Aristobulus I
King and High Priest of Judaea
Aristobulus I, woodcut designed by Guillaume Rouillé. From Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum.
King of Judaea
Reignc. 104–103 BCE
PredecessorMonarchy established
SuccessorAlexander Jannaeus
High Priest of Judaea
PredecessorJohn Hyrcanus
SuccessorAlexander Jannaeus
Diedc. 103 BCE
Jerusalem
SpouseSalome Alexandra
DynastyHasmonean
FatherJohn Hyrcanus
ReligionJudaism

Judah Aristobulus I or Aristobulus I (/ˌærɪstəˈbjuːləs/; Greek: Ἀριστόβουλος, romanized: Aristóboulos) was the first Hasmonean king of Judaea from 104 BCE until his death in 103 BCE. He was the eldest of the five sons of John Hyrcanus, the previous leader.[1] The Romano–Jewish historian Josephus states that he was the first Jew in "four hundred and eighty-three years and three months" to have established a monarchy since the return from the Babylonian captivity.[2] Aristobulus was the first Hebrew king to claim both the high priesthood and the kingship. The Sadducees and the Essenes were not concerned about Aristobulus taking the title of king, but the Pharisees, who believed that the kingship could only be held by the descendants of the Davidic line, strongly opposed. They launched a massive rebellion, but Aristobulus died before any attempt to depose him could occur.[3]

The major sources on Aristobulus's life from antiquity are Josephus's Wars of the Jews and Antiquities of the Jews.[4] His reign is particularly noted for the Judaization of Galilee and the native Semitic people called Ituraeans. Josephus, quoting from Strabo's Historica Hypomnemata, described Aristobulus's regime as kindly and "very serviceable to the Jews" on account of his conquests and the integration of "a portion of Ituraean nation whom he joined to them by the bond of circumcision".[5]

Etymology

The name Aristobulus is of Greek origin and is an epithet meaning "best-advising".[6] Aristobulus I was the first Hasmonean to have adopted the name,[4] but his Hebrew name was Judah.[7] He was also referred to as Philhellene, meaning he was an admirer of Greek culture.[8] Josephus though does not explain why he was called this.[9]

Early campaigns and monarchy established

Aristobulus and his brother Antigonus were entrusted by their father, John Hyrcanus, with the conquest of Samaria. They besieged the city and, when the residents requested aid from the Seleucid Empire, defeated a relief army led by Antiochus IX Cyzicenus.[10] Antiochus successfully escaped to Scythopolis, but the brothers captured Samaria near the end of John's reign, razing the city and enslaving its populace.[10][11] Their forces then captured Scythopolis and the entire region south of Mount Carmel.[11]

According to the directions of John Hyrcanus, the country was to be placed in the hands of his wife after his death, and Aristobulus was originally to receive the high priesthood only. Instead, Aristobulus had his mother placed in prison, where she starved to death, securing for him the high priesthood and the kingship.[12] He then jailed all of his brothers except for his old comrade in arms Antigonus to protect himself from possible familial retaliation.[1]

Josephus does not name Hyrcanus's wife.[13] He states that Aristobulus and Antigonus were the eldest of the five brothers, but Aristobulus is the firstborn. The others were Alexander Jannaeus, Absalom and a fifth brother Josephus mentions but does not name.[4]

Conquest of Galilee

Aristobulus had gone to war against the Ituraeans and taken territory from them. The conquered Ituraeans were forced to accept Jewish law and circumcision in order to remain on their land.[5] The Ituraeans had been an Arab tribe that expanded southward from the Lebanese Beq'a into the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon in the fourth century BCE after the collapse of the Seleucid Empire.[14] They are first mentioned in Josephus's Antiquities 13.319 during Aristobulus I's conquest where Josephus writes, "he brought over to them a portion of the Ituraean nation".[5]

