Alexander Janneus

Josephus

The Jewish War 1.85–98

ca. 75

Aristobulus’ widow released his brothers from prison and made Alexander king, as he seemed to have the best claim both in seniority and for his apparent moderation. But when he came into power he had one brother put to death as a rival aspirant to the throne: the surviving brother was content to keep out of politics, and so enjoyed Alexander’s…

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Alexander Janneus, known as Yannai in Hebrew, became the second Hasmonean to claim the title of king of Judaea, ruling from 103 to 76 BCE. He inherited the throne after the short reign of his brother Aristobulus I and married Aristobulus’ widow, Queen Salome Alexandra, who upon her husband’s death released his imprisoned brothers and placed Alexander Janneus on the throne. According to Josephus, Janneus had the strongest claim to the throne and appeared at the time to be moderate. Yet when he came to power, Alexander killed another of his brothers who aspired to the throne. Josephus goes on to depict a brutal, deeply unpopular, and tyrannical ruler engaged in substantial territorial expansion.

The episode involving Demetrius III makes an appearance in Pesher Nahum, a commentary on the biblical book of Nahum found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran (see “Romans as the Last Oppressors of the Jews”).

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Creator Bio

Josephus

37–100

Flavius Josephus was born into a prominent Jewish priestly family and served as a general stationed in the Galilee during the First Jewish Revolt (66–73 CE). He was captured by the Romans and eventually integrated into the Flavian imperial aristocracy, who commissioned him to compose chronicles of the Jewish–Roman war and the history of the Jews. Josephus’ works, all written in Greek, include The Jewish War, Jewish Antiquities, Against Apion, and his autobiography, Life of Josephus. These writings provide important insights into the Judaisms of the Second Temple period and include one of the few surviving accounts of the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

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