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| Salome Alexandra | |
|---|---|
 Salome Alexandra, fromGuillaume Rouillé'sPromptuarii Iconum Insigniorum | |
| Queen ofJudaea | |
| Reign | c. 76 – 67 BC |
| Predecessor | Alexander Jannaeus |
| Successor | Hyrcanus II |
| Queen consort of Judaea | |
| Tenure | c. 104–76 BC |
| Born | c. 141 BC |
| Died | c. 67 BC |
| Spouse | Aristobulus I (c. 104 – 103 BC) Alexander Jannaeus (c. 103 – 76 BC) |
| Issue | Hyrcanus II Aristobulus II |
| House | Hasmonean dynasty |
| Father | Shetah (disputed) |
| Mother | |
| Relatives | Simeon ben Shetach (brother) |
| Religion | Judaism |
Salome Alexandra, alsoShlomtzion,Shelamzion (Ancient Greek:Σαλώμη Ἀλεξάνδρα;Hebrew:שְׁלוֹמְצִיּוֹן,Šəlōmṣīyyōn, "peace ofZion"; 141–67 BC),[1] was a regnant queen ofHasmonean Judea, one of only three women in Jewish historical tradition to rule over the country, the other two beingDeborah andAthaliah. The wife ofAlexander Jannaeus, she was also the last ruler of Judea to die as the sovereign of an independent kingdom. Her nine-year reign has been described as a "golden age" of Hasmonean history.[2] Many suspect that she had previously been married to Alexander Janneaus's older brother,Aristobolus I, but this is most likely a misidentification.[3][4][1]
Josephus does not use theHebrew name of Shlomzion (Salome), referring only to herGreek name, "Alexandra" (Ἀλεξάνδρα). This is the only known Greek name among Hasmonean women. Salome's granddaughters also bore this name.Rabbinic literature, however, never uses the name Alexandra for her, instead referring to her with various Semitic names. She herself used Greek letters to identify herself on the coinage minted in her name. TheDead Sea Scrolls have identified Alexandra as "Shlomzion" (שלמציון) in several texts, including 4Q331 and 4Q332.[5]
Salome Alexandra's personal genealogy is not given byJosephus, nor does it appear in any of theBooks of the Maccabees. Rabbinical sources designate the rabbiSimeon ben Shetach as her brother,[6] making her the daughter of Shetah as well. Salome Alexandra's oldest son byAlexander Jannaeus wasHyrcanus II who fought his younger brotherAristobulus II in 73 BC over theJewish High Priesthood.[7] After enlisting the help ofNabataean kingAretas III, bribing Roman officials (includingScaurus), and gaining the favour ofPompey, Hyrcanus II was eventually successful in gaining that position.[8]
According to theJewish Encyclopedia, Aristobulus I's wife (herein misidentified as Salome Alexandra) was instrumental in arranging the assassination of her brother-in-law, Antigonus, by convincing her husband (Aristobulus I) that the former was plotting against him.[9]
During the reign of Alexander, Alexandra may have wielded some political influence, but she does not appear in Josephus's recounting until she is reigning on her own (after Alexander's death).
Josephus does not explicitly state Alexandra held any political authority before her reign. However, a passage about theHerodian dynasty inAntiquities of the Jews, where Josephus describes Antipas, the grandfather ofHerod the Great, gaining political power when "King Alexander and his wife (= Alexandra) made him general of allIdumaea", suggests that Alexandra had some sort of power in Judea even before she inherited the kingdom.[2]
The frequent visits to the palace of the chief of the Pharisaic party,Simeon ben Shetach, who was said to be the queen's brother, must have occurred in the early years of Alexander's reign, before Alexander had openly broken with the Pharisees. Alexandra does not seem to have been able to prevent the persecution of that sect by her husband.[citation needed]
According to historian Kenneth Atkinson, "There are also some passages in the Talmud that say, during her husband's reign, that she protected Pharisees and hid Pharisees from his wrath."[10] Nevertheless, the married life of the royal pair seems to have ended cordially; on his deathbed Alexander entrusted the government, not to his sons, but to his wife, with the advice to make peace with the Pharisees.[11]
Salome Alexandra's next concern was to open negotiations with the leaders of the Pharisees, whose places of concealment she knew. Having been given assurances as to her future policy, they declared themselves ready to give Alexander's remains the honors due to a monarch. In so doing, she avoided any public affront to the dead king, which — owing to the embitterment of the people — would certainly have found expression at the interment.
