Oldest son of
Antipater,
whom his father installed as governor of
Jerusalem in
47 BCE,
over the objections of the local aristocracy.
Six years later Marc
Antony rewarded Antipater's loyalty by granting both Phasael
& his younger brother
Herod the title
of tetrarch (ruler of a quarter province). Far from
settling matters this encouraged the ousted Hasmonean
claimant, Antigonus,
to ally himself with the Parthians who were challenging the
Romans for control of Syria and Palestine. With Jerusalem under
siege, Phasael & the high priest
Hyrcanus were
persuaded to leave the city to negotiate a truce with the
Parthians. Instead, they were taken hostage & handed over to
Antigonus. When Antigonus mutilated Hyrcanus so he could not act
as high priest, Phasael, though bound, took his own life by
smashing his head against a stone. Herod honored his big brother
by naming a tower on his palace in Jerusalem for him, the base
of which was incorporated into the 14th c. citadel which still
forms part of the old city's walls.
References:
Josephus, Antiquities
14.122,
158,
294,
324-350, 365-369.
______,
War
1.203,
253-271.
Other resources on
line:
Perspective
on the World of Jesus 