MARIAMME. — Daughter of Alexander Asmoneus and Alexandra, daughter of Hyrcanus II. She was married by Herod the Great (q.v.) in 37 BC at Samaria. The very beautiful woman, who surpassed her husband greatly in nobility of birth and character, led a tragic life in a court full of intrigues.
Herod loved her tenderly; in a bestial jealousy, twice he gave orders that, should any misfortune befall him when summoned by Antony to Laodicea (14 BC) or when he went to seek the favor of Octavian at Rhodes (30 BC), Mariamme was to be killed together with her mother. Both times the secret order was revealed to the interested party. For this reason Herod immediately had the two guards (his uncle Joseph and the Ituraean Soemus), suspected of intrigue with Mariamme, put to death. After the event of 30 BC, he was instigated by his sister Salome to kill Mariamme as well (29 BC). Herod mourned her death greatly, but shortly afterward he also put to death Alexandra, Alexander, and Aristobulus, Mariamme’s mother and sons. Flavius Josephus presents a very sympathetic portrait of her, but defines her as “not very compliant” and “quarrelsome” (Ant. Jud., XV, 237).