IN B.C. 47, Julius Caesar came into Syria, I and appointed his kinsman, Sextus Caesar, president of the province. He then proceeded into Pontus, overcame a rising there, settled affairs in Cappadocia and other parts of Asia Minor, and returned to Rome, where he was again chosen Dictator.
Antipater had been of the greatest service to Caesar in this expedition, and in return for this, and for his general management of the Judean province, he was made a citizen of Rome. Antigonus appealed to Caesar against Antipater and Hyrcanus, with the only result that Hyrcanus was confirmed in the priesthood, and Antipater was formally appointed Procurator of Judaea. Antipater constituted his eldest son, Phasael appointed Procurator, governor of Jerusalem, and Herod governor of Galilee. Herod signalized himself by suppressing a horde of robbers (as Josephus calls them, but it was probably a “nationalist” rising) which infested part of Galilee, and having in his zeal put the leader to death without the consent of the Sanhedrim, that act was seized upon by some who were jealous of the influence of the Idumean family, and he was cited to appear before the Sanhedrim. Hyrcanus was in a difficult position; he was attached to Herod’s father, and probably to Herod himself, and he moreover received a threatening letter from Sextus, the president, charging him to clear Herod. On the other hand, there was the clamor of the envious Jews. Herod attended, clothed in purple, and with an armed escort and all the pomp of state, rather than as one on trial for a grave offense. The Sanhedrists were overawed by his bearing, and prepared to acquit him. Only one voice was heard in rebuke and warning. Same as, the president of the council, almost prophetically declared that this man whom they sought to absolve would one day punish them all. Moved by this, the judges were about to pronounce sentence of death, but the timid Hyrcanus adjourned the trial, and sent privately to Herod, urging him to flee. This he did, and soon proceeded to show his gratitude to Hyrcanus by marching with an army against him, and was only dissuaded by his father’s advice. Subsequently he slew the whole Sanhedrim, sparing only the faithful Sameas, and one Pollio.
In the year B.C. 44, Caesar gave permission to Antipater and Hyrcanus to repair the walls of Jerusalem, which had lain demolished since Pompey seized the city. In the same year Caesar was slain, and Roman matters were considerably embarrassed. In Judæa, too, treat trouble followed in the imposition of heavy burdens, but Antipater skillfully managed to ward off all fatal consequences. But one Malichus, in whose hands Antipater had placed great authority, was covetous of all the power, and secretly poisoned the procurator. There was little doubt of his guilt, though he vehemently asserted his innocence. Herod would have taken quick and open revenge upon him, but at his brother’s advice he consented to act secretly. The feud ended in Malichus being slain by Herod’s agents.
But Malichus had his sympathizers at Jerusalem, and an attempt was made to avenge his death upon the sons of Antipater. Hyrcanus, too, was embroiled in this, and was reproached by the brothers for his treachery But it appears that no extreme steps were taken against him―probably because Herod was espoused to his beautiful but unfortunate granddaughter Mariamne.
More troubles arose. Antigonus secured partisans (B.C. 42), and made another attempt to regain his father’s throne, but Herod had little difficulty in defeating him, and drove him out of Judaea. The vanquished claimant appealed to Mark Antony, the Roman general but without success, for Herod had ahead) ingratiated himself into Antony’s favor by large bribes, and he and Phasael were appointed tetrarchs.
More successful were the tactics pursued by Antigonus the next year. In league with the Parthians, whose assistance he had obtained by the offer of one thousand talented and five hundred Jewish women, partly by fighting, and partly by treachery, he succeeded in capturing Jerusalem, and taking Phasael and Hyrcanus prisoners. The city was plundered and ravaged. The only chance of safety for Herod lay in flight, and this he did one night, with a handful of relatives and followers. During the flight he even drew his sword to kill himself, to so low a point was he brought.
The Parthians set Antigonus in authority, and he, fearful that Hyrcanus might be restored by the multitude, effectually hindered this by biting off his ears. As maimed, he could no longer fill the high priestly office. He was then handed over to the Parthians, who took him to their own land. He afterward fell a victim to Herod’s jealousy. Phasael, knowing that death was certain at the hands of the Parthians, dashed his brains out against the wall of his prison.
Herod had intended to flee to Arabia, but was met by the request to begone! So he turned aside to Egypt, and from thence went to Rome, narrowly escaping shipwreck on the way. He laid his pitiful tale before Antony, who received him with great favor, as did also Cesar and the Senate, and he was declared king of Judaea. So quickly was this done, that in seven days he sailed out of Italy to Palestine. This was B.C.40.