Josephus's Antiquities 13.319 is a quote from Strabo's Historica Hypomnemata which was originally written by Timagenes stating "This man was a kindly person and very serviceable to the Jews, for he acquired additional territory for them, and brought over to them a portion of the Ituraean nation, whom he joined to them by the bond of circumcision." This passage has been generally accepted as evidence for Josephus's reliance on Strabo and Timagenes's writings.[15] It is unknown where the confrontation's exact location and the territory that the Ituraeans occupied. Most scholars assume the Ituraean territory to be northern Galilee.[16] There is also no evidence of forced Judaization on Galilee during Aristobulus's reign.[17]

Death and successor

Feast of Tabernacles

With sudden abdominal pains, Aristobulus's health gradually deteriorated, forcing him to return to his palace during the Sukkot festival. His brother Antigonus would eventually return to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival at the Temple. Unfamiliar with ceremonial festivities, Antigonus arrived armed with escorting soldiers.[8] According to Kenneth Atkinson, Antigonus had returned from a successful unspecified military campaign. He further states that Josephus didn't mention the location of the campaign. Atkinson presumes it to be Galilee since Antigonus had fine armor and military decorations procured in the region, as stated in Josephus's Jewish War 1.76.[18]

In his morbid state, Aristobulus became prey to the factious influence of his wife Queen Salome Alexandra, and conspirators; they had spread rumors about Antigonus attempting to seize the throne once he was seen in armor at the festival. Wearing a military uniform was considered unorthodox during the occasion,[8] and Aristobulus became estranged from Antigonus after he heard this rumor. Aristobulus was then informed by "evil men" that his brother was sending soldiers to murder him. Believing the report, he barricaded himself in the fortified citadel Baris, which was moated and had defensive towers.[19]

Death of Antigonus and Aristobulus

The queen, contemplating the possibility of being tortured and killed if Antigonus became king once Aristobulus was deceased from his worsening health, deliberately advised Antigonus to enter, armed, into an interview with his brother. However, he had been summoned to answer suspicions of intrigue against his brother's life. The queen had bribed the messenger whom Aristobulus sent to his brother; she altered the original message. Instead of having Antigonus arrive at his brother's palace unarmed, she suggested that Antigonus should wear his new body armor which he had made in Galilee as a presentation upon Aristobulus's request. Incensed with suspicion at finding his brother armed, Aristobulus killed his brother. In frantic regret at this rash execution, Aristobulus's health drastically declined until his death shortly after.[8] Queen Salome then released Aristobulus's brothers, selecting Alexander Jannaeus as the next king.[20]

Coinage

The first mint of Hasmonean coins didn't begin until the leadership of John Hyrcanus. Like his father, Judah Aristobulus only minted his coins with the title of the high priesthood and used Hebrew inscriptions. It wasn't until Alexander Jannaeus that both the roles of kingship and the high priesthood were minted onto the coins.[21]

The majority of Judah's coins were found in the regions of Galilee and the Golan, primarily, the largest amount of coins were from Gamla.[22] By 2016, archeologists had found thirty coins at Gamla which was the largest amount to date.[23] The majority of them come from his actual reign, while a small amount of these coins were minted after.[22]

The numismatic evidence does not indicate Aristobulus assumed the title of king.[7] There was also the possibility the coins could be attributed to Aristobulus II (67 – 63 BCE) who was also a king and high priest,[7] however, the longstanding debate began to favor more towards Aristobulus I when new numismatic evidence indicated that Aristobulus I had his coins minted with the name "Judah".[13]

Because of his short reign of one year, only a small amount of coins are available that have the name "Judah". Ya'akov Meshorer categorized them into two groups. Twenty coins are inscribed with "Jehudah high priest and the assembly of the Jews" (יהודה כהן גדול וחבר היהודים‎), and another seven with the inscriptions of "Jehudah the high priest and the assembly of the Jews" (יהודה הכהן הגדל וחבר היהדים‎). Every coin has a value of one prutah and has the inscriptions in a wreath. On the opposite side, a cornucopia with pomegranates between them.[24] The inscriptions on his coins are almost identical to those on the coins of his father and his brother Alexander Jannaeus.[13]

