GURUKUL LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE AND RESEARCH

INSTITUTE

Subject: Centuries between the Hebrew Bible and the Early Christian Origins.

Topic: The Hasmonean Dynasty in Judea (2nd and 1st Centuries BCE)

Presenter: Batlajuban F. Nongsiej

Facilitator: Dr. Aravind Jeyakumar Moniraj

Content
Introduction:
1. The Background:
2. Hasmonean Dynasty the rise of a new Kingdom
2.1 The birth of the Dynasty:
2.2 The Structure of the Hasmonean State
a. Social
b. Economic
c. Religious
d. Political
3. The Rulers of the Hasmonean Dynasty:
i. Simon (142-135/134 BCE)
ii. John Hyrcanus I (135/134- 104 BCE)
iii. Aristobulus I (104-103 BCE)
iv. Alexander Jannaeus (103-46 BCE)
v. Alexandra Salome (76-67 BCE)
vi. Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II
vii. Antigonus: The last of the Maccabeans.
4. The End is Inevitable
5. The Roman Power
6. Evaluation
Conclusion

Introduction:
During the period of c.332-37 BC, the Hellenistic period, major changes were brought up
across the Eastern Mediterranean. Culturally, the fundamental characteristic was one of
interactions between the Greek culture of the ruling class and the local traditions of native
communities. While the ruling class does enforce their ideologies and culture to the native
Jewish people, certain breaches of the law led to disparities. For the Greeks, under the
Seleucids and Ptolemies, they have had great impact to the religious traditions of the Jewish
people, and thus led to the violation of religious code.

The paper, will deal with the rise of the Hasmonean dynasty, its structure and the fall of the
dynasty.

1. The Background

The Hasmoneans family was a Jewish family that stood against the Seleucids rulers
during the middle of the 2nd Century BCE, that help to create the independent Jewish state
which they at first governed as its political leaders and high priests and then as its kings.
The question of their power may be answer that it was their religious zeal that made them
a Dynasty, which lasted for less than a century. However, unfortunately, little is known
about the Hasmoneans before the beginning of their rebellion against Seleucid rule.1

The Hasmonean figures were prominent in the writings of Josephus. His records of his
ancestors give us great information. The War and olden days, which contain the most
extensive accounts of the Hasmonean family, lack many details.2 According to the
traditional account in the existing sources, the Hasmonean revolt began when Mattathias
disobey the verdict of the Seleucid monarch Antiochus IV Epiphanes that banned the
observance of Jewish Law. Following this, family waged war against the Seleucids
rulers. During the reign of his son Simon, the Hasmoneans gained independence for
Judea. His authority to rule this new state was based on his participation in the original
revolt against the Seleucid Empire. All Hasmoneans in some manner sought to invoke
the memory of Mattathias to show they were committed to their ancestral faith and the

1
Kenneth Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State: Josephus and beyond (Bloomsbury T&T Clark:
Bedford Square, London, 2016), 23.
2
Eyel Regev, “The Hasmonaean: Ideology, Archaeology and Identiy,” in The Journal of Ancient
Judaism Supplements, eds. Armin Lange and Vered Noam. Vol. 10 (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht LLC:
Bristol, 2013), 24-25.

1
creation of an independent Jewish state.3

2. The Hasmonean Dynasty- The Rise of a New Kingdom

After the Fifth Syrian War in 200–199 B.C.E., the control over Judea shift to the Seleucids,
Alexander’s successor dynasty in Syria. The Seleucids have tormented the Jewish to the
extent of their culture and religious beliefs. This led to the Maccabean revolt, a religious and
political movement. This revolt was led by the three sons of Mattathias: Judas Maccabaeus,
Jonathan and Simon (166-134).4And Simon was the first ruler from the Hasmonean
dynasty.