But though solemnly appointed king, Herod had to fight for his kingdom. Landing at Ptolemais he relieved his mother, sister, his betrothed Mariamne, and others from Massada, where they were besieged by Antigonus, left them in safety at Samaria, subdued “robbers” (or a rising) in Galilee, and then pushed on to Jerusalem. The conflict was a severe one, and though the capital was first attacked in 39, it was not till 37 that it was taken, and that after some rebuffs on Herod’s side. In 38, however, he found leisure to marry Mariamne, and hoped thereby to draw the people to himself. After six months’ close siege, in which Herod was assisted by Sosius, the president of Syria, the city fell, when the Roman soldiers so fiercely gave vent, in plunder and slaughter, to their exasperation at the check their arms had received, that Herod had to beg of Sosius to restrain his men, unless he wished him to be king over a desert.
Antigonus surrendered to Sosius, falling at his feet for mercy. The stern Roman contemptuously called him “Antigona,” the feminine form of the name, and sent him in bonds to Antony. Herod had no rest of mind while Antigonus lived, and at length his bribes to Antony secured his degrading death by the ax of the lictor.
Antigonus dead, Herod had not much to fear, but to more securely seat himself, he slew the friends of Antigonus recklessly. But though this alight make his own position safe, it only estranged the people from himself. Josephus quotes Strabo to the effect that no torments could force the Jews to call Herod king. Feared for his power and cruelty he might be, but he was never loved.
As the nation would never have tolerated that he, an Idumean, should hold the priestly office, one of his earliest acts was to appoint Ananel, an obscure priest of Babylon, to the priesthood, to the exclusion of Aristobulus a young man of 17, his wife’s brother. Aristobulus was an Asmonean by double descent. His mother, Alexandra, was the daughter of Hyrcanus, his father the son of Aristobulus, Hyrcanus’s brother. Such Maccabean hopes as still survived centered in him. Alexandra was greatly incensed that her son’s right was ignored, and she applied to the famous―or infamous―Cleopatra of Egypt to use her influence with Antony to secure the high-priesthood for Aristobulus. The intrigue succeeded, and the youth was inducted into the office. He was exceedingly handsome, and when, at the Feast of Tabernacles, attired in gorgeous pontificals, he officiated in the splendid service, he was greeted with acclamations by the people. That applause was fatal. Immediately after the festival, Aristobulus was drowned in the king’s fishponds at Jericho.
Herod extravagantly mourned his death, and gave him a magnificent funeral; but the fact that it was a murder and nothing less, could not be concealed, least of all from the proud Maccabean mother. She again sought Cleopatra’s help, and in result Herod was cited to appear before Antony. He obeyed, leaving his uncle Joseph procurator in his absence, and placing his beautiful wife Mariamne in his care. She was the only being that he loved, and that was in a mad way peculiarly his own. He gave secret instructions that, in the event of his death, she was to be killed immediately. Unfortunately, Joseph confided the secret to Mariamne, who, perhaps naturally, “did not take this to be an instance of Herod’s strong affection”!
The report spread to Jerusalem that Herod had been tortured to death, and Alexandra made an attempt to seize the government.
As a fact, however, the crafty Herod had so plied Antony with bribes, that even Cleopatra’s ill-will was powerless against him.
He feasted with Antony, and sat with him in judgment. Upon his return his jealousy was excited by his sister Salome, who accused Mariamne of unfaithfulness, and his suspicions were strengthened when, in an unguarded moment, Mariamne asked if he would have given that fatal order had he really loved her. Her knowledge of the secret seemed to certify her guilt. In his furious passion he was about to kill her at once, but he restrained himself. Yet he slew Joseph, and Alexandra was thrust into ignoble bonds.
Shortly afterward his jealousy flamed out again: he had gone to appear before Octavius Cesar, and repeated his former order about Mariamne. Again she discovered it, and upon his return, covered him with reproaches, and in his passion he had her slain (B.C. 29). After that, “all the passions which filled the stormy mind of Herod, were alike without bound; from violent love and violent resentment, he sank into as violent remorse and despair. Everywhere, by day and night, he was haunted by the image of the murdered Mariamne; he called upon her name; he perpetually burst into passionate tears. In vain he tried every diversion-banquets, revels, the excitement of society.
..... On pretense of hunting, he sought out the most melancholy solitude, till the disorder of his mind brought on disorder of body, and he was seized with violent inflammation and pains in the back of the head, which led to temporary derangement.”
Alexandra, taking advantage of this sickness, plotted for the kingdom, and Herod aroused himself, and she paid the penalty with her life (B.C. 28). Jr.