Herodian Marriage and the Construction of Identity James Windsor Donaldson BA (Hons), MA Qld; Gdipmusmst Deakin
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Herodian Marriage and the Construction of Identity James Windsor Donaldson BA (Hons), MA Qld; GDipMusmSt Deakin A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy at The University of Queensland in 2014 School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics Abstract The Herodian family drew on multiple identities in order to consolidate their power and influence at home and abroad. This thesis investigates the family’s construction of identity through the institution of marriage. It is situated within the context of ongoing discussions over the nature of identity construction in the ancient world, the influence of Greek and Roman culture in Judea, and the way that Jewish marriage restrictions were understood and practised. Drawing upon Flavius Josephus as its primary source, this thesis uses prosopographical methods to collect and analyse marriage relationships in the Herodian family. While previous studies have touched on topics of alliance and family reconciliation, this research argues for marriage as the marker of complex individual and group identities. In doing so, it utilises new theories of identity construction that draw on code-switching, a phenomenon identified by the discipline of linguistics. This more nuanced approach to the family provides a better understanding of the religious, social and political implications surrounding individual marriages during the early empire. Herod I’s own marriages demonstrate his desire to construct a religious and social identity to legitimise his position as usurper. Equally, Herod I uses marriage as a tool both to draw together disparate ethnic groups in his kingdom and to make alliances with client kings. Marriage is also used to heal divisions amongst his diverse family. After Herod I’s death, the family is divided into two main groups. The Armenian branch abandons Judaism for Greek customs and uses ancestral marriages to distance themselves from their Herodian roots. In Judea, the offspring of Agrippa I continue to marry for religious and political purposes, but also to consolidate their position within the Eastern dynastic network and Roman court. Herodian marriage strategies were diverse, acting to define and redefine the position of various members of the family through the use of multiple identities. They were also key elements in the maintenance of an important network of contacts throughout the Mediterranean world. The Herodian patriarch was often the central figure in this construction of identity, with Herod I contracting marriages internally within his own kingdom, while later patriarchs preferred external marriages. Ancestry and genealogy are also important tools in constructing an identity based on historical, rather than ii contemporary, marriages. This thesis demonstrates that the examination of identity, and its change according to time and place, is an important part of understanding elites in the ancient world. iii Declaration by author This thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly authored works that I have included in my thesis. I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my research higher degree candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award. I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and, subject to the General Award Rules of The University of Queensland, immediately made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis. iv Publications during candidature No publications Publications included in this thesis No publications included v Contributions by others to the thesis No contributions by others Statement of parts of the thesis submitted to qualify for the award of another degree None vi Acknowledgements To Janette and John, my supervisors, for advice and guidance. To Tom, David and Amelia for feedback through the Milestone process and helpful comments. Special thanks to Caillan for his particularly insightful contributions. To Mum and Dad, and Anne and Glenn, for quiet confidence and encouragement, cups of coffee, chats and dinner. To Yvette, Julian, Steven and especially Mark for feedback on draft material. To Paola for reading and helpful discussions, and for a bed and library in Munich. To Dan, Jess and Katee, for putting up with my inflexible work schedule. But mostly to Libby. Funding provided by the Australian Government in the form of the Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship. vii Keywords Herod, Herodian, marriage, identity, Jewish, Roman, family, Greek, code-switching Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC) ANZSRC code: 210306 Classical Greek and Roman History (includes Classical Archaeology) 100% Fields of Research (FoR) Classification FoR code: 2103 Historical Studies 100% viii Table of Contents Figures ................................................................................................................................. x Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1: Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Motivation ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Aim and Scope ............................................................................................................................... 2 Theorising Identity .......................................................................................................................... 3 Code-Switching .............................................................................................................................. 4 Jewish Identity and Hellenism ........................................................................................................ 6 Jewish Marriage ............................................................................................................................. 8 Herodian Family ........................................................................................................................... 12 Prosopography ............................................................................................................................. 15 Significance .................................................................................................................................. 16 Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2: Jewish Elite Culture ....................................................................................... 18 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 18 Judea after Alexander .................................................................................................................. 19 The Maccabean Revolt ................................................................................................................ 21 The Hasmonean Dynasty ............................................................................................................ 24 The Herodians ............................................................................................................................. 29 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 31 Chapter 3: Herodian Marriages under Herod I ............................................................... 32 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 32 Antipater I and Cyprus I ............................................................................................................... 33 Antipater I as Patriarch ................................................................................................................ 35 Herod I’s Marriages ...................................................................................................................... 36 Royal Marriages ........................................................................................................................... 37 Herod I as Client King .................................................................................................................