2.1. The Birth of the Dynasty

The end of the Maccabean Revolt mark as the new beginning to the Jewish society as the
revolt emerged as a dynasty with its own ruler and government. The Hasmonean dynasty
is the child of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucids rulers. The word Hasmonean
originated from the surname of Mattathias and his sons who came from the House of
Hasmon.5

In was in 142 BCE that Simon Maccabeus, son of Mattathias the leader of the Revolt and a
brother of Judas, succeeded the line of leadership through kinship, by succeeded his brother
Jonathan, and ascended as a leader against the Seleucids dynasty. He became
independent of the Seleucids as a high priest and a ruler of Judaea, and thus, Simon
became the first king of the Hasmonean Dynasty.6

After the succession, Simon attempt to solidify, glorify or, perhaps, legitimize his position
in the Hasmonean leadership as much as any religious motive. In 142 BCE, he defeated
Demetrius II (145-138 BCE), and the exemption of taxes and the Jews announce their
independence (I Macc. 13:41).7 In 141 BCE, Simon took a step further by issuing the bronze
decree, and set it up in the Temple, granting to him the office of the High priest on the
bases of hereditary rights. On this, the Jews and the priest were all ready to accept Simon as

3
Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State…, 24-25.
4
D. S. Russell, Between The Testament (Fortress Press: Philadelphia, 1965), 34.
5
Russell, Between The Testament…, 29.
6
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Hasmonean dynasty.” Encyclopedia Britannica,
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hasmonean-dynasty. 31 August 2021.
7
Steven H. Werlin, “The Maccabean Revolt: Between Tradition and History,” in Society of Biblical
Literature (SBL Press, 2010), 2. https://www. sbl-site.org/educational/teachingbible/aspx. 2 September
2021

2
their high priest and leader, until there should be a faithful prophet to rise. Simon was
then given the authority of a high priest and to be the leader and religious ruler of the
Jews (I Macc. 14:14, 47).8

The High Priesthood which had been the tradition of inherited in the House of Onias had
been taken over, and was now made hereditary in the Hasmonean line. Here, then, we see
the emergence of an independent Jewish state in which the civil head and the military
leader were at the same time the High Priest. This lineage was maintained throughout the
life of the Hasmonean.9 The Maccabees obtaining freedom after a victorious encounter of
the over the Seleucid rule and form an independent Jewish state prosper for more or less
a century.10 In the Judaism, the name Maccabees, has a high prestige for the defeated
the foreign enemies and gave the people an echoing victory over the foreign culture which
these enemies were trying to enforce upon the Jewish people.11

2.2. The Structure of the Hasmonean State:

With the triumph over the Seleucids rulers, there is an increase in their self-confidence,
and the Hasmonean state found expression in an ever more expansionist policy of conquest,
in which politico-economic motives were combined with religious ones.

a. Social

The structure of the social stratum of Hasmonean Judea seems to have been quite varied.
Apart from old aristocratic priestly and secular families, there appeared new groups:
representatives of social elites of conquered lands whose readiness to cooperate with the
Hasmoneans secured them high positions in their service, and high-ranking military
leaders. It is highly probable that some among the senior military might have descended
from old aristocratic families.12

b. Economic:

8
Peter Alexander Gilchrist, From the Maccabees to the Maccabi: Tracing the Hasmonean story from I
Maccabees to Modern day (Wesleyan University: Middletown Connecticut, 2010), 32-33.
9
Edward Dabrowa, The Hasmonean and their state: A study of history, ideology and institution
(Jagiellonian University Press: 2009), 121.
10
Lester Grabbe, The Introduction to the Second Temple: History and Religion of the Jews in the time of
Nehemiah, Maccabees, Hillel and Jesus (T&T Clark International: York Road London, 2010), 65.
11
Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State…, 27.
12
Lester Grabbe, The Introduction to the Second Temple: The coming of the Greek: The Early
Hellenistic Period. (T&T Clark International: York Road London, 2010), 195.

