Endnote 7 – The Salome No One Knows

The math is not easy, but it is there if you look carefully: Salome Alexandra, who ruled for nine years, died at 73, which would make her 64 years old when she ascended the throne in 76 B.C.E. Her husband, Alexander Jannaeus, reigned for 27 years (103–76 B.C.E.), which would make her 37 years old in 103 B.C.E. when he became king. He was either 49 or 51 when he died (his age at the time of his death is uncertain due to variants in the manuscripts). He was either 24 or 22 when Aristobulus’s widow, Salina, placed Jannaeus on the throne. The result: A bride of 29 and a groom of somewhere between 14 and 16.