Glaphyra

Glaphyra (; ) was an Anatolian princess from Cappadocia, and a Queen of Mauretania by her second marriage to King Juba II of Mauretania. She was related to the Herodian dynasty by her first and third marriage, to Alexander, son of Herod and Herod Archelaus, respectively.

Family and early life Glaphyra was a royal princess of Greek, Armenian and Persian descent. Her father was the Roman ally king Archelaus of Cappadocia, and her only natural sibling was her younger brother Archelaus of Cilicia. Her paternal grandfather was a Roman ally and priest-king Archelaus of the temple state of Comana, Cappadocia, while her paternal grandmother, for whom she was named, was the hetaera Glaphyra. The priest-kings of Comana were descended from Archelaus, the favorite high-ranking general of Mithridates VI of Pontus, who may have married a daughter of Mithridates VI.

Glaphyra's mother, the first wife of Archelaus, was an Armenian princess whose name is unknown and who died by 8 BC. She may have been a daughter of King Artavasdes II of Armenia, son of Tigranes the Great and Cleopatra of Pontus, a daughter of Mithridates VI from his first wife his sister Laodice. The royal family settled there, and Archelaus built a royal residence and a palace on the island in the harbor. Glaphyra held the high-ranking title of 'king's daughter', which is reflective of her descent and high birth. She was an attractive and dynamic woman, reputed charming, desirable and a force to be reckoned with.

First marriage Augustus encouraged intermarriage among the families of Roman ally kings. King Herod the Great of Judaea usually married his children to relatives or to his subjects. Herod negotiated a marriage alliance with Archelaus. Archelaus provided Glaphyra with a dowry, which Herod later returned to her. The union of Alexander and Glaphyra is described as happy. Glaphyra became a Jew upon her marriage and she did adopt Judaism even though no mention of conversion was made in the account of her first marriage. Glaphyra and Alexander had three children: two sons, Tigranes and Alexander, The names of Glaphyra and Alexander's children reflect their cultural ancestry and royal descent.

At the court of Jerusalem, Glaphyra made a nuisance of herself by genealogical pretentiousness, citing her paternal descent from the kings of Macedonia, and her maternal descent from the rulers of Persia. The women in Herod's court grew to hate Glaphyra and Alexander. Glaphyra's unpopularity led to rumors about Alexander and Aristobulus IV. Herod came to believe that they were plotting against him. They renounced Judaism and embraced their Greek heritage, including the religion, They were married prior to 6 AD. Ή βουλή καί [ό δ]ήμος [Β]ασίλισσαν [Γλαφύραν] βασιλέω[ς] Άρχελάου θυγ[ατέρα], βασιλέως Ίόβ[α] γυναίκ[α άρε]τής έν[ε]κα.

The Boule and Demos Queen Glaphyra daughter of King Archelaus and wife of King Juba on account of virtue.

Third marriage During her second marriage, she became reacquainted with Herod Archelaus (half-brother of her first husband, and now the Roman Ethnarch of Samaria, Judaea and Edom). He was the son of Herod the Great and his fourth wife Malthace.

Glaphyra and Herod Archelaus were married while Herod Archelaus was Ethnarch. Her death reputedly gratified the women of the Judaean court.