3
The Hasmonean rulers acted as the liberator economically. They employ different
policies to the people and give them the freedom in the economic scheme. There has been
an exemption of taxes for the people, and the only tax options are the taxes on the non-
Jewish people on their agricultural produces that also applied only to a specific quota, the
custom tax and the poll tax. Under the Hasmonean, the farmers own the land and the
peasantry emerge again. Thus, strengthen the agrarian economy of the state.13 However,
one must note that the conquest of the Hasmonean left many cities destroyed and those
cities that escape this fate, lost their character and never play any role either politically or
economically.14

c. Religious

Religion also served as an excuse for many of their political decisions. Religious issues
made for the focus of the Hasmoneans’ attention, and not only early in the insurgency, when
the rebellious Judeans were fighting to have their rights to practice their religion and
customs restored. The Hasmonean state emerged from their quest for religious freedom.
The revolt began with the struggle on the foreign culture and religious practices. In three
years, the Maccabees cleared the way back to the Temple mount, which they reclaimed.
They cleaned the Temple and dismantled the defiled altar and constructed a new one in its
place.15 Three years to the day after Antiochus’ mad rampage (165 BCE), the Maccabees
held a dedication (Hanukkah) of the Temple with proper sacrifice, rekindling of the golden
menorah, and eight days of celebration and praise to God. Proper Jewish worship had been
re-established.16

Sources point out one of the religious characteristic that set the Hasmonean apart from
the rest of Jews was that they Judaize newly conquered territories. This is carried out in
two ways- either to completely clean and wash out the areas of the non- Jewish resident
and colonize with Jewish inhabitants or to bring in Jewish settlers in those areas,
marginalized the native non Jewish inhabitants.17

d. Political
13
Edward Dabrowa, The Hasmonean and their state…, 153.
14
Grabbe, The Introduction to the Second Temple: The coming of the Greek…, 207.
15
Edward Dabrowa, The Hasmonean and their state…, 157..
16
Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State…, 36-38.
17
Edward Dabrowa, “The Hasmoneans and the Religious Homogeneity of Their State,” in Scriptura
Judaica Cracoviensia, Vol. 8, 2010. https://www.ejournals.eu/pliki/art/1096/ 2 September 2021

4
The policy of conquest carried out by the Hasmoneans led to a major expansion of Jewish
territory, achieved by over thrown and removal of the non- Jewish people. Therefore,
these new territories came under the Hasmonean ruler, just as they were under the
Hellenistic rulers. Certainly, their positions were different that it was under the Ptolemies
and the Seleucids, however, the Hasmonean rulers, had made freedom from economic
slavery. The exemption of tax was an act of liberation.18

3. The Rulers of the Hasmonean Dynasty:

It took a great zeal for the Hasmonean family to become a state and a dynasty. From the
beginning of the Maccabean Revolt, to the birth of a dynasty, it took a serious transition and
dedication of the leaders, although they wanted to make it hereditary. The dynasty could be
date from the time of Simon- son of Mattathias and brother of Judas, to the Antigonus
the last of the Hasmoneans. The following are the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty:

i. Simon (142-135/134 BCE)

After the death of Jonathan, the leadership was taken by Simon (142 BCE). Demetrius II
reigned the Seleucid kingdom and required Simon’s help in his struggle to held on to power.
Thus, he freed the Jews from the tax and tribute and granted them independence. “The
yoke of the gentiles was removed from the Israel” (I Macc. 13:41).19 Simon and his
followers entered into Jerusalem with praises because a great enemy had been crushed
and removed from Israel. The leadership position on both political and religious was
given to Simon and his descendants. However, the Seleucids still involve in the Jewish
affairs time and again. Nevertheless, for all practical purposes they no longer posed a real
threat. A renewal of treaties with Sparta and Rome further strengthened the position of the
Jews. Like his brothers, Simon met a violent end (134 BCE), and fall in the hands of his son
in law, Ptolemy son of Abubus, who treacherously murdered at the beginning of 135 or 134
BCE.20

ii. John Hyrcanus I (135/134- 104 BCE)

18
Grabbe, The Introduction to the Second Temple: The coming of the Greek…, 125.
19
J. Julius Scott, The Jewish Background of the New Testament (Bakers Academic: Grand Rapids
Michigan, 1995), 92.
20
Peter Schafer, The History of the Jews in the Greco- Roman World (Routledge, Taylor and Francis
Group: London, 2003), 59.

