Mariamne (daughter of Alexander son of Aristobulus)

Also known as: Mariamne · Family: Hasmonean · Role: wife of Herod · First appears: Book I, Chapter 12

Mariamne was the daughter of Alexander, son of Aristobulus, and granddaughter of Hyrcanus. In Book I, Chapter 12, Herod married her, “and was become thereby a relation of the king.” In Chapter 17, while Jerusalem was under siege, Herod went to Samaria to take her as his wife; she had been betrothed to him before.

When Herod came to the government, he sent away Doris and married Mariamne. She reproached Herod for what he had done to her grandfather Hyrcanus and her brother Aristobulus. Though Herod loved her intensely, her hatred of him was equally strong, and Salome helped to damage her reputation.

Before a journey, Herod entrusted Mariamne to Joseph and secretly ordered him to kill her if Antony killed Herod. Joseph revealed the order to her, whereupon Herod commanded both Joseph and Mariamne to be slain, though he regretted it when his anger passed. Mariamne died, and Herod’s grief became as great as his former affection for her; in time, Antipater brought Doris back into Mariamne’s bed.