Aristobulus of Chalcis
Aristobulus of Chalcis (Greek: Ἀριστόβουλος) was a son of Herod of Chalcis and his first wife Mariamne. Herod of Chalcis was a grandson of Herod the Great through his father, Aristobulus IV. Mariamne was a granddaughter of Herod the Great through her mother, Olympias; hence Aristobulus was a great-grandson of Herod the Great on both sides of his family.
Life
Upon the death of his father in 48 AD, the emperor Claudius gave the kingdom of Chalcis to Aristobulus' first cousin, Herod Agrippa II. When in 52 AD Agrippa was given the territories previously governed by Philip the Tetrarch (also known as Herod Philip II) and Lysanias, Aristobulus was given Chalcis.[1]
In 55 AD, he was appointed by Nero as King of Armenia Minor, and participated with his forces in the Roman-Parthian War of 58–63, where he received a small portion of Armenia in exchange.[2] In 72 AD he was displaced from Chalcis and made ruler of Chalcis ad Belum in northern Syria.[3] In 73 AD he appears to have joined with the proconsul of Syria in a war against Antiochus of Commogene.[1]
He was married to Salome after the death of her first husband, Herod Philip II. With her Aristobulus had three sons: Herod, Agrippa, and Aristobulus[4] Three coins with portraits of him and Salome have been found.
The name "Salome" is given to the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas (unnamed in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark) in Josephus's Jewish Antiquities (Book XVIII, Chapter 5, 4).
References
- 1 2 William Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, pp. 301-302
- ↑ Tacitus, Annals, XIII.7; XIV.26
- ↑ Schwartz, Seth. "Herodians after 70", Josephus and Judaean Politics, Brill, 1990, ISBN 9789004092303
- ↑ Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, XVIII.5.4
Further Reading
| Aristobulus of Chalcis | ||
| New title | King of Armenia Minor 55 – 72 |
Annexed by Rome |
| Vacant Title last held by Agrippa II |
Tetrarch of Chalcis 57 – 92 |
Title extinct |