From Kingdom to Ruin: Queen Salome's Era of Peace

After decades of being the king's wife, Salome ascended to the throne of Judea following King Yannai's death.

Salome ruled for nine years, marking the golden era of the Hasmonean dynasty. Yannai entrusted her with the kingdom, bypassing his sons Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, knowing the people valued her leadership.

Her reign began with a bold act. Even as Yannai lay ill, he chose to lead a war beyond the Jordan, a conflict won by the Hasmonean forces who destroyed the notorious fortress of Gerasa. Salome managed the battle, concealing Yannai’s death to prevent morale from faltering. Only after the troops returned to Jerusalem did she announce his death, much to the relief of the populace, save for the disappointed Sadducean leaders. Historian Josephus describes her as governing with a god-fearing wisdom, meticulously adhering to ancestral laws while distancing from those who flouted sacred traditions.

Upon her return to Jerusalem, Salome summoned Shimon ben Shetach and Yehuda ben Tabbai, declaring that the state would be governed under the Sanhedrin’s authority. Diogenes, the Sadducean adviser who had advocated crucifying eight hundred Pharisees, met his end on the gallows. The authority of the sages, previously abolished by Yannai, was restored. Though Salome wished harsher penalties for the Sadducean leaders, her son Aristobulus, who was sympathetic to them, persuaded her to exile them from Jerusalem to Hasmonean fortresses like Hyrcania and Masada.

Salome led with insight, refraining from outright war and opting instead to strengthen her military might. The formidable Hasmonean army’s presence deterred potential attacks or challenges from neighboring peoples. When Tigranes the Great of Armenia set forth with thirty thousand soldiers to conquer the Seleucid Empire in Syria, and perhaps even Judea, Salome met him with a peace delegation. Tigranes reached the fortified city of Acre, where the Greek Queen Cleopatra Selene was besieged. Salome’s envoys bestowed honors and expensive gifts upon him. Recognizing her respect, Tigranes assured she had no cause for alarm, particularly as he learned of Lucullus’s ruthless assault on Armenia, prompting him to return home and abandon his imperial ambitions.

During Salome’s rule, divine blessings abounded. The sages recount: "In the days of Shimon ben Shetach and Queen Salome, rain fell from Shabbat eve to Shabbat eve, resulting in wheat the size of kidneys, barley like olive seeds, and lentils like gold dinars. Scholars collected and preserved them for future generations as a lesson in the consequences of sin, fulfilling the scripture: 'Your sins have turned these blessings away.'"

Salome appointed her eldest son, Hyrcanus, as the high priest, given his gentle nature. In contrast, Aristobulus, her younger son, was ambitious for power. As long as the queen maintained control, her sons posed no threat to the nation's stability. Yet after nine years, Salome fell ill, and her sons began vying for succession. Hyrcanus, the high priest, traditionally the rightful king according to Hasmonean custom, found his claim contested by Aristobulus. With Salome’s passing, the stage was set for the Hasmonean civil strife, to be continued in the next installment.

From Kingdom to Ruin (Part 1): The Maccabean Revolution

From Kingdom to Ruin (Part 2): The Dangerous Alliance

From Kingdom to Ruin (Part 3): Hyrcanus's Astounding Victory

From Kingdom to Ruin (Part 4): The Pivotal Battle Against the Sadducees

From Kingdom to Ruin (Part 5): Aristobulus’s Rise and Fall

From Kingdom to Ruin (Part 6): The Iconic Laws and Victories

From Kingdom to Ruin (Part 7): Yannai’s Brutal Conflict

From Kingdom to Ruin (Part 8): Yannai’s Final Battle