Coin of Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 BC).
Front: Anchor with Greek legend "King Alexander".
Back: Eight-spoked wheel, with Hebrew letters between the spokes "Yehonatan". Alexander Jannaeus (also know as Alexander Jannai), king of Judea from (103 BC to 76 BC), son of John Hyrcanus, inherited the throne from his brother Aristobulus, and married his brother's widow, Salome Alexandra.
Civil war against the Pharisees
An avid supporter of the aristocratic Hellenist faction known as the Sadducees, his reign was constantly challenged by opponents, among them a brother, Antigonus, with a rival claim to the throne and the populist Pharisee party.
A civil war started, in which the Pharisees allied with the Seleucids king Demetrius III against Alexander Jannaeus. He first retreated, but then managed to houst his rivals thanks to popular support. During the civil war, Alexander Jannaeus suppressed his rivals brutally, killing his brother and many leading Pharisees. The New Century Book of Facts writes:
- "It is said that 50,000 perished in this civil strife. He quelled a revolt at Jerusalem by slaughtering 6,000. On his return from a short exile into which he had been driven by the Pharisees, he caused 800 rebels to be crucified before him and their wives and children slaughtered (86 B.C.)."
Alliance with the Essenes
Alexander Jannaeus is also said to have been in close relation with the monastic Essenes, who were probably allies during his fight against the Pharisees. A piece of the Dead Sea scrolls from Qumran appears to be a prayer to him:
- "holy city/ for king Jonathan/ and all the congregation of your people/ Israel/ who are in the four/ winds of heaven/ peace be (for) all/ and upon your kingdom/ your name be blessed" (Transcription and translation by E. Eshel, H. Eshel, and A. Yardeni)
Alexander Jannaeus showed considerable competence as a military leader, repelling invaders and expanding the country's borders to the west and south. He was defeated by Ptolemy Lathyrus in Galilee; made an alliance with Cleopatra and drove Ptolemy out.
Upon his death, he was succeeded by his wife Salome Alexandra.
References
- This article incorporates some content from the public domain 1911 edition of The New Century Book of Facts published by the King-Richardson Company, Springfield, Massachusetts. (This reference gives a death date of 78 BC, but consensus seems to be 76 BC.)
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