CHAPTER VII

THE ASMONEAN ¹ KINGDOM

The rise of Jonathan initiated a new form of government. The two offices, that of the high-priest, and that of the national leader, devolved upon one man. This change came about not by any calculated policy on the part of the Jews [sic Judaeans], but arose from fortuitous circumstances. Alexander Balus, who pretended to be a son of Antiochus Epiphanes, claimed the throne of Syria which was occupied by Demetrius. The rivals vied with each other for the support of Jonathan and each in turn made extravagant bids for that support. Demetrius was first in the field. He wrote empowering Jonathan to raise an army and commanded that the tower of Zion with its occupants should be handed over to Jonathan. This was followed by a letter from the pretender appointing Jonathan as high-priest. He sent also “a purple robe and a crown of gold.” ² At the Feast of Tabernacles in 153 B.C. Jonathan donned these insignia. For ten years he filled the dual office of high-priest and ruler of the nation.

 

Jonathan renewed the treaty with Rome. He also interchanged letters with the Lacedemonians in which was established the kinship of the Jews [sic Judaeans] with the people of distant Greece. “It is found in writing, that the Lacedemonians and Jews [sic Judaeans] are brethren, and that they are of the stock of Abraham.” ³ In the end, Jonathan was treacherously murdered in the city of Ptolemais, and Simon, the last of the five noble brothers, became “high-priest and governor and leader of the Jews [sic Judaeans],” ⁴ in 143 B.C.

 

¹ Sometimes spelt “Hasmouran.”            ² 1 Maccabees xi, 20.

³ 1 Maccabees xii, 21.                              ⁴ Ibid. xiii, 42.

 

 

“Now when it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead, they were very sorry. But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made high-priest in his stead and ruled the country, and the cities therein: they wrote unto him in tables of brass, to renew the friendship and league which they had made with Judas and Jonathan his brethren.” ¹ Thus, “loved at home and revered abroad,” Simon embarked on that distinguished if brief career which was to earn for him the praise of posterity. Like his brother Jonathan, Simon was treacherously murdered, together with his sons Mattathias and Judas, by Ptolemeus. While on an official visit in the region of Jericho he was invited to a banquet only to meet his death at the hands of Ptolemeus, son of Abubus, son-in-law of Simon, in 135 B.C. ²

 

Simon was succeeded by his second son, John Hyrcanus, who presided over the destinies of the Jews [sic Judaeans] for thirty years. Under John, the Jews [sic Judaeans] embarked upon a career of military conquest. In 130 B.C. the rival temple on Mount Gerizim was destroyed. Idumea and Samaria, the long hated rivals of Israel, were subjugated. ³ In the twenty-sixth year of his reign, the sons of John, Aristobulus and Antigonus, effected their reduction. The city of Samaria was laid waste, and its site turned into pools of water fed by its own copious springs. The Holy Land, under the name of Judea, was restored to its ancient limits under the rule of the priest-kings.

 

During the rule of John Hyrcanus, the Pharisees and Sadducees emerge as powerful sects. Their origin is lost in the mists of antiquity, but their

 

¹ 1 Maccabees xiv, 16-18.               ² Ibid. xvi, 16.

³ According to Josephus, Antiq. xiii, ix, 1, Hyrcanus forced the Edomites to submit to circumcision. The Edomites were destined to supply a dynasty of rulers under which the Jews [sic Judaeans] suffered fatally. [Hence, the proselytized Edomite-jews must be separated from the true Judaeans as two distinct entities! C.A.E.]

 

 

subsequent history made indelible marks on the life of the community. The Pharisees had been among the first to identify themselves with the Maccabean revolt. At the end of his career, Hyrcanus broke with the Pharisees and joined with the Sadducees. ^l Hyrcanus died 106 B.C., the first of the Maccabean succession to escape a violent death.

