

Aristobulus II (100 - 49 B.C.E.) was the independent Jewish king high priest of Judea, from 66 to 63 B.C.E. A member of the the Hasmonean dynasty, he the younger son of Alexander Jannaeus. Aristobulus was a supporter of the Sadducees who seized the throne from his brother, Hyrcanus II, soon after the death of their mother, Alexandra Salome who had ruled as queen while a widow.

A civil war soon followed, and eventually the power of Rome was brought to bear on the situation. The tragic result was the end of the Jewish state and the establishment of Roman sovereignty over Jerusalem and Judea. In the aftermath, client kings such as Herod the Great, or governors such as Pontius Pilate, ruled the Jews on behalf of Rome until the Jews were finally driven out Jerusalem and its environs after a series of revolts in the first and second centuries C.E.

Background

The early Hasmoneans were seen heroes for successfully resisting the oppression of the Seleucids. However, religious Jews tended to believe that their reign lacked legitimacy since the Hosmonean kings lack descent from the Davidic line. Some also viewed the Hasmoneans as worldly, overly concerned with money and military power. The hope of a Messiah, the "son of David," grew ever stronger in tension with the reality of Hasmonean rule.

Meanwhile, the Sadducees emerged as the party of the priests and allied Hasmonean elites, taking their name, Sadducee, from King Solomon's loyal priest, Zadok. Their rivals, the Pharisees, emerged out of the group of scribes and sages who objected to the Hasmonean monopoly on power, hoped for a Messiah, and criticized the growing corruption of the Hasmonean court.

During the Hasmonean period, the Sadducees and Pharisees functioned primarily as political parties. According to Josephus, the Pharisees opposed the Hasmonean war against the Samaritans and the forced conversion of the Idumeans. The political rift between the two parties grew wider under the Hasmonean king Alexander Jannaeus, who adopted Sadduceean rites in the Temple.

Family

Aristobulus was the younger son of Alexander Jannaeus, who acted as both king and high priest. His mother was Alexandra Salome. After the death of Alexander in 79 B.C.E., Alexandra succeeded to the rule of Judea as its queen. She installed her elder son Hyrcanus as high priest. Unlike his father, Hyrcanus was favorably inclined to the Pharisees. When Salome died in 67 B.C.E., Hyrcanus rose to the kingship as well.

As the younger son, Aristobulus could not rightfully claim the throne. However, he apparently desired the kingship, even during the life of his mother. He courted the nobles by acting as the patron of the Sadducees and bringing their cause before the queen. She is reported to have placed several fortresses at their disposal for their defense against the Pharisees and/or a possible messianic uprising. In fact, Aristoblus' encouragement of her in this may have been one his preparatory moves for the usurpation of the government.

The queen sought to direct Aristobulus' military zeal outside Judea. When this undertaking failed, Aristobulus resumed his political intrigues closer to home. He left Jerusalem secretly and conspired with his Sadducean allies, controlled the largest number of fortified places, with the intention of making war against his aged mother. However, the queen died at the critical moment, and he immediately turned his weapons against his brother Hyrcanus, the legitimate heir to the throne.

Hyrcanus advanced against Aristobulus at the head of his mercenaries and his followers. The brothers met in battle near Jericho and many of Hyrcanus' soldiers went over to Aristobulus, thereby giving him the victory. Hyrcanus took refuge in the citadel of Jerusalem, but the capture of the Temple by Aristobulus compelled Hyrcanus to surrender. A peace was then concluded. According to the terms of of the agreement, Hyrcanus was to renounce both the throne and the high priesthood, but was allowed to benefit from the revenues of the priestly office.[1] Hyrcanus' reign lasted only three months.

This agreement, however, did not last, as Hyrcanus feared that Aristobulus was planning his death. Antipater the Idumean, who had been military commander of Judea under Alexander Jannaeus, continued to support Hyrcanus, and he advised Hyrcanus to put himself under the protection of the Arabian (Nabataean) king Aretas III in Petra. With their new allies, the Nabataeans advanced toward Jerusalem with an army of 50,000. The Pharisees—the most powerful party in Jerusalem—now threw their lot in with Hyrcanus, and Aristobulus was compelled to withdraw to the Temple Mount. Hyrcanus, Antipater, and the Nabataeans besieged the city for several months.

