Simon son of Boethus

Simon, son of Boethus (also known as Simon son of Boëthus,[1] Simeon ben Boethus[2] or Shimon ben Boethus[3]) (Hebrew: שמעון בן ביתוס) was a Jewish High priest (ca. 23 – 4 BCE) in the 1st century BCE and father-in-law of Herod the Great.[4] According to Josephus, he was also known by the name Cantheras (Hebrew: קתרוס).[5][6] His family is believed to have been connected to the school of the Boethusians,[7] and a family whose origins are from Alexandria in Egypt.[2]

He succeeded Jesus, son of Fabus and was removed by Herod when his daughter, Mariamne II was implicated in the plot of Antipater against her husband in 4 BCE. As a result, Herod divorced her and removed her father (Simon Boethus) as high priest.[8] Simon's grandson Herod II was removed from the line of succession in Herod's last will.[9]

  1. ^ Frederick Fyvie Bruce (1 December 1990). The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text With Introduction and Commentary. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 94–. ISBN 978-0-8028-0966-7. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b Shmuel Safrai; M. Stern (1 January 1988). The Jewish People in the First Century, Volume Two: Historical Geography, Political History, Social, Cultural and Religious Life and Institutions. Uitgeverij Van Gorcum. pp. 605–. ISBN 978-90-232-1436-6. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  3. ^ Emily Taitz; Sondra Henry; Cheryl Tallan (1 February 2003). The JPS Guide to Jewish Women: 600 B.C.E.to 1900 C.E. Jewish Publication Society. pp. 30–. ISBN 978-0-8276-0752-1. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  4. ^ James C. VanderKam (2001). Early Judaism. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 179–. ISBN 978-0-8028-4641-9. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  5. ^ Josephus, Antiquities xix.vi.§ 2
  6. ^ Babylonian Talmud, Pesahim 57a; Tosefta Menahot 13:21
  7. ^ The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion - Adele Berlin, Maxine L. Grossman - 2011 Page 148 Boethusians "The rabbis considered them primarily a religious sect, founded by Boethus, a heretical disciple of the Mishnaic authority ... Other scholars connect the Boethusians with Shimon ben Boethus, high priest in King Herod's time; the family is "
  8. ^ Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVII, Chapter 4:2
  9. ^ Geza Vermes (3 August 2006). Who's Who in the Age of Jesus. Penguin Books Limited. pp. 326–. ISBN 978-0-14-193755-7. Retrieved 17 December 2012.