 

Hyrcanus bequeathed the civil government to his wife, but his son, Aristobulus, imprisoned his own mother, starved her to death, caused his brother Antigonus to be murdered, seized both the government and the high-priesthood, and founded the Asmonean monarchy which was destined to last some seventy troubled years. Aristobulus I lived to enjoy his distinction for only one year, when he died in bitter remorse. Josephus reports him as saying: “A sudden punishment is coming upon me for the shedding the blood of my relations. And now, O thou most impudent body of mine, how long wilt thou retain a soul that ought to die, in order to appease the ghost of my brother and my mother?” ²

 

He was succeeded by his brother, Alexander Janneus, who signalised his succession to the throne and priesthood by putting to death his next brother on suspicion of aspiring to the crown. ³ Alexander reigned for twenty-seven troubled years. The judgment of Milman is “Alexander was an enterprising rather than a successful prince.” ⁴ He spent some years in an endeavour to extend his dominions to the east of Jordan, and while the weakness of surrounding nations contributed to the success of his efforts in that direction, disaffection at home made his hold on his own people precarious. The Pharisees were his inveterate foes. For six years there was civil war. In self-defence Alexander

 

¹ See Josephus, Antig. xiii, x, 5, 6.                  ² Ibid. xiii, xi, 3.

³ Ibid. xiii, xii, 1,              ⁴ History of the Jews, Vol. 1, p. 389.

 

 

employed a large body of mercenaries, yet, despite this, he could not withstand the onslaught of the insurgents. His 6,000 mercenaries were cut to pieces, and he himself escaped by fleeing to the mountains. Then occurred one of those unaccountable revulsions of popular feeling. The people gathered around him, and he found himself at the head of an army of 60,000 with whom he marched to Jerusalem in triumph. He took a terrible vengeance on the people for their recent insurrection. At a banquet, at which Alexander and his concubines were present, he publicly crucified 809 men, and slew their wives and children before their faces. ^l Strabo rightly refers to a “tyrannical government” at this time, but wrongly says, “the first person who exchanged the title of priest for that of king was Alexander.” ² Yet so far had the nation become degraded that the populace was compelled to witness the spectacle of a high-priest, great-grandson of Simon the Maccabee, banqueting with his wives and concubines, while 800 men languished in the lingering throes of crucifixion, mentally tortured by the massacre of their wives and children, whom they were powerless to protect.

 

Four years later Alexander became mortally afflicted. He called his wife, Alexandra, and advised her to come to terms with the Pharisees in her own interest as succeeding Queen, and hoping to secure a decent funeral for himself. “If thou dost but say this to them, I shall have the honour of a more glorious funeral ... and thou wilt rule in safety.”

 

Alexandra wore the crown for nine years (78-69 B.C.), but her power was only nominal. Since a woman could not be high-priest, her son Hyrcanus was elected to that office. While the civil government

 

¹ Josephus, Antiq. xiii, xiv, 2.                      ² Book XVI, chap. ii, 40.

³ Antiq. xiii, xv, 5.

 

 

was nominally in the hands of the Queen, it was really in the hands of the Pharisees. They first strengthened their party by releasing all prisoners and recalling all exiles, after which they demanded that justice be done to all who had been accessory to the slaughter under Alexander.

 

The Pharisee party with Hyrcanus as their chief were busy with their schemes for revenge, while Aristobulus, a younger son of Alexander, led the opposition. The latter represented to the Queen that to abandon those who had loyally supported Alexander would be base ingratitude. Alexandra appears to have been in sympathy with Aristobulus, but found herself on the horns of a dilemma. To openly support Aristobulus meant to break with the Pharisees on whose sufference she relied for her crown. Moreover, the question of the succession was exercising her mind. While favouring Aristobulus, she saw that he had small chance of succeeding to the throne unless he could gain the support of the army to counteract the influence of the Pharisees. She found a way to achieve the double object. She drafted men of the Pharisee party for garrison duty at the frontier towns, and sent Aristobulus with an army, ostensibly to stop the depredations of Ptolemy, king of Chalsis, but really with secret designs on Damascus. She saw that the success of the expedition under Aristobulus would strengthen the attachment of the army to his person, and thereby improve his chances. She had judged aright. After reigning for nine years, Alexandra died circa 69 B.C.

