Aristobulus II (, Ancient Greek: Ἀριστόβουλος Aristóboulos) was High Priest of Israel and king of Judea from 66 BCE to 63 BCE, during the Hasmonean period in Jewish history.
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Family
Aristobulus was the younger of two sons born to Alexander Jannaeus, King and High Priest, and Salome Alexandra. After Alexander died in 76 BCE, his widow succeeded to the throne as queen of Judea. She installed her elder son Hyrcanus II as High Priest in 73 BCE. When Salome died in 67 BCE, Hyrcanus succeeded to the kingship as well.
Aristobulus shared his late father's views on religion and politics. He entertained designs upon the throne, even during his mother's reign. He courted the nobles and the military by constituting himself the patron of the Sadducees and bringing their cause before the queen. The fortresses which the queen had placed at the disposal of the Sadducees, ostensibly for their defense against the Pharisees, constituted in reality one of the preparatory moves of Aristobulus for his usurpation of the throne. The queen sought to direct his military zeal outside Judea and sent him against Ptolemy Mennaeus. After this undertaking had failed, Aristobulus resumed his political intrigues within Judea. He left Jerusalem secretly and betook himself to his friends, who controlled the largest number of fortifications, intending to make war against his mother. But the 73-year-old queen suddenly died in 67 BCE, so Aristobulus immediately directed his forces against his brother Hyrcanus, the legitimate heir to the throne.