# Gaius Julius Alexander

Gaius Julius Alexander II (Greek: Γαίος Ιούλιος Αλέξανδρος) was a Herodian prince who lived in the 1st century and 2nd century in the Roman Empire.
Alexander was of Jewish, Nabataean, Edomite, Greek, Armenian and Persian ancestry. He was the son of the Herodian prince, later king Tigranes VI of Armenia and his wife Opgalli. In the spring of 58, his father was crowned as king of Armenia by Roman Emperor Nero in Rome and ruled until 63. Alexander had a sister called Julia, who married the Anatolian Roman Senator Marcus Plancius Varus.
Alexander's paternal grandparents were the Judean prince Alexander and his wife whose name is unknown. Through his father, Alexander was the great-grandson of Cappadocian princess Glaphyra and Judean prince Alexander. He was the great-great-grandson of king Archelaus of Cappadocia, king of Judea Herod the Great and his wife Mariamne. Alexander along with his sister and father were the last of the known descendants of the kings of Cappadocia. Prior to the year 58, little is known on Alexander's life. It is unlikely that he attempted to exert influence on Judean politics.
Tigranes had arranged with king Antiochus IV of Commagene, with whom he was an ally, for the marriage of Alexander to Antiochus' daughter Julia Iotapa. The betrothal was held in Rome after Tigranes' coronation. After the betrothal, Nero crowned Alexander and Iotapa as Roman client rulers of the small Cilician region of Cetis, which had previously been ruled by Alexander's Seleucid ancestors, then by Archelaus of Cappadocia, and then by Archelaus of Cilicia and Antiochus IV. The Cilician city of Elaiussa Sebaste was made a part of their kingdom. Alexander and Iotapa ruled Cetis from 58 until at least 72.
Little is known about the marriage and reign of Alexander and Iotapa. Iotapa bore Alexander three children: two sons Gaius Julius Agrippa, Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus and a daughter Julia Iotapa. Their children were born and raised in Cetis. A possible descendant from their marriage was the usurper Jotapianus, who lived in the 3rd century. His name and the names Alexander gave his sons indicate that their family connections with the Herodian Dynasty were not wholly broken. Later in his life, Alexander had entered the Roman Senate and served as a suffect consul in 116.

