Berenice was the daughter of

Costobarus Costobarus (Greek: Κοστόβαρος) was an associate of Herod the Great (who made Costobarus governor of Idumea) and second husband of Herod's sister Salome I. He was also known as Costobar.{{cite book, last1=Flavius, first1=Josephus (93 CE), l ...

and

Salome I Salome I (ca. 65 BCE – ca. 10 CE) was the sister of Herod the Great and the mother of Berenice by her husband Costobarus, governor of Idumea. She was a nominal queen regnant of the toparchy of Iamnia, Azotus, Phasaelis from 4 BCE. Life She ...

, the sister of

Herod the Great Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renov ...

. She married her cousin

Aristobulus Aristobulus or Aristoboulos may refer to: *Aristobulus I (died 103 BC), king of the Hebrew Hasmonean Dynasty, 104–103 BC *Aristobulus II (died 49 BC), king of Judea from the Hasmonean Dynasty, 67–63 BC *Aristobulus III of Judea (53 BC–36 BC), ...

in order to reduce discord within her family caused by Herod's favoritism towards his wife Mariamne. Her marriage was an attempt to unite the two main sides of her family previously split by marriage and alleviate the tension surrounding which side would be responsible to succeeding Herod. This did not solve the problems present among the heirs, and eventually Aristobulus was executed by his father in 6 BCE, and Berenice was accused of complicity in his death. By Aristobulus she was the mother of

Herod Agrippa I Herod Agrippa (Roman name Marcus Julius Agrippa; born around 11–10 BC – in Caesarea), also known as Herod II or Agrippa I (), was a grandson of Herod the Great and King of Judea from AD 41 to 44. He was the father of Herod Agrippa II, the l ...

Herod of Chalcis Herod of Chalcis (d. 48-49 CE), also known as Herod Pollio King of Chalcis, Herod V, and listed by the ''Jewish Encyclopedia'' as Herod II, was a son of Aristobulus IV, and the grandson of Herod the Great, Roman client king of Judaea. He was th ...

Herodias Herodias ( el, Ἡρῳδιάς, ''Hērǭdiás''; ''c.'' 15 BC – after AD 39) was a princess of the Herodian dynasty of Judaea during the time of the Roman Empire. Christian writings connect her with John the Baptist's execution. Family relat ...

Mariamne III Mariamne III was a daughter of Aristobulus IV and Berenice. She had three brothers, Herod of Chalcis, Herod Agrippa I, and Aristobulus V, and one sister, Herodias. Some time after the death of her father in 7 BCE, Mariamne III was betrothe ...

and

Aristobulus Minor Aristobulus Minor or Aristobulus the Younger (flourished 1st century BC and 1st century AD, died after 44) was a prince from the Herodian Dynasty. He was of Jewish, Nabataean and Edomite ancestry. He was the youngest son born to prince Aristobul ...

. Berenice maintained her elite status in Judea through her family's close ties with the Roman imperial family. This tie allowed for her son Agrippa to be raised in Rome with the family of Antonia Minor, some of Rome's future leaders. She eventually remarried to a man named, Theudion (brother of Herod I's first wife Doris, and thus uncle of

Antipater Antipater (; grc, , translit=Antipatros, lit=like the father; c. 400 BC319 BC) was a Macedonian general and statesman under the subsequent kingships of Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. In the wake of the collaps ...

), in order to strengthen her family's political ties. Greenwalt, William. "Berenice (c. 35 BCE–?)." ''Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia'', edited by Anne Commire, vol. 2, Yorkin Publications, 2002, pp. 444–48
/ref> There is little known about Berenice once Herod the Great dies, but it can be assumed that her arranged marriage did not survive the death of her uncle.

Family tree

References

Jews and Judaism in the Roman Empire Herodian dynasty 1st-century BC women 1st-century BC Romans 1st-century Roman women {{Jewish-hist-stub Ancient Jewish women