Alexander Janneüs (ook wel Alexander Jannai genoemd) was van 103 v.Chr. tot 76 v.Chr. koning en hogepriester van de Joodse Hasmoneese staat. Janneüs is een vergriekste afkorting voor Jonathan, zijn Hebreeuwse naam. Vermoedelijk is hij geboren in 125 v.Chr.
Voorgeschiedenis
Het Hasmoneese rijk onder Alexander Janneüs
¦¦ situatie in 103 v.Chr.
¦¦ veroveringen
Alexander was de derde zoon van Johannes Hyrcanus, die tot 104 v.Chr. de Hasmoneese staat had bestuurd. Het was Hyrcanus' bedoeling dat na zijn dood zijn vrouw als koningin de staat zou besturen en dat zijn oudste zoon Aristobulus I het ambt van hogepriester zou krijgen. Aristobulus nam daar echter geen genoegen mee en zette zijn moeder, Alexander en twee andere broers gevangen. De moeder overleed tijdens deze gevangenschap.
Toen Aristobulus in 103 v.Chr. overleed, gaf zijn weduwe Salome Alexandra Alexander en zijn broers hun vrijheid terug. Zij hertrouwde bovendien met Alexander en benoemde hem koning en hogepriester, waarmee hij dus de opvolger werd van zijn broer Aristobulus.
Alexander de veroveraar
Aan het begin van Alexanders regering viel Ptolemeüs Lathyrus vanuit Cyprus Galilea binnen, in een poging Alexanders macht te beknotten (Galilea behoorde toen nog maar sinds kort tot het Hasmoneese rijk). Alexander sloot echter een bondgenootschap met Cleopatra III (Ptolemeüs' moeder) en met haar hulp wist hij Ptolemeüs te verdrijven.
Na deze gebeurtenissen ontpopte Alexander zich hoe langer hoe meer tot een veroveraar. Hij zette daarbij de uitbreidingspolitiek van Johannes Hyrcanus en Aristobulus I voort. Dit bracht hem in oorlog met de Nabateeërs. Aanvankelijk hielden de Nabateeërs stand en brachten koning Aretas II en zijn opvolger Obodas I hem zware nederlagen toe, zodat Alexander zelfs land aan hen moest afstaan (90 v.Chr.). Obodas' opvolger Aretas III was echter niet bestand tegen Alexanders oorlogsgeweld en zo wist Alexander de verloren gebieden terug te veroveren en Perea en Gaulanitis aan het Hasmoneese rijk toe te voegen (82 v.Chr.). Ook veroverde hij Gaza aan de westkust, dat voorheen onder Nabatees bestuur stond. In de loop van zijn regering viel hij nog diverse andere grote steden in de kuststrook aan die hij als militaire of economische bedreiging beschouwde. Hij verwoestte ze of legde ze zware belastingen op. Hij ging daarbij zeer wreed te werk.
Uiteindelijk wist Alexander de Joodse staat tot de omvang te brengen die het ooit onder Koning David en Salomo had gehad. Om de grenzen te bewaken bouwde hij verschillende forten, waarvan Alexandrium, Machaerus en Hyrcania de belangrijkste waren. Het reeds door Johannes Hyrkanus gebouwde winterpaleis bij Jericho voorzag hij van een grotere omvang en luxe.
Hellenistische invloeden
Munt van Alexander Janneüs
Niet alleen zijn broer Aristobulus, maar ook Alexander Janneüs zelf zag Alexander de Grote als zijn voorbeeld. Hij gedroeg zich in verschillende opzichten als een hellenistisch vorst, soms ook wanneer dit inging tegen de tradities van het jodendom.
Uit zijn regeringsperiode zijn tweetalige munten bekend, waarvan er hiernaast een is afgebeeld. Aan de ene zijde (op de illustratie rechts) staat in het Hebreeuws 'koning Jonathan'. Aan de andere zijde staat in het Grieks 'koning Alexander'. Griekse invloed blijkt verder uit de gebruikte symbolen, vooral uit het symbool van het achtspakig wiel (of achtpuntige ster) in een diadeem, dat ook wel door hellenistische vorsten werd gebruikt (op de illustratie rechts).
Oppositie en crisis
Execution of the Pharisees by Alexander Jannaeus door Willem Swiddle (17e eeuw)
Evenals de andere Hasmoneese koningen had Alexander te maken met oppositie vanuit met name de Farizeeën en de Essenen, vanwege de combinatie van koningschap en priesterschap. Deze konden volgens de Thora namelijk niet in één persoon samenvallen. Alexanders omarming van het hellenisme vergrootte de oppositie tegen zijn heerschappij nog verder, zelfs zozeer dat op een zeker moment door toedoen van de Farizeeën de publieke opinie zich tegen hem keerde.
