HEROD MURDERS THE YOUNG PRINCE

One of the coffin portraits from Fayum in Egypt

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Herod tended to choose remote locations for executions. If they were carried out in Jerusalem, they could attract too much unwanted attention, and perhaps lead to rioting. John the Baptist was executed at the forbidding fortress of Machaerus east of the Dead Sea, and Aristobulus at Jericho.

The murder happened during festival time, when people were relaxed and happy. Herod's superior and mentor, Mark Antony, was conveniently away in Medea.

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The Jewish historian Josephus tells the story:

THE PLAN

'Herod proposed to put this young man out of the way, by one means or other.
And now, upon the approach of the Feast of Tabernacles, which is a festival very much observed among us, he let those days pass over, and both he and the rest of the people were therein very merry;
yet did the envy which at this time arose in him cause him to make haste to do what lie was about, and provoke him to it.'

THE PEOPLE LOVE THE YOUNG PRINCE

'For when this youth Aristobulus, who was now in the seventeenth year of his age, went up to the altar, according to the law, to offer the sacrifices, and this with the ornaments of his high priesthood, and when he performed the sacred offices, he seemed to be exceedingly comely, and taller than men usually were at that age, and to exhibit in his countenance a great deal of that high family he was sprung from.

A warm zeal and affection towards him appeared among the people, and the memory of the actions of his grandfather Aristobulus was fresh in their minds; and their affections got so far the mastery of them, that they could not forbear to show their inclinations to him.

They at once rejoiced, and mingled with good wishes their joyful acclamations, till the good-will of the multitude was made too evident; and they more rashly proclaimed the happiness they had received from his family than was fit under a monarchy to have done.'

THE YOUNG PRINCE MURDERED

'Upon all this, Herod resolved to complete what he had intended against the young man.

When therefore the festival was over, and he was feasting at Jericho with Alexandra (the mother of Aristobulus), who entertained them there, he was then very pleasant with the young man, and drew him into a lonely place, and at the same time played with him in a juvenile and ludicrous manner.

Now the nature of that place (Jericho) was hotter than ordinary; so they went out in a body, and of a sudden, and in a vein of madness; and as they stood by the fish-ponds, of which there were large ones about the house, they went to cool themselves [by bathing], because it was in the midst of a hot day.

At first they were only spectators of Herod's servants and acquaintance as they were swimming; but after a while, the young man, at the instigation of Herod, went into the water among them, while such of Herod's acquaintance, as he had appointed to do it, dipped him as he was swimming, and plunged him under water, in the dark of the evening, as if it had been done in sport only; nor did they desist till he was entirely suffocated.

And thus was Aristobulus murdered, having lived no more in all than eighteen years, and kept the high priesthood one year only.'

THE WOMEN'S GRIEF 

'When this sad accident was told the women, their joy was soon changed to lamentation, at the sight of the dead body that lay before them, and their sorrow was immoderate. The city also [of Jerusalem], upon the spreading of this news, were in very great grief, every family looking on this calamity as if it had not belonged to another, but that one of themselves was slain.'

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On learning of the death of Aristobulus, Herod feigned grief - which fooled no-one.

Alexandra, the mother of the young prince, wrote a furious, heart-rending letter to her patron Cleopatra of Egypt, demanding revenge.

But Herod received only a slap on the wrist. The bottom line, as far as the Romans were concerned, was that Herod was the right man for the job of governing Judea - and Antony needed Herod's help in the coming war with Parthia.

Antony punished Herod by taking the port of Gaza from him and giving it to Cleopatra - but this did nothing to assuage Alexandra's grief and rage, nor did it bring the young man back.

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