The siege inspired a number of notable legends. In one of these, the famous rainmaker and trickster Honi HaM'agel was captured by the followers of Hyrcanus and commanded to pray for the demise of their opponents. According to Josephus, Honi, however, prayed: "Lord of the universe, as the besieged and the besiegers both belong to Thy people, I beseech Thee not to answer the evil prayers of either." After this, the followers of Hyrcanus stoned him to death.

Roman intervention

With the siege inconclusive, third party—Rome—was called in to unravel the complicated situation. The effects of this intercession proved not only injurious to the brothers, but in the end brought about the destruction of the Jewish state. At that time (65 B.C.E.) Pompey had already brought nearly the whole of the East under subjugation. He had sent his legate, Scaurus, to Syria, to take possession of the heritage of the Seleucids. Ambassadors from both the Judean parties presented themselves to Scaurus, requesting his assistance.

A bribe of 400 talents from Aristobulus turned the scale in his favor. Aretas was commanded to abandon the siege of the Temple Mount. Aristobulus was thus victorious, and Hyrcanus retained only an insignificant portion of his power. Aristobulus also had the satisfaction of avenging himself upon Aretas. As the Arabian was withdrawing with his forces from Jerusalem, Aristobulus followed and inflicted severe losses upon him.

However, the Romans, to whom he had looked with so much confidence, soon became a factor in Jewish politics which worked most detrimentally against Aristobulus. A magnificent golden vine, valued at 500 talents, which Aristobulus presented to Pompey, and which excited the admiration of the Romans even in later generations, had no effect upon him. In the year 63, the still hostile brothers appeared before him, as well as delegates of a third group, which desired the complete abolition of the Hasmonean dynasty. Popmpey refused to give any immediate decision.

Pompey apparently contemplated the end of Jewish independence from Rome, and Aristobulus saw through the aims of the Roman general. Although powerless to offer effective resistance, his pride did not permit him to yield without a show of opposition. He left Pompey in a burst of indignation, and entrenched himself at the citadel of Alexandrion. Pompey followed him and demanded complete surrender of all the forts controlled by Arisobulus' forces. Aristobulus capitulated, but immediately proceeded to Jerusalem to prepare himself for resistance there. However, when he saw that Pompey pressed on against him, his courage failed him. He came to the general's camp, promising both gold and the surrender of Jerusalem if hostilities were suspended.

Pompey detained Aristobulus in the camp and sent his captain Gabinius to take possession of the city. The war party in Jerusalem refused to surrender, and Aristobulus was made prisoner by Pompey, who proceeded to besiege the city. The capture of Jerusalem and of the Temple Mount, which followed, ended the independence of Judea as well as the reign of Aristobulus. In the triumph celebrated by Pompey in Rome (61), Aristobulus, the Jewish king and high priest, was compelled to march in front of the chariot of the conqueror.

The Pharisees saw in this circumstance a just punishment for Aristobulus' support of the the Sadducees. But an even more severe fate was in store for him. In the year 56, he succeeded in escaping from prison in Rome. Proceeding to Judea, stirred up a revolt. He was recaptured by the Romans and again taken to Rome. Then, in 49, he was liberated by Caesar and sent at the head of two legions against Pompey in Syria, but on his way there, he was poisoned by Pompey's allies. Aristobulus was carried captive to Rome, where he was assassinated in 50 B.C.E.

His son Antigonus led a rebellion against Rome 40 B.C.E. but was defeated and killed in 37 B.C.E.

Legacy=

Aristobulus' machinations—first against his mother, then against his brother, and finally against mighty Rome—brought an end to independent state which the Jews had won at such a great price during the Maccabean revolt. Client kings and Roman governor would rule the Jews henceforth, until a new revolt brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 C.E., marking the beginning of the great Jewish diaspora.

The best known character in the aftermath of Aristobulus' career would be the son of military rival Antipater, namely Herod the Great. The tragedy of Aristobulus, a supporter of the Sadduceean nobility also paved the war for the rise of the Pharisees not only as a political party but as a key religious force, leading ultimately to the rabbinical tradition in Judaism. The vacuum left by the demise of the independent Hasmonean kings also gave rise to increasing messianic hopes, leading up to such famous messianic figures as Jesus of Nazareth and Simon Bar Kochba.

House of Hasmoneus
Died: 37 B.C.E.
Preceded by:
Hyrcanus II
King of Judaea
66 B.C.E. – 63 B.C.E.
Succeeded by: Hyrcanus II
High Priest of Judaea
66 B.C.E. – 63 B.C.E.

Notes

  1. Schürer, "Gesch." i. 291, note 2

References
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