Queen Doris of Jerusalem was the first wife of King Herod the Great. She married him before he became King of Judea. However, King Herod banished her and her son in order to marry a Hasmonean princess. Later, he would recall them from exile and name his son the heir apparent. However, Queen Doris never forgave King Herod for exiling her. She plotted to have her husband murdered and place her son on the throne. Her schemes ultimately failed, and she faced devastating consequences.
Queen Doris of Jerusalem’s early life is unknown. She was born sometime during the first century B.C.E. Many historians believe that she was the daughter of Hellenized Idumaean aristocrats who had settled in Jerusalem.[1] In circa 45 B.C.E., Doris married Herod while he was still the Governor of Galilee.[2] She gave birth to Herod’s first son named Antipater.
When Herod became King of Judea in 37 B.C.E., he wanted to marry Mariamne, a princess of the fallen Hasmonean Dynasty. He exiled Queen Doris and his son, Prince Antipater, from Jerusalem.[3] In 17 B.C.E., King Herod recalled Queen Doris and Prince Antipater from exile.[4] King Herod hoped that by bringing Prince Antipater back from exile, he would humble his arrogant sons whom he had with Queen Mariamne.[5] King Herod also made Prince Antipater his heir apparent. As the mother of the heir apparent, Queen Doris was the most honoured woman in the Herodian court.[6] Yet, Queen Doris never forgave her husband for exiling her and harboured a grudge against him.[7] She also hated Queen Mariamne’s sons.[8] This was because she was jealous that Queen Mariamne was a Hasmonean princess.[9]
In 4 B.C.E., Queen Doris plotted against King Herod in order to place her son, Prince Antipater, on the throne.[10] When King Herod learned of his wife’s treachery, King Herod stripped her of all her finery (which was worth a massive fortune) and expelled her from the palace.[11] King Herod executed his heir, Prince Antipater.[12] History does not mention what happened to Queen Doris after her second exile.[13] There is no mention of how or when she died.[14]
Queen Doris of Jerusalem was the first wife of King Herod the Great of Judea, and the mother of the heir apparent. However, Queen Doris proved to be very ruthless and vengeful.[15] She hated her husband and plotted to kill him. In the end, all of her evil schemes were in vain. Queen Doris’s ruthlessness was eventually revealed to King Herod the Great of Judea. Thus, Queen Doris’s treason against King Herod resulted in the death of her only son and her banishment. Had she been a faithful wife to King Herod, the endings of Queen Doris and Prince Antipater might have been very different.
Sources:
“Doris”. (n.d.). Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved on 20 December 2022 from https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/doris.
Gottheil, R. & Krauss, S. (1906). “Doris”. The Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved on December 20, 2022 from https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5282-doris.
Ilan, T. (31 December 1999). “Hasmonean Women.” Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Jewish Women’s Archive. Retrieved on December 20, 2022 from. https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/hasmonean-women.
Macurdy, G. H. (1937). Vassal-queens and Some contemporary Women in the Roman Empire. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press.
Smith, M. H. (n.d.). “Doris [died aft. 5 BCE]”. Virtual Religion Network. Retrieved on December 20 from https://virtualreligion.net/iho/doris.html.
[1] Smith, n.d., “Doris [died aft. 5 BCE]”
[2] “Doris”, n.d., Jewish Virtual Library
[3] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Herodian Women”
[4] Smith, n.d., “Doris [died aft. 5 BCE]”
[5] Gottheil and Krauss, 1906, “Doris”
[6] Gottheil and Krauss, 1906, “Doris”
[7] Smith, n.d., “Doris [died aft. 5 BCE]”
[8] Macurdy, 1937
[9] Macurdy, 1937
[10] “Doris”, n.d., Jewish Virtual Library
[11] Macurdy, 1937
[12] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Herodian Women”
[13] Gottheil and Krauss, 1906, “Doris”
[14] Gottheil and Krauss, 1906, “Doris”
[15] Macurdy, 1937; Smith, n.d., “Doris [died aft. 5 BCE]”
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