Salome Alexandra, Queen of Judea. [Volume: 5, Issue: 1, April, 1897, pp. 17-18]

SALOME ALEXANDRA, QUEEN OF JUDEA.

BY ELEANORE ALLEN.

The most indifferent historical student is familiar with the names of
Zenobia and Cleopatra, of Semiramis
and Candace, but few, save those
specially interested in Jewish history,
ever heard of Salome Alexandra, the
first queen of Judea.
Yet Salome was a woman of marked
ability, who well deserves honorable
mention among the celebrated female
sovereigns of antiquity.
It is to be regretted that so little is
known of her parentage and early life.
She first appears in history as the
widow of Aristobulus First, the Asmonean prince who first assumed the
Greek title of king, though ruling as
High Priest.
Aristobulus' short reign of one year
was further characterized by cruelty
towards the members of his own
family. His mother, it is said, died
of starvation by his orders; three
of his brothers he imprisoned; the
fourth, whom he loved, was assassinated in a moment of jealous fury.
Remorse for this latter crime hastened
the death of Aristobulus, and his queen
Salome now comes before us. She
frees the three captive brothers, and
the eldest of these, Alexander Jannaeus, mounts the throne and soon
marries his brother's widow.
The twenty-seven years that follow
are a blank to us as far as Salome Alexandra is concerned, but from the fact
that her husband selected her to succeed him in preference to either of his
sons, we should infer that she had not
been without influence in his life.
This long reign of Alexander Jannaeus had been turbulent, with internal dissension and constant foreign
wars. Although not always victori

ous as a soldier, he yet succeeded in
adding the whole coast of Philistia
(Gaza) and no small portion of Peraea
to his dominions. But Alexander's
most dangerous enemies were his own
people. The nation was divided between two contending factions, the Saducees, or the aristocracy, and the
Pharisees, who represented the people.
The king favored the Saducees, and
only succeeded in conquering the revolt and contumely of the opposing
party by reprisals of most barbarous
severity. On his death bed Alexander
Jannaeus recognized his mistake in
alienating the Pharisees and advised
his wife to change his policy and cater
to this powerful sect.
When summoned to receive her husband's dying charge, Salome was a
woman of over sixty. Josephus represents her in this interview selfishly
weeping and lamenting. She "bewailed herself and her sons on the desolate
condition they should be left in, and
said to him (the king): "To whom dost
thou leave me and my children, who are
destitute of all other supports, and this
when thou knowest how much ill will
thy nation bears against thee!"
One is inclined to lose all interest in
Salome after reading this heartless
plaint, but I,.for one, am disposed to
doubt Josephus here. Certainly her
after career shows no sign of such pitiable weakness.
However it may be, Alexander Jannaeus testifies no displeasure but tells
her "that she need but follow what he
should suggest to her, in order to retain
the kingdom securely with her sons."
He then proceeds to advise her to conceal his death until the siege he is then
conducting should be brought to a

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