Alexander I Balas (Seleucid)
−150 · until −145
Hebrew year: 3611 (ג׳תרי״א)
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Alexander I Balas was a claimant to the Seleucid throne who defeated Demetrius I Soter in −150 with support from foreign powers, including Ptolemaic Egypt.
During his struggle for power, Alexander sought the support of Jonathan Maccabeus, the successor of Judas Maccabeus. In −152, he appointed Jonathan High Priest of Jerusalem, granting the Hasmonean family official religious authority within Judea.
This appointment marked a major turning point in the rise of the Hasmonean dynasty, which increasingly combined religious leadership with political power. Alexander's reign is documented through surviving coins and classical historical sources, while his negotiations with Jonathan are recorded in 1 Maccabees.
- Hebrew year
- 3611 (ג׳תרי״א)
- Place
- Antioch
- Category
- Foreign rulers & empires
- Part of
- Hellenistic Period
At the same time
Jonathan Apphus (High Priest)−160 – −142
Yehoshua ben Perachyah & Nittai of Arbela−150 – −100- Yose ben Yoezer & Yose ben Yochanan−200 – −150
