Antigonus

Antigonus (Α᾿ντίγονος, a frequent Greek name, signifying apparently against his parent), the name of two members of the Asmonsean family.

1. A son of John Hyrcanus, and grandson of Simon Maccabaeus. His brother, Aristobulus, made him his associate in the kingdom, but was at length prevailed upon by their common enemies to put him to death B.C. 105 (Josephus, Ant. 13, 18 and 19).

2. A son of Aristobulus (brother to Hyrcanus and Alexandra), sent as a prisoner to Rome, with his father and brother, by Pompey, who had taken Jerusalem. After remaining in Italy for some time, he returned to Judaea, and, after a variety of fortunes, was established king and high-priest, Herod being compelled to fly to Rome, B.C. 40. Having obtained assistance from Antony and Caesar, Herod returned, and, after a firm and protracted resistance on the part of Antigonus, retook Jerusalem and repossessed himself of the throne. Antigonus surrendered to Sosius, the Roman general, but he was carried to Antioch, and, at the solicitation of Herod, was there ignominiously put to death by Antony, B.C. 37. He was the last of the Maccabaean princes that sat on the throne of Judaea (Josephus, Ant. 14, 13-16; Wars, 1, 18, 3; Dio Cass. 49, 22; respecting the date, see Wernsdorf, De fide Macc. p. 24; Ideler, Chronol. 1, 399).