 

Hyrcanus II, with the support of the Pharisees, nominally succeeded his mother, Queen Alexandra, but his slender hold on the diadem was quickly and successfully challenged by his brother. Anticipating the death of the queen, Aristobulus secretly left

 

 

Jerusalem and gathered to his banner the army, and those who sympathised with his cause in the frontier garrisons. The Pharisees were defeated at Jericho, and Hyrcanus sought refuge in the tower of Baris. He surrendered after a short siege, and yielded both the high-priesthood and the diadem to Aristobulus, who allowed Hyrcanus to retire peacefully.

 

The reign of Aristobulus II (69-63 B.C.) was marked by strife and civil discord. Seed sown by his father began to bear fruit. Alexander had appointed Antipater, a distinguished Idumean, as governor of Idumea. His son, Antipater, was brought up at the royal court, and was supposed to have embraced the Jewish [sic Judaean] religion. The ambitious Antipater gained an ascendancy over the mind of the weak Hyrcanus and, on the plea that his life was in danger, persuaded him to flee for protection to Aretas, King of Petra. Hyrcanus returned with Aretas and an army of 50,000. ¹ Aristobulus was defeated and took refuge in the Temple, which was promptly besieged. The Passover was at hand, and the besieged had no lambs to sacrifice. The besiegers, ostensibly marshalled in support of the high-priest, Hyrcanus, undertook to supply the necessary victims if the besieged would lower from the walls baskets containing the price, but when the baskets were lowered they took the money and left the baskets to be hauled up empty, or loaded with pigs instead of lambs. ²

 

One dastardly act of barbarity disfigures the record of Hyrcanus and his allies at this time. They appealed to one “Onias, a righteous man ... beloved of God,” who had won renown by praying for rain which had fallen. He was unwilling to intercede with God at this hour. When forced to speak, he prayed that God would assist neither one

 

¹ Josephus, Antiq. xiv, ii, 1,                      ² Ibid. xiv, ii, 2.

 

 

side nor the other, whereupon he was stoned to death. ^l

 

At this time Rome, courted by both Aristobulus and Hyrcanus, intervened in the dispute. She might plead in justification of this act the century old treaty between herself and the Asmonean princes, but she never needed any encouragement to plant her iron heel on the necks of smaller powers. The brothers vied with each other in bidding for the support of Pompey.  Scaurus, a lieutenant of Pompey, decided in favour of Aristobulus and Aretas retired at the Roman’s command under the threat of being treated as an enemy of Rome. Aristobulus attacked the retreating army of Aretas in the rear “and slew about 6,000 of the enemy.” ²

 

The following year Pompey arrived in person and heard the case of the brothers against each other and, also, the case of the people versus the two brothers. The people now protested against the hierarchical kingdom as a usurpation. The wily hand of Antipater was seen in the presence of a thousand of the most distinguished Jews [sic Judaeans] who supported Hyrcanus on the ground of primogeniture. The case for Aristobulus was supported by “a troop of insolent youths, splendidly arrayed in purple, with flowing hair and rich armour, who carried themselves as if they were the true nobles of the land,” says Milman. ³

 

With designs of his own in Arabia, Pompey had no wish to antagonise either of the brothers lest increasing bitterness on their part should prove a check on his own enterprise. “When Pompey had heard the causes of these two, and had condemned Aristobulus for his violent procedure, he then spake civilly to them, and sent them away, and told them,

 

              ¹ Josephus, Antiq. xiv, ii, 1.                  ² Ibid. ii, 3.

              ³ Vol. I, p. 396.