## Family tree of the Herodian dynasty

There are three princes by the name Phasael in the Herodian dynasty, all three mentioned by Josephus in "War" (BJ) and "Antiquities" (AJ):
* Phasael I, son of Antipater and Cypros (BJ 1.181; AJ 14.121)
* Phasael II, son of Phasael I (BJ 1.266; AJ 17.196)
* Phasael III, son of Herod the Great (BJ 1.181; AJ 14.121) and father of Cypros/Kypros, wife of Agrippa I
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Antipater the Idumaean procurator of Judea | Antipater the Idumaean procurator of Judea | Antipater the Idumaean procurator of Judea | Antipater the Idumaean procurator of Judea | Antipater the Idumaean procurator of Judea | Antipater the Idumaean procurator of Judea |
| | | | | | | 1.Doris 2.Mariamne I 3.Mariamne II 4.Malthace | 1.Doris 2.Mariamne I 3.Mariamne II 4.Malthace | 1.Doris 2.Mariamne I 3.Mariamne II 4.Malthace | 1.Doris 2.Mariamne I 3.Mariamne II 4.Malthace | 1.Doris 2.Mariamne I 3.Mariamne II 4.Malthace | 1.Doris 2.Mariamne I 3.Mariamne II 4.Malthace | Herod I the Great king of Judea | Herod I the Great king of Judea | Herod I the Great king of Judea | Herod I the Great king of Judea | Herod I the Great king of Judea | Herod I the Great king of Judea | 5.Cleopatra of Jerusalem 6.Pallas 7.Phaidra 8.Elpis | 5.Cleopatra of Jerusalem 6.Pallas 7.Phaidra 8.Elpis | 5.Cleopatra of Jerusalem 6.Pallas 7.Phaidra 8.Elpis | 5.Cleopatra of Jerusalem 6.Pallas 7.Phaidra 8.Elpis | 5.Cleopatra of Jerusalem 6.Pallas 7.Phaidra 8.Elpis | 5.Cleopatra of Jerusalem 6.Pallas 7.Phaidra 8.Elpis | Phasael governor of Jerusalem | Phasael governor of Jerusalem | Phasael governor of Jerusalem | Phasael governor of Jerusalem | Phasael governor of Jerusalem | Phasael governor of Jerusalem |
| (1) Antipater heir of Judaea | (1) Antipater heir of Judaea | (1) Antipater heir of Judaea | (1) Antipater heir of Judaea | (1) Antipater heir of Judaea | (1) Antipater heir of Judaea | (2) Alexander I prince of Judea | (2) Alexander I prince of Judea | (2) Alexander I prince of Judea | (2) Alexander I prince of Judea | (2) Alexander I prince of Judea | (2) Alexander I prince of Judea | (2) Aristobulus IV prince of Judea | (2) Aristobulus IV prince of Judea | (2) Aristobulus IV prince of Judea | (2) Aristobulus IV prince of Judea | (2) Aristobulus IV prince of Judea | (2) Aristobulus IV prince of Judea | (3) Herod II Philip prince of Judea | (3) Herod II Philip prince of Judea | (3) Herod II Philip prince of Judea | (3) Herod II Philip prince of Judea | (3) Herod II Philip prince of Judea | (3) Herod II Philip prince of Judea | (4) Herod Archelaus ethnarch of Judea, Idumea | (4) Herod Archelaus ethnarch of Judea, Idumea | (4) Herod Archelaus ethnarch of Judea, Idumea | (4) Herod Archelaus ethnarch of Judea, Idumea | (4) Herod Archelaus ethnarch of Judea, Idumea | (4) Herod Archelaus ethnarch of Judea, Idumea | (4) Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilea & Perea | (4) Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilea & Perea | (4) Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilea & Perea | (4) Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilea & Perea | (4) Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilea & Perea | (4) Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilea & Perea | (5) Philip the Tetrarch of Iturea & Trachonitis | (5) Philip the Tetrarch of Iturea & Trachonitis | (5) Philip the Tetrarch of Iturea & Trachonitis | (5) Philip the Tetrarch of Iturea & Trachonitis | (5) Philip the Tetrarch of Iturea & Trachonitis | (5) Philip the Tetrarch of Iturea & Trachonitis |
| Tigranes V of Armenia | Tigranes V of Armenia | Tigranes V of Armenia | Tigranes V of Armenia | Tigranes V of Armenia | Tigranes V of Armenia | Alexander II prince of Judea | Alexander II prince of Judea | Alexander II prince of Judea | Alexander II prince of Judea | Alexander II prince of Judea | Alexander II prince of Judea | Herod Agrippa I king of Judea | Herod Agrippa I king of Judea | Herod Agrippa I king of Judea | Herod Agrippa I king of Judea | Herod Agrippa I king of Judea | Herod Agrippa I king of Judea | Herod V ruler of Chalcis | Herod V ruler of Chalcis | Herod V ruler of Chalcis | Herod V ruler of Chalcis | Herod V ruler of Chalcis | Herod V ruler of Chalcis | Aristobulus Minor | Aristobulus Minor | Aristobulus Minor | Aristobulus Minor | Aristobulus Minor | Aristobulus Minor |
| | | | | | | Tigranes VI of Armenia | Tigranes VI of Armenia | Tigranes VI of Armenia | Tigranes VI of Armenia | Tigranes VI of Armenia | Tigranes VI of Armenia | Herod Agrippa II king of Judea | Herod Agrippa II king of Judea | Herod Agrippa II king of Judea | Herod Agrippa II king of Judea | Herod Agrippa II king of Judea | Herod Agrippa II king of Judea | Aristobulus ruler of Chalcis | Aristobulus ruler of Chalcis | Aristobulus ruler of Chalcis | Aristobulus ruler of Chalcis | Aristobulus ruler of Chalcis | Aristobulus ruler of Chalcis | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Gaius Julius Alexander ruler of Cilicia | Gaius Julius Alexander ruler of Cilicia | Gaius Julius Alexander ruler of Cilicia | Gaius Julius Alexander ruler of Cilicia | Gaius Julius Alexander ruler of Cilicia | Gaius Julius Alexander ruler of Cilicia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Gaius Julius Agrippa quaestor of Asia | Gaius Julius Agrippa quaestor of Asia | Gaius Julius Agrippa quaestor of Asia | Gaius Julius Agrippa quaestor of Asia | Gaius Julius Agrippa quaestor of Asia | Gaius Julius Agrippa quaestor of Asia | Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus proconsul of Asia | Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus proconsul of Asia | Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus proconsul of Asia | Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus proconsul of Asia | Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus proconsul of Asia | Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus proconsul of Asia |
| | | | | | | Lucius Julius Gainius Fabius Agrippa gymnasiarch | Lucius Julius Gainius Fabius Agrippa gymnasiarch | Lucius Julius Gainius Fabius Agrippa gymnasiarch | Lucius Julius Gainius Fabius Agrippa gymnasiarch | Lucius Julius Gainius Fabius Agrippa gymnasiarch | Lucius Julius Gainius Fabius Agrippa gymnasiarch | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Sources

* ↑ Werner Eck, "Konsuln des Jahres 117 in Militärdiplomen Traians mit Tribunicia Potestas XX", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 185 (2013), pp. 235–238
* 1 2 3 4 Norris, Jérôme (26 April 2017). "A woman's Hismaic inscription from the Wādī Ramm desert: AMJ 2/J.14202 (Amman Museum)". Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy. 28 (1): 90–109. doi:10.1111/aae.12086. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
* ↑ "Phasaelus". The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. 26 April 2017. pp. 90–109. Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via BibleGateway.com.
* http://www.roman-emperors.org/philarab.htm
* https://web.archive.org/web/20080503055949/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/1532.html
* https://web.archive.org/web/20110605233914/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/1722.html
* "Elaeousa Sebaste (Antiquity)". Encyclopedia of the Hellenic World.
* acsearch.info ancient coin search engine: Kings of Armenia
* Anthony Wagner, Pedigree and Progress, Essays in the Genealogical Interpretation of History, London, Philmore, 1975. Rutgers Alex CS4.W33
* Schwartz, Seth (1990). Josephus and Judaean politics. Columbia studies in the classical tradition. Leiden, New York: Brill. p. 137. ISBN 90-04-09230-7. OCLC 21595783.
* Grainger, John D. (2003). Nerva and the Roman succession Crisis AD 96-99. London, New York: Routledge. pp. xvi. ISBN 0-415-28917-3. OCLC 52012210.
Political offices :
| Preceded byDecimus Terentius Gentianus, and L. Co[...]as suffect consuls | Consul of the Roman Empire AD 116 with Lucius Statius Aquila | Succeeded byQuintus Aquilius Niger, and Marcus Rebilus Apronianusas ordinary consuls |