In een poging af te rekenen met Alexander riep de Joodse bevolking de hulp in van de Seleucidische heerser Demetrius III Eucaerus, die Alexander in een veldslag bij Sichem versloeg. Toen Demetrius echter heersersaanspraken op de Hasmoneese staat wilde maken, kwamen de Joden alsnog Alexander te hulp en keerden zij zich tegen Demetrius. De aanleiding voor deze ommekeer is niet geheel duidelijk. Flavius Josephus zegt dat zijn volksgenoten medelijden kregen met Alexander, maar sommige moderne historici menen dat Demetrius de tempel wilde binnengaan, iets wat hem als niet-Jood verboden was. Hoe het ook zij, door de plotselinge ommekeer moest Demetrius zich alsnog terugtrekken en behield Alexander de zeggenschap over de Hasmoneese staat. Alexander nam wraak op de opstandelingen door 800 van hen op één dag te kruisigen, terwijl hij voor hun ogen hun vrouwen en kinderen ombracht.
Ook na deze crisis bleef de relatie tussen Alexander en de Farizeeën gespannen. De Farizeeën bekritiseerden hem openlijk omdat hij zich in allerlei opzichten (vooral tijdens de Joodse feesten) niet aan de Joodse tradities hield, maar zich als hellenistisch vorst gedroeg. De Farizeeën hadden echter zo'n grote invloed op de publieke opinie dat Alexander niet om hen heen kon. Volgens de overlevering gaf hij op zijn sterfbed zijn vrouw en opvolgster Salome Alexandra dan ook de raad zich met de Farizeeën te verzoenen.
De Goddeloze Priester?
Over de relatie tussen Alexander en de Essenen, die eveneens zeer kritisch stonden tegenover de Hasmoneese heersers, is niet veel bekend. Veel wetenschappers zijn echter van mening dat de met de Essenen verwante gemeenschap in Qumran in deze periode gesticht is. De leden van de gemeenschap zouden zich in de woestijn hebben teruggetrokken als reactie op de in hun ogen goddeloze situatie in Jeruzalem. Als deze opvatting correct is, dan moet Alexander Janneüs geïdentificeerd worden als de Goddeloze priester die in sommige teksten van de Dode Zeerollen wordt genoemd.
Dood en opvolging
Alexanders excessieve alcoholgebruik eiste uiteindelijk zijn tol en leidde ertoe dat hij tijdens de laatste drie jaar van zijn leven ernstig ziek was. Hij stierf uiteindelijk tijdens een militaire campagne, die hij ondanks zijn ziekte was begonnen (76 v.Chr.). Zijn vrouw Salome Alexandra volgde hem op. Alexander werd begraven in het door hem gebouwde (en naar hem genoemde) fort Alexandrium.
Alexander Jannaeus (also known as Alexander Jannai/Yannai; Hebrew: ??????? ????) was king of Judea from 103 BC to 76 BC. The son of John Hyrcanus, he inherited the throne from his brother Aristobulus I, and appears to have married his brother's widow, Shlomtzion or "Shelomit", also known as Salome Alexandra, according to the Biblical law of Yibbum ("levirate marriage"), although Josephus is inexplicit on that point.
His likely full Hebrew name was "Jonathan"; he may have been the High Priest Jonathan, rather than his great-uncle of the same name, who established the Masada fortress. Under the name "King Yannai" he appears as a wicked tyrant in the Talmud, reflecting his conflict with the Pharisee party. He is among the more colorful historical figures, despite being little known outside specialized history. He and his widow (who became queen regnant after his death) had a substantial impact on the subsequent development of Judaism.[1]
Jannaeus expanded the Hasmonean Kingdom and established the city of Gamla in 81 BC, as the capital for what is now the Golan Heights.
Family
Alexander Jannaeus married the wife of his brother, Aristobulus I (Salome Alexandra). By her, he had two sons, the eldest, Hyrcanus II became high-priest in 62 BC and Aristobulus II who was high-priest from 66 - 62 BC and started a bloody civil war with his brother, ending in his capture by Pompey the Great.[2]
Conquests of Alexander Jannaeus
During the twenty-seven year reign of Alexander Jannaeus, he was almost constantly involved in military conflict. Primarily, international factors at the time created an environment suitable for Jannaeus' conquests. First of all, Jannaeus received support from Cleopatra III of Egypt. She was probably swayed to support Jannaeus through two Jewish commanders in her military. This support was particularly crucial during the war with Ptolemy Lathyrus (discussed later). Ultimately, conflict in the Roman Republic was the greatest outside influence on Judean military campaigns. Political instability in Rome led to a Civil War beginning in 88 BC. With Rome chiefly concerned with a tumultuous domestic predicament, Jannaeus was free to expand the Judean state. Finally, a weak Seleucid Empire was unable to help Hellenistic cities near Judea.
