Salome Alexandra

Salome Alexander (Hebrew .לוֹמְצִיּוֹן אלכסנדרה, Shelomtzion or Shlom Tzion, 140 BC (?) - 67 BC ) - Queen of Judea from 76 to 67 years BC e. The wife and successor of Tsar Alexander Yannaya .

Salome Alexandra
Heb. שְׁלוֹמְצִיּוֹן אלכסנדרה
Portrait from the collection of biographies Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum ( 1553 )
Queen of Judea 76 - 67 BC e.
Predecessor	Alexander Yannai
Successor	Hyrcanus II
Birth	140 BC e. (presumably)
Death	67 BC e. ( -067 )
Kind
Spouse	and
Children	and
Religion

Nothing is known about its origin. According to Josephus Flavius, she died at the age of 73, that is, she was born in 140 BC. e. When marrying Alexander Yannai, she is already an experienced woman with a 10-year-old son - the future high priest Johanan Girkan II . Like all Hasmoneans, she had Jewish (Shelomotsion, Shlomotsion) and Greek names. After the death of Aristobulus I in 103 BC. e. takes the side of Alexander Yannaya and elevates him to the throne.

After a 27-year reign, Alexander Yannai dies. In his will, instead of his sons, he calls the successor the wife of Salome. According to Josephus, before his death, Yannai takes a promise from her to end the debate between the Pharisees and Sadducees . So in 76 BC e. Salome Aleksandra becomes the first and last in the history queen of Judea. Her son Johanan Girkan II became high priest because she could not take this position. Since that time, the combination of two posts is interrupted - the king and the high priest.

Little is known about the internal politics of Salome Alexandra. While Johanan Hyrcanus II served as high priest, Aristobulus II led the troops. When Salome fell ill, Aristobulus II took control of the country. With her death, this resulted in a civil war between the brothers Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II. Rome intervened in this conflict in 63 BC. e (see The Siege of Jerusalem (63 BC) ), which led to the loss of independence by Judea.