5
Ptolemy assassination of Simon was to take over the leadership; however, John Hyrcanus
claimed to be Simon successor. During his initial period of five or six years, Hyrcanus
rule the Seleucids and invade and took control of the land of Israel. He set out on a policy of
conquest, using mercenaries as well as Jewish soldiers. He added areas east of the Jordan,
Idumea to the south, and the Samaritan lands as far as Beth-shan to the north. The Idumeans
were forced to accept and live under the Jewish law. Hyrcanus destroyed the Samaritan
temple on Mount Gerizim and, later, the city of Samaria.21 Hyrcanus never did claim the
title of king, but acted as if he occupied that position. His primary attention was upon
external concerns, and his reign was marked by increasing secularization.22

John Hyrcanus also changed his allegiance from the Pharisees to the Sadducees. At first
Hyrcanus favored the Pharisees, but turned from them to the Sadducees when one of the
Pharisees, Eleazer, urged him to give up the high priesthood and be content with political
and military power. The Pharisees then became enemies of the Hasmonean dynasty; there
grew a strong relationship between the Hasmoneans and the Sadducees. This internal
political shift under Hyrcanus is still a vital issue in later Rabbinic literature, which
mentions some anti- Pharisaic measures taken by Hyrcanus23

iii. Aristobulus I (104-103 BCE)

Aristobulus is the only Hasmonean king that reign only for a period of one year. He
strengthens his power by imprisoning his closest relatives, including his mother. To which
she died of starvation. According to the historian Josephus, Aristobulus continued the
program of territorial expansion begun by his father and conquered the Ituraea in the
Lebanon foothills of and forcibly converted them to Judaism24

Unlike his predecessors, Aristobulus openly claimed the title of king. Josephus records
that this great-grandson of Mattathias also bore another title, Philhellene (Lover of
things).25

iv. Alexander Jannaeus (103-46 BCE)

21
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 92-93.
22
Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State…, 52.
23
Schafer, The History of the Jews in the Greco- Roman…, 69.
24
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 93.
25
Dabrowa, The Hasmonean and their state…, 101

6
After the death of Aristobulus, his widowed wife, Salome Alexandra released the
imprisoned brothers, and married to Alexander Jannaeus, who became king and high
priest. His devotion to Hellenism is evident in his name, one Greek (Alexander) and the
other Hebrew (Jannaeusb= Yannai = Jonathan). Jannaeus had involved in either foreign or
domestic military conflict during most of his career. In his initial reign, he was defeated by
the Egyptians and Nabateans. Jannaeus also faced rising resistance from sectarian groups
and other Jews concerned with religious affairs.26

During his time, the relations with the Pharisees deteriorated. He took revenge against the
Pharisees by crucifying eight hundred of them in Jerusalem and having their wives and
children killed before their eyes at the same time. This and other acts of violence caused
about 8000 of his opponents to flee the country. Thereafter his military campaigns were
largely successful.27

Some of their number called in the Seleucid king Demetrius III Eukairos against him.
However, the sight of a Jewish king fleeing from the Seleucids caused even his
enemies to turn to his aid, and the Seleucids were expelled. This event marked the turning
point in Jannaeus’s fortunes.28

Alexander Jannaeus image is neither the ideals of the priestly Maccabean movement
nor of the values of Hellenistic culture. His death left the country divided; the kingdom
passed to Salome Alexandra, the widow of both Jannaeus and his predecessor
Aristobulus.29

v. Alexandra Salome (76-67 BCE)

Salome succeede her husband’s and ruled as the first queen of the Hasmonean dynasty.
According to Josephus, on his death bed Jannaeus told Salome to hid his death until she had
taken control of the fortresses and then, return to Jerusalem, to share power with the
Pharisees.30

The authenticity of this is not a question, as during her era, the Pharisees have a complete
control of the state. However, in the later rabbinic writings, her reign was portrayed as a
26
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 94.
27
Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State…, 102-103.
28
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 94.
29
Dabrowa, The Hasmonean and their state…, 103.
30
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 96.