With a mercenary army similar to that of his father, Jannaeus led a Judean army that conquered the entire coastal plain except for Ashkelon. Jannaeus toppled Western Samaria, the Galilee and the Northern Transjordan. The coastal ports of Dor and Caesarea[unreliable source?] were also taken after Jannaeus was defeated at Acre. Elsewhere on the Mediterranean coast, the Judeans triumphed over the cities of Raffah and Antedon. Finally, in 96 BC[3] Jannaeus outlasted the inhabitants of Gaza in a year long siege. This impressive victory gained Judean control over the Mediterranean outlet for the Nabatean trade routes.
War with Ptolemy Lathyrus
After a failed siege against Gaza, Jannaeus struck a phony league of friendship with the Egyptian co-ruler Ptolemy Lathyrus. In reality Jannaeus sought the assistance of Lathyrus mother, Cleopatra III, against her son. When Lathyrus learned of this treachery, he took out his fury on Judea. After defeating Jannaeus near the Jordan River, Lathyrus soldiers slaughtered fleeing Jewish troops. Afterwards, Lathyrus attacked a small village in Judea with utter malice. The Egyptian troops strangled women and children. Then the deceased were cut into pieces, boiled in cauldrons, and eaten as a sacrifice. This act of cannibalism was used to terrify the Judean people and their military. After this massacre, Jannaeus was in no position to stop the onslaught of Lathyrus. However, Cleopatra III stepped in to prevent Lathyrus from sacking Jerusalem.
News of this slaughter certainly spread rapidly throughout Judea, exemplified by the Pesher on Isaiah 4Q161 found at Qumran: (25) He will shake his fist at the mount of the daughters of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem (27) when he goes up from the Valley of Acco to fight against Philistia (29) and even up to the boundaries of Jerusalem.
High Priesthood
It is clear that a strong rift existed between the Pharisees and Alexander Jannaeus. The rival Sadducees were avid supporters of Jannaeus (see 4Q448). The Pharisaic opposition to Jannaeus continued with his marriage to his brothers widow, which was forbidden by Torah law. Furthermore, Jannaeus established himself as a ruler concerned mainly with conquests rather than his religious obligations.
One year during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, Alexander Jannaeus, while officiating as the High Priest (Kohen Gadol) at the Temple in Jerusalem, demonstrated his support of the Sadducees by denying the commandment of the water libation: instead of pouring it on the altar, he poured it on his feet. The crowd responded with shock at his mockery and showed their displeasure by pelting Alexander with the etrogim (citrons) that they were holding in their hands. Unwittingly, the crowd had played right into Alexander's hands. He had intended to incite the people to riot and his soldiers fell upon the crowd at his command. The soldiers slew more than 6,000 people in the Temple courtyard.
This incident during the "Feast of Tabernacles" was a major factor leading up to the Judean Civil War by igniting popular opponents of Jannaeus. A Qumran document sheds further light on another opponent of Jannaeus. The scroll 4Q390 was written by an adversary of Jannaeus seeking popular support to overthrow the Hasmonean King. The author called for an end to the dispute between Jannaeus and the Pharisees. According to the author, the only acceptable solution was an end to the Hasmonean Priesthood and secular control. This opposition culminated in the Judean Civil War.
Judean Civil War and the Crucifixion of the 800
The Judean Civil War initially began after the conquest of Gaza by Jannaeus. Due to Jannaeus victory at Gaza, the Nabatean kingdom no longer controlled their trade routes to Rome and Damascus. Therefore Nabatean king Obodas I launched an attack on Judea in the Golan. Potentially, the war with the Nabateans was the last straw against a war-mongering king and an incompetent High Priest. After Jannaeus was defeated in battle against Obadas, he returned to fierce Jewish opposition in Jerusalem. A civil war broke out between Pharisaic supported Jewish rebels and Jannaeus.
Overall, the war lasted six years and left 50,000 Judeans dead. After Jannaeus succeeded early in the war, the rebels unbelievably asked for Seleucid assistance. Judean insurgents joined forces with Demetrius III to fight against Jannaeus. The Seleucid forces defeated Jannaeus at Schechem and forced him into exile in the mountains. However, these Judean rebels ultimately decided that it was better to live under a terrible Jewish king than backtrack to a Seleucid ruler. After 6,000 Jews returned to Jannaeus, Demetrius was defeated. The end of the Civil War brought a sense of national solidarity against Seleucid influence. Nevertheless, Jannaeus was uninterested in reconciliation within the Judean State.
