Mariamne II. ., King Herod 5th wife

Mariamme (II) was the daughter of Simon son of Boethus, the High Priest. After the execution of Mariamne (I) the Hasmonean, Herod met Mariamme II and fell in love with her because of her beauty. In order that their social status match, he appointed her father—a certain nobleman of Alexandria, of priestly descent—to the high priesthood (Ant. 15:319–322). Mariamme bore Herod one son (his fourth), also designated Herod, who later married his niece Herodias. The tower built in Jerusalem, designated Mariamme, was probably thus named in her honor (BJ 5:170). However, Mariamme too fell out of favor toward the end of Herod’s reign. She was implicated in the plots surrounding his death and banished from court. Her son was passed over in the succession process (BJ 1:599). http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/herodian-women

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Mariamne II was the third wife of Herod the Great. She was the daughter of Simon Boethus the High Priest. Josephus recounts their wedding thus: “ There was one Simon, a citizen of Jerusalem, the son of one Boethus, a citizen of Alexandria, and a priest of great note there; this man had a daughter, who was esteemed the most beautiful woman of that time; and when the people of Jerusalem began to speak much in her commendation, it happened that Herod was much affected with what was said of her; and when he saw the damsel, he was smitten with her beauty, yet did he entirely reject the thoughts of using his authority to abuse her, as believing, what was the truth, that by so doing he should be stigmatized for violence and tyranny; so he thought it best to take the damsel to wife. And while Simon was of a dignity too inferior to be allied to him, but still too considerable to be despised, he governed his inclinations after the most prudent manner, by augmenting the dignity of the family, and making them more honorable; so he immediately deprived Jesus, the son of Phabet, of the high priesthood, and conferred that dignity on Simon, and so joined in affinity with him [by marrying his daughter]. ”

She had one child by Herod, called Herod II or Herod Boethus. Herod II married his niece, Herodias, and by her had a daughter, Salome. Mariamne II was implicated in the plot of Antipater against her husband in 4 BCE. As a result, Herod divorced her and removed her father (Simon Boethus) as high priest.[1] Her son Herod II was removed from the line of succession in Herod's last will.

References

^ Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVII, Chapter 4:2

• Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XV, Chapter 3
• Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XV, Chapter 6
• Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XV, Chapter 7
• Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, Chapter 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariamne_II