7
golden age.31

In foreign affairs there was little of significance during Alexandra’s reign. Internally, only
the Sadducean-aristocracy alliance was not completely broken and had the advantage of
being closely allied with Aristobulus. At the death of Alexandra, civil war was inevitable.32

vi. Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II

After the death of Salome, her two sons, Hyranus (Hyrcanus II) a high priest and
Aristobulus (Aristobulus II), a military leader, fought for power among themselves.
Aristobulus II defeated his brother, thus Hyrcanus II, renounced his priesthood as well as
civil authority. This civil war marked the end of day for the Hasmonean dynasty 33The
priests had proved corrupted as any pagan overlord and they were not able to bind the
country into a strong unit.34

After Aristobulus II had become king, Antipater, governor of Judea tries to gain power for
himself, through Hyrcanus II. Antipater was finally able to convince Hyrcanus II to seek
support from the Nabatean king Aretas. With this support Hyrcanus II defeated
Aristobulus II, who in 65 BCE fled to the temple area and fortified himself against a siege
by his brother and the Nabateans.35

vii. Antigonus: The Last of the Macabeans:

Antigonus, the last Maccabean ruler, was locked in a bitter struggle for control with
Herod and his brother Phasael until the invasion of the Parthians in 40 B.C. In response to
promises by Antigonus, the Parthians captured Phasael and Hyrcanus II. They then
enthroned Antigonus as king and high priest of the Jews.36 Herod, however, gained
Roman assistance and was given authority in the land of Israel. A return of the Parthians
in 38 BCE briefly restored the rule to Antigonus. By 37 BCE Herod emerged the victor,
theoretically an independent monarch, but in fact a puppet of Rome. It is he whom history
has labeled King Herod (Matt. 2:1) and Herod the Great. The execution of Antigonus by
Mark Anthony ended the Hasmonean dynasty.37
31
Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State…, 134.
32
Dabrowa, The Hasmonean and their state…, 121.
33
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 97.
34
Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State…, 136.
35
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 98.
36
Grabbe, The Introduction to the Second Temple…, 72.
37
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 99-100.

8
 4. The End is Inevitable:

After the second fight between the brothers, the Roman came into power in the Asia
Minor and Syria. The roman general Pompey had won several regions in the north.
Pompey’s lieutenant Scaurus was given charged with settling the affairs in the former
Seleucid possessions. On his arrival on Jerusalem, both the brothers offer money to gain the
Roman support. On this occasion Aristobulus’s II was successful. The Nabateans were
ordered to raise their siege and, as they sought to return home, suffered a humiliating defeat
by Aristobulus II and his army.38

Pompey the Roman general eventually became suspicious of Aristobulus’s II later activities
and turned against him. A battle centered in the temple area, on a Sabbath day in 63 BCE,
the temple fortress was breached and Aristobulus’s II military were defeated, and Jerusalem
was claimed by the Romans.39

5. The Roman Power:

Pompey decided to attack Jerusalem and abandon his other campaign areas before he could
return to the Asia Minor region. This decision indicated how important the Hasmonean
dynasty is. To Pompey, the allegiance of the Hasmoneans and the Nabateans is a threat to
the Roman Empire and the control over the Mediterranean region.40

The initial period of the Roman rule over Israel, conflicts were witnessed, similar that the
Maccabees fought in the beginning of the revolt. The fact is that, the same people who
brought the downfall of the Jewish Kingdom were involved in the Roman government.
Aristