History of Israel and the Jewish People

Timeline›Hasmonean Kingdom

King Aristobulus II (High Priest & King)

−67 – −63

Hebrew years: 3696–3700 (ג׳תרצ״ו–ג׳ת״ש)

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Aristobulus II, an imagined portrait from Rouillé's Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum, 1553.
Aristobulus II, an imagined portrait from Rouillé's Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum, 1553. · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Aristobulus II, brother of Hyrcanus II, challenged Hyrcanus and took power for himself. He was stronger and more ambitious, but his conflict with Hyrcanus weakened the kingdom. Their civil war gave Rome the excuse to intervene in Judea.

When Pompey came to Jerusalem, Aristobulus resisted, but Rome eventually captured the city. Aristobulus was taken prisoner, and Hasmonean independence was effectively ended. From a Jewish perspective, his story is part of the tragedy of internal division leading to foreign domination.

Hebrew years
3696–3700 (ג׳תרצ״ו–ג׳ת״ש)
Place
Jerusalem
Category
Hasmoneans & Herodians
Part of
Hasmonean Kingdom

At the same time

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KingHigh PriestHasmonean