Mariamne (third wife of Herod)

For other holders of this name, see Mariamne (name).

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 honourable; 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, who married his niece, Herodias, and by her had a daughter, Salome.

Mariamne II was implicated in the plot of Antipater against her husband (Herod) in 4 BCE. As a result, Herod divorced her and removed her father (Simon Boethus) as high priest. Additionally, her son Herod II was removed from the line of succession in Herod's last will.

(Josephus also kept meticulous record of genealogies. He said this daughter of boethus is mother of Herod (II), the biblical story says "magdalene was brother to Lazarus" who is simon boethus son. Simon boethus was married to "cleopatra selene" twin to Alexander "Helios". If you follow josephus explaining that Herodias married this Herod, you also read that Mary magdalene is the mother of Herod II, who married Herodias and begat Salome, Salome married Phillip, "cleopatra's son with Herod the great" (her uncle) Mary. Herod II is also "Herod of chalcis", thats why "Mary Salome of chalcis" is with magdalene and "mother Mary" Mary the mother, is Helios widow,already pregnant when he was killed by Herod the Great. When Jesus cried "eli, eli..." it was "Heli in Aramaic aka Helios" in greek,his father! Cleopatra selene (wife of boethus) "became her mother in law" because Simon Boethus son Joseph married her. Between josephus and the biblical story, we see that Simon boethus was the egyptian high priest Herod brought to Jerusalem so Herod could marry boethus daughter, aka magdalene (the tower) aka boethus daughter "Mary cleopatra". Cleopas is male rendition of the word cleo, which in hebrew means "most beautiful ", once you unscramble the meaning of names in hebrew, greek and Aramaic, the story falls in place. Mary "magdalene" is daughter of cleopatra selene and simon boethus, "jesus" calls her "magdalene"/"the tower" because Herod built the tower for her. She also inherited it along with Herod "Boethus"/Herod II, because it was her son's realm. Herod of chalcis is Herod II) not Herod "phillip" which a completely different person and was not named "Herod phillip" but just Phillip, Herod's son with cleopatra. Who in "apocryphal text" phillip says "magdalene is my sister"!)

See also

• Mariamne – for the derivation of her name

References

• Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XV, Chapter 6
• Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XV, Chapter 7
• Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews,
• Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, Book I, Chapter 30
• Josephus, Book XVIII, Chapter 5