 

 

that when he came again into their country he would settle all their affairs after he had taken a view of the affairs of the Nabateans. In the meantime, he ordered them to be quiet, and treated Aristobulus civilly, lest he should make the nation revolt and hinder his return.” ¹ But Aristobulus was not to be placated by flattery. The cold if dignified manner of Pompey had left on the mind of Aristobulus the impression that Hyrcanus was favoured. As soon as Pompey had left, Aristobulus began to prepare for resistance. The Roman returned promptly. Aristobulus met him and offered to surrender Jerusalem. But he omitted to say the city was in the hands of Hyrcanus, and when the Roman legate advanced to take possession he found his advance challenged by Hyrcanus. Pompey threw Aristobulus into chains and marched towards Jerusalem with his whole army. Hyrcanus opened the gates to the invaders and the friends of Aristobulus sought refuge in the Temple. The Temple held out for three months, when it was taken by assault and 12,000 Jews [sic citizens] were slaughtered. In 63 B.C. Pompey entered the Temple and penetrated to the Holy of Holies itself. Finding no image in the sacred shrine he had the grace to leave the sacred vessels and the Temple treasures untouched, and even ordered the Temple to be purified. The high-priesthood and the principality of Judea proper were conferred upon Hyrcanus, but he was forbidden to assume the crown. Aristobulus with his two daughters and his two sons, Alexander and Antigonus, was carried off to grace the victor’s triumph in Rome, but on the way Alexander escaped, and Aristobulus and Antigonus escaped from Rome some time later.

 

Hyrcanus II exercised nominal power from 63 to

 

¹ Josephus, Antiq. xiv; iii, 3.

 

 

40 B.C. but Antipater as a servant of Rome was the real ruler. Judea was nothing more than a part of Syria though its judicial and financial administration was separated from the larger province.

 

Alexander, who escaped as stated above, appeared with an army of 10,000 foot and 1,500 horse, and Hyrcanus was compelled to seek Roman protection. Gabinius, the pro-consul of Syria, was in command of the Roman forces while Mark Antony was one of his lieutenants. Alexander was soon at the mercy of the Roman legions but, through the intervention of his mother in Rome, he was granted an amnesty. He rewarded his benefactors by a second revolt in 56 B.C., when he was utterly defeated and saved his life only by flight.

 

Gabinius deprived the high-priest of supreme power and set up five great Sanhedrims at Jerusalem, Jericho, Gadara, Amanthus, and Sepporis, but Hyrcanus was restored to the principality by Julius Caesar circa 44 B.C.

 

The first triumvirate, established by Rome in 60 B.C., had assigned to Crassus the province of Syria in the year 55 B.C. In the following year he arrived at Jerusalem on his disastrous march against the Parthians. His cupidity was aroused by the display of wealth in the Temple, which had been foolishly shown to him by Eleazar, the priest who was guardian of the sacred treasure. Unlike Pompey, Crassus could not resist the temptation to enrich himself at the expense of the sacred courts. He pillaged the Temple and carried away wealth estimated at two million sterling. In his expedition against the Parthians Crassus perished and the Jews [sic Judaeans] regarded this as divine vengeance for his infamous deed.

 

The outbreak of civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey in 50 B.C. had disastrous repercussions

 

 

on the Seventy Weeks Nation. Caesar freed Aristobulus from imprisonment in Rome and sent him with two legions to Judea “that he might set matters right,” ¹ but he was waylaid by the army of Pompey and poisoned. His son Alexander was executed by Scipio at Antioch. Thus Hyrcanus retained the sovereignty in name, but the power behind the throne was Antipater, the father of Herod. During the campaign of Rome against Egypt in 48 B.C. Antipater had rendered Caesar signal service. He was now rewarded by being appointed Procurator of all Judea, and by being made a Roman citizen. Hyrcanus was graded as Ethnarch of Judea, and was granted remission of taxation in the Sabbatic year. The few remaining years of the Asmonean Kingdom concern more the aggrandisement of the family of Antipater than the fortunes of the Asmonean dynasty.