Doubts concerning Josephus's statement that Aristobulus was the first Hasmonean monarch are indicated by his coins, which do not contain the title of "king".[13] Josephus's statement also conflicts with Strabo, who stated that Alexander Jannaeus was the first king, rather than a high priest. However, no Hasmonean relinquished the high priesthood in favor of the kingship.[25]

According to Kenneth Atkinson, Alexander Jannaeus received opposition for having the kingship title minted onto his coins. Alexander had many of those coins over-struck to replace the kingship title for the high priesthood. Atkinson considers the over-struck coins as evidence that the title of "king" was still problematic during Alexander's reign, Atkinson concluded that “the absence of any royal designation of Aristobulus's coins does not indicate that he was never an actual monarch”.[13]

Legacy and Historical Debates

Aristobulus I's brief but impactful reign left a lasting imprint on the Hasmonean dynasty, sparking historical debates about his true status as a monarch. While Josephus asserts that Aristobulus was the first Hasmonean king, numismatic evidence complicates this claim. The coins minted during Aristobulus's rule do not bear the title of "king," fueling doubts about his royal status. This discrepancy aligns with conflicting accounts from Strabo, who credits Alexander Jannaeus as the inaugural Hasmonean king. The enduring debate hinges on the intricacies of Hasmonean leadership, with scholars pondering whether Aristobulus held both the high priesthood and kingship simultaneously. The absence of the royal designation on his coins, reminiscent of the later hesitancy seen in Alexander Jannaeus's reign, adds a layer of complexity to understanding the political dynamics within the Hasmonean rule.

Historical Significance and Religious Tensions

Aristobulus I's dual assertion of high priesthood and kingship not only fueled debates among historians but also heightened religious tensions during his reign. The Pharisees, staunch believers in the Davidic lineage as the rightful kings, vehemently opposed Aristobulus's claims to the throne. This ideological conflict resulted in a massive rebellion initiated by the Pharisees, seeking to depose Aristobulus. However, his untimely death preempted any resolution to this religious and political turmoil. The clash between traditionalist Pharisees and the Hasmonean monarch set the stage for subsequent power struggles within the Jewish community, contributing to the complex socio-political landscape of the time. Aristobulus I's legacy thus extends beyond the numismatic uncertainties, encompassing the intricate interplay between religious convictions and political ambitions that characterized this pivotal period in Judean history.

Citations

  1. 1 2 Gelb 2010, p. 174.
  2. ↑ Gruen 2002, pp. 37 & 38.
  3. ↑ Wine 2012, p. 174.
  4. 1 2 3 Atkinson 2016, p. 80.
  5. 1 2 3 Myers 2010, p. 25.
  6. ↑ Elwell & Comfort 2001, p. 109.
  7. 1 2 3 VanderKam 2004, pp. 314.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Gelb 2010, p. 175.
  9. ↑ Atkinson 2016, p. 99.
  10. 1 2 Coogan 2001, p. 337.
  11. 1 2 Leeming & Leeming 2002, p. 116.
  12. ↑ Jewish Women’s Archive website, Hasmonean Women
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Atkinson 2016, p. 81.
  14. ↑ Buth & Notley 2013, p. 153.
  15. ↑ Myers 2010, p. 24.
  16. ↑ Myers 2010, pp. 25 & 26.
  17. ↑ Atkinson 2016, p. 96.
  18. ↑ Atkinson 2016, pp. 86 & 87.
  19. ↑ Atkinson 2016, p. 97.
  20. ↑ VanderKam 2004, p. 318.
  21. ↑ Regev 2013, p. 175.
  22. 1 2 Buth & Notley 2013, p. 154.
  23. ↑ Atkinson 2016, p. 89.
  24. ↑ VanderKam 2004, pp. 314 & 315.
  25. ↑ Atkinson 2016, p. 83.

Bibliography

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