The aftermath of the Judean Civil War consisted of popular unrest, poverty and grief over the fallen soldiers on both sides. The greatest impact of the war was the victors revenge. Josephus reports that Jannaeus brought 800 rebels to Jerusalem and had them crucified. Even worse, Jannaeus had the throats of the rebels wives and children cut before their eyes as Jannaeus ate with his concubines.
This incredible account is supported in the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the Nahum Pesher, the Judean Civil War and Jannaeus brutal retribution are specifically mentioned.
(2) The interpretation of it concerns Demetrius, King of Greece, who sought to enter Jerusalem on the advice of the Seeker-After-Smooth-Things. (3) But God did not give Jerusalem into the power of the Kings of Greece from Antiochus until the rise of the rulers of the Kittim (6b) Its interpretation concerns the Lion of Wrath (7) which will bring vengeance against the Seekers-After-Smooth-Things; he would hang men alive.
In this passage, The Seekers-After-Smooth-Things represent the Jewish Rebels, the Lion of Wrath represents Alexander Jannaeus, and the rulers of Kittim signify the Roman Empire. Given that this passage mentions the Roman takeover, it was clearly written after the fall of the Hasmonean Dynasty. Nevertheless, substantiation of Josephus account of the crucifixion of Jewish rebels by Jannaeus quells any doubt of historicity of this event.
Coinage
The coinage of Alexander Jannaeus is characteristic of the early Jewish coinage in that it avoided human or animal representations, in opposition to the surrounding Greek, and later Roman types of the period. Jewish coinage instead focused on symbols, either natural, such as the palm tree, the pomegranate or the star, or man-made, such as the Temple, the Menorah, trumpets or cornucopia.
Coin of Alexander Jannaeus (103 BC to 76 BC).
Obv: Seleucid anchor and Greek Legend: BASILEOS ALEXANDROU "King Alexander".
Rev: Eight-spoke wheel or star within diadem. Hebrew legend inside the spokes: "Yehonatan the King".
Alexander Jannaeus was the first of the Jewish kings to introduce the "eight-ray star" or "eight-spoked wheel" symbol, in his bronze "Widow's mite" coins, in combination with the widespread Seleucid numismatic symbol of the anchor. Depending on the make, the star symbol can be shown with straight spokes connected to the outside circle, in a style rather indicative of a wheel. On others, the spokes can have a more "flame-like" shape, more indicative of the representation of a star within a diadem.
It is not clear what the wheel or star may exactly symbolize, and interpretations vary, from the morning star, to the sun or the heavens. The influence of some Persian symbols of a star within a diadem, or the eight-spoked Buddhist wheel (see the coins of the Indo-Greek king Menander I with this symbol) have also been suggested. The eight-spoked Macedonian star (a variation of which is the Vergina Sun), emblem of the royal Argead dynasty and the ancient kingdom of Macedonia, within a Hellenistic diadem symbolizing royalty (many of the coins depict a small knot with two ends on top of the diadem), seem to be the most probable source for this symbol.
The most likely explanation is that the symbol is a star encased in a diadem and it is a religious explanation. Biblical law forbids the making of graven images (especially see Deuteronomy 4:16,23), yet the image of a monarch is a staple of Hellenistic coins. In place of an image of himself, therefore, it is likely that Alexander Jannaeus chose a star, in keeping with Numbers 24:17, A star rises from Jacob, a scepter comes forth from Israel. This verse generally was seen as a biblical support for monarchy (and specifically as support for a Davidic monarchy). Jannaeus, however, could have seen it as an image of his achievements, if not his own rule. This is how the rest of Numbers 24:17 and verses 18 and 19 continue: The star, it says, smashes the brow of Moab, the foundation of all children of Seth. Edom becomes a possession, yea, Seir a possession of its enemies; but Israel is triumphant. A victor issues from Jacob to wipe out what is left of Ir. Considering Jannaeus conquestscreating a kingdom that rivaled those of David and Solomon and may have even exceeded thosethe star envisioned in the prophecy of Balaam in Numbers was a perfect match for him.
In literature
Alexander Jannaeus is the main character of the novel The King of Flesh and Blood, by Israeli novelist Moshe Shamir.
Hij is getrouwd met Salome Alexandra.
Zij zijn getrouwdBron 3
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