 

Antipater had four sons, Phasaelus, Herod, Joseph, and Pheroras, and one daughter, Salome, and the promotion of their interests became his chief concern. In utter disregard of the claims of Hyrcanus, he appointed Phasaelus governor of Jerusalem. Herod, who figures so prominently in the sacred narrative, he appointed governor of Galilee. In 37 B.C. Herod married Mariamne, the grand-daughter of Hyrcanus I, and thus became allied with the Asmonean house of the Jews [sic. Judaeans].

 

The death of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. robbed Hyrcanus of his imperial protector. Cassius took the administration of Syria. Heavier taxes were laid upon Judea which Malichus, the responsible collector, was unable to raise. Antipater came to his aid by making good the deficiency from the treasures of Hyrcanus, but was basely poisoned through the instrumentality of Malichus in requital.

 

         ¹ Josephua, Antiq. xiv, vii, 4.

 

 

The second triumvirate, 43 B.C., gave the dominion in the east to Mark Antony, who raised Herod and Phasaelus to the dignity of Tetrarchs in 41 B.C., and committed to their charge the two governments of Syria and Judea.

 

While Mark Antony was dallying with Cleopatra in Egypt, the spirit of revolt showed itself in Syria, aided by the Parthians. Upon this, Antigonus, the last surviving son of Aristobulus, made a bid for the throne of Judah. He offered the Parthian general a thousand talents and four hundred women of the noblest Jewish [sic Judaean] families if he would enable him to gain possession of the Jewish [sic Judaean] throne. With his Persian allies, Antigonus marched against Jerusalem and took it. Hyrcanus and Pharsalus were made prisoners. Herod, realising that his own life was in danger, placed his mother, his sister, and Mariamne his betrothed under the protection of his brother Joseph and an Idumean force on the west of the Dead Sea, and escaped to Rome. His ostensible mission was to plead the cause of Aristobulus, the brother of Mariamne, but the real mission was in his own interests.

 

Antigonus, 40-37 B.C., was the last ruler of the Asmonean dynasty. Though nominally ruler in Jerusalem, Antigonus found his Persian allies were the real masters. They plundered the city and ravaged the surrounding country. Phasaelus anticipated the executioner by committing suicide in prison. Hyrcanus was mutilated by the removal of his ears, and thus rendered ineligible for the high-priesthood in terms of Leviticus xxi, 17-24. He lived for some years, but in the end was put to death by Herod on a charge of treason in 30 B.C.

 

Herod’s business in Rome was quickly despatched. Seven days were sufficient for the purpose, and within three months he was back, not as a mere

 

 

Tetrarch, but as king of Judea, a title conferred on him by the Roman Senate. Herod never lacked ability to ingratiate himself with those who could advance his interest. Octavius (later, Caesar Augustus ) and Mark Antony both favoured his elevation to the throne. In 37 B.C. he besieged Jerusalem, which was now in the hands of Antigonus. The siege lasted six months. The scarcity of food added to the sufferings of the besieged. During the siege Herod completed his marriage with Mariamne in the hope of winning the favour of the Asmoneans. The city was taken on a Sabbath day, and such was the blood lust of the Roman legions that Herod was constrained to appeal to them not to leave him the king of a depopulated city. Antigonus was captured and sent in chains to Mark Antony, who executed him.

 

The last ruler of the Maccabean line was the first to suffer death under the axe of a Roman lictor. ^l For 130 years the descendants of Mattathias had ruled for good or ill. If some chapters in their record are stained with blood others are illumined with the splendours of glorious achievement. Seventy years after Aristobulus I first donned the diadem one scion of the noble house alone remained, the young Aristobulus, and his disastrous end at the hand of Herod must soon be told.

 

¹ Plutarch says he, Mark Antony, “beheaded Antigonus of Judea, the first king that ever suffered in such a manner” (Life of Mark Antony, p. 309), though a doubtful tradition says Antigonus was first tied to a stake and whipped, after which his throat was cut.