Aristobulus Minor
Encyclopedia
Aristobulus Minor or Aristobulus the Younger (flourished 1st century BC and 1st century AD, died after 44) was a prince from the Herodian Dynasty
. He was of Jewish, Nabataean
and Edom
ite ancestry.
He was the youngest son born to prince Aristobulus IV
and princess Berenice
of Judea
. His parents were first cousins and thus Aristobulus was a grandson to Herod the Great
.
When growing up, he was educated along with his eldest brothers, Agrippa I
and Herod of Chalcis
in Rome
, along with future Roman Emperor
Claudius
. Claudius and Aristobulus became friends and he became in high favor with the future emperor. Claudius and Aristobulus had sent letters to each other.
Aristobulus lived at enmity with Agrippa I. Aristobulus denounced Agrippa I and forced him to leave from the protection of Flaccus
, the Proconsul
of Syria
. Agrippa I was charged with bribing the Damascenes
to support their cause with the Proconsul against the Sidon
ians.
Aristobulus married Iotapa
, a Syria
n Princess from the Royal family of Emesa
and daughter of King Sampsiceramus II and Queen Iotapa who ruled Emesa from 14-42. This marriage for Aristobulus was a promising marriage in dynastic terms. Iotapa and Aristobulus chose to live as private citizens in the Middle East
. Iotapa and Aristobulus had a daughter called Iotapa, who was deaf and mute. Apart from their daughter, they had no further descendants.
In the reign of Emperor Caligula
37-41, Aristobulus had opposed the emperor in setting up statues of himself in the Temple in Jerusalem
. He survived his brother Agrippa I, who died in 44.
Herodian Dynasty
The Herodian Dynasty was a Jewish dynasty of Idumean descent, client Kings of Roman Judaea Province between 37 BCE and 92 CE.- Origin :During the time of the Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus 134-104 BCE, Israel conquered Edom and forced the Edomites to convert to Judaism.The Edomites were integrated...
. He was of Jewish, Nabataean
Nabataeans
Thamudi3.jpgThe Nabataeans, also Nabateans , were ancient peoples of southern Canaan and the northern part of Arabia, whose oasis settlements in the time of Josephus , gave the name of Nabatene to the borderland between Syria and Arabia, from the Euphrates to the Red Sea...
and Edom
Edom
Edom or Idumea was a historical region of the Southern Levant located south of Judea and the Dead Sea. It is mentioned in biblical records as a 1st millennium BC Iron Age kingdom of Edom, and in classical antiquity the cognate name Idumea was used to refer to a smaller area in the same region...
ite ancestry.
He was the youngest son born to prince Aristobulus IV
Aristobulus IV
Aristobulus IV was a prince of Judea from the Herodian dynasty, and was married to his cousin, Berenice, daughter of Costobar and Salome...
and princess Berenice
Berenice (daughter of Salome)
Berenice was the daughter of Salome I, sister of Herod the Great. She married her cousin Aristobulus who was executed by his father in 6 BC; she was accused of complicity in his murder...
of Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
. His parents were first cousins and thus Aristobulus was a grandson to Herod the Great
Herod the Great
Herod , also known as Herod the Great , was a Roman client king of Judea. His epithet of "the Great" is widely disputed as he is described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis." He is also known for his colossal building projects in Jerusalem and elsewhere, including his...
.
When growing up, he was educated along with his eldest brothers, Agrippa I
Agrippa I
Agrippa I also known as Herod Agrippa or simply Herod , King of the Jews, was the grandson of Herod the Great, and son of Aristobulus IV and Berenice. His original name was Marcus Julius Agrippa, so named in honour of Roman statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, and he is the king named Herod in the...
and Herod of Chalcis
Herod of Chalcis
Herod of Chalcis , also known as Herod V, was a son of Aristobulus IV, and the grandson of Herod the Great, Roman client king of Judaea. He was the brother of Herod Agrippa I and Herodias....
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, along with future Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
. Claudius and Aristobulus became friends and he became in high favor with the future emperor. Claudius and Aristobulus had sent letters to each other.
Aristobulus lived at enmity with Agrippa I. Aristobulus denounced Agrippa I and forced him to leave from the protection of Flaccus
Flaccus
Flaccus was a cognomen of the ancient Roman plebeian family Fulvius, considered one of the most illustrious gentes of the city. Cicero and Pliny the Elder state that the family was originally from Tusculum, and that members still lived there in the 1st century.As usual for cognomina, "Flaccus" was...
, the Proconsul
Proconsul
A proconsul was a governor of a province in the Roman Republic appointed for one year by the senate. In modern usage, the title has been used for a person from one country ruling another country or bluntly interfering in another country's internal affairs.-Ancient Rome:In the Roman Republic, a...
of Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. Agrippa I was charged with bribing the Damascenes
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
to support their cause with the Proconsul against the Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
ians.
Aristobulus married Iotapa
Iotapa
Iotapa or Iotape also known as Iotapi was the name of various queens and princesses who lived in between the 2nd century BC, 1st century BC, 1st century and 2nd century. The name Iotapa or Iotape originally derives from the name Jotapa or Jotape, which was a name of Persian origin...
, a Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n Princess from the Royal family of Emesa
Royal family of Emesa
The royal family of Emesa, also known as the Emesani Dynasty or the Sempsigerami of Emesa , sometimes known as The Sampsiceramids were a ruling Roman client dynasty of priest-kings in Emesa, Syria Province...
and daughter of King Sampsiceramus II and Queen Iotapa who ruled Emesa from 14-42. This marriage for Aristobulus was a promising marriage in dynastic terms. Iotapa and Aristobulus chose to live as private citizens in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Iotapa and Aristobulus had a daughter called Iotapa, who was deaf and mute. Apart from their daughter, they had no further descendants.
In the reign of Emperor Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
37-41, Aristobulus had opposed the emperor in setting up statues of himself in the Temple in Jerusalem
Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of...
. He survived his brother Agrippa I, who died in 44.