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Salome Alexandra received the reins of government (76 or 75 BC) at Jannaeus' camp beforeRagaba, and concealed the king's death until its fortress had fallen, in order that the siege might be maintained. She succeeded for a time in de-escalating the internal conflicts in the kingdom that existed at the time of Alexander's death, and she managed to secure assent to a Hasmonean monarchy from the Pharisees, who had suffered under Alexander.
The Pharisees were now not only tolerated, but were allowed to flourish. Salome Alexandra installed her eldest son,Hyrcanus II asHigh Priest. Hyrcanus II was wholly supportive of the Pharisees and theSanhedrin was reorganized according to their wishes, becoming asupreme court for the administration of justice and religious matters, the guidance of which was placed in the hands of the Pharisees.
TheSadducees petitioned Salome Alexandra for protection against the ruling party. To avoid all party conflict, she removed the Sadducees fromJerusalem, assigning certain fortified towns for their residence.
Salome Alexandra expanded the army and provisioned fortresses so that neighbouring monarchs were deterred by the protected towns along the Judean frontier. She also sent her sonAristobulus II with an army to besiegeDamascus, then beleaguered byPtolemy Mennaeus. The expedition reportedly achieved little.
The last days of Salome Alexandra's reign were tumultuous. Her son, Aristobulus, endeavoured to seize the government, and succeeded her after her death.
Rabbinical sources refer in glowing terms to the prosperity which Judea enjoyed under Salome Alexandra. The Talmud (Ta'anit, 23a; Sifra, ḤuḲḲat, i. 110) relates that during her rule, as a reward for her piety, rain fell only on Sabbath (Friday) nights; so that the working class suffered no loss of pay through the rain falling during their work-time. The fertility of the soil was so great that the grains of wheat grew as large as kidney beans; oats as large as olives; and lentils as large as gold denarii. The sages collected specimens of these grains and preserved them to show future generations the rewards of obedience to the Law, and what piety could achieve.[12][failed verification]
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"Shlomtzion" (Hebrew:שלומציון) is sometimes used as a female first name in contemporaryIsrael. Among others, the well-known Israeli writerAmos Kenan gave the name to his daughter.
During theBritish Mandate of Palestine, a major street in Jerusalem was calledPrincess Mary Street, after the only daughter ofKing George V andQueen Mary.[13] After the creation ofIsrael, the street was renamed "Queen Shlomzion Street," to commemorate the Jewish queen.[14] Such street names exist also inTel Aviv andRamat Gan.
In the 1977Knesset electionsAriel Sharon accepted the advice ofKenan to name hisnew political party "Shlomtzion" (it later merged with theLikud).
Israeli zoologists carefully observing theleopards of theJudean Desert bestowed the name "Shlomtzion" on a female leopard whose life, mating, and offspring were the subject of intensive, years-long study. In 1996, her body was found inTze'elim Stream, having died of old age.[15][16]
According to some versions of theToledoth Yeshu, a medieval alternative-Christian life of Jesus, Salome is connected with Jesus of Nazareth, placing the death of Jesus 150 years earlier.[17]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Louis Ginzberg (1901–1906)."Alexandra". InSinger, Isidore; et al. (eds.).The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
Salome Alexandra Born: 141 BC Died: 67 BC | ||
| Preceded by | Queen of Judaea 76 BCE – 67 BCE | Succeeded by |
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