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Berenice (b. 28 CE) was a member of the Herodian dynasty, the daughter of King Herod Agrippa I, and the sister of King Herod Agrippa II.

Overview

Berenice was a descendant of Herod the Great, the daughter of Herod Agrippa and Cypros, and the sister of Herod Agrippa II (Bel II 220; Ant XVIII 132.194).

Berenice's first husband was "Marcus [Julius Alexander], the son of Alexander [the Alabarch of Alexandria]" (Ant XIX 276), the brother of Tiberius Alexander and the nephew of Philo of Alexandria.

After Marcus' death in 44 CE, "Agrippa I gave her as a wife to his brother Herod, after asking Claudius to give him the reign of Chalcis" (Ant XIX 277). Berenice was "sixteeen years old" when she married her uncle (Ant XIX 354).

Berenice had two children from Herod, who died a few years later in 48 CE. Afterward, Berenice lived long as a widow at the court of her brother Herod Agrippa II. The Acts of the Apostles describe their arrival at Caesarea to visit the new Roman governor. Agrippa II (who was not married) and Berenice acted as a royal couple; soon rumors spread of an incestuous relationship between the two (see Juvenal). Berenice then married Polomon of Cilicia in 64 CE. The marriage however did not last long as Berenice soon deserted Polomon and returned to her brother's court (Ant XX 145-146).

Berenice and her brother Herod Agrippa II were loyal allies of the Romans, before, during and after the Jewish War. In 69 CE, the Year of the Four Emperors, Berenice and her brother Agrippa supported the Flavian rise to imperial power (Tacitus, Historiae II.81). In particular Berenice was instrumental in securing the support to Vespasian of her former brother-in-law Tiberius Alexander, then governor of Egypt.

The "love story" between with Berenice and Titus (who was eleven years younger) started in Judea during the Jewish War (Tacitus, Historiae II 2).

According to Cassius Dio, after Titus went back to Rome, the affair resumed in 75 CE when Agrippa and Berenice came to Rome. The affair fueled controversy in Rome and Titus had to send her away.

When Titus became emperor in 79 CE, Berenice returned to Rome, but Titus was too busy with restoring his reputation. Berenice was reluctantly yet quickly dismissed: "[Titus] sent Berenice from Rome at once, against her will and against his own" (7.2).

In Depth

Berenice is mentioned both in Jewish sources (Josephus, Acts of Apostles) and in Roman sources (Juvenal, Tacitus, Cassius Dio, Quintilian, Suetonius).

• Berenice (sources)
• Berenice (arts)

References

• John A. Crook, "Titus and Berenice," American Journal of Philology 72.2 (1951) 162–175.

Related categories

• Titus (subject)
• Herod Agrippa (subject) / Herod Agrippa II (subject)
• Tiberius Alexander (subject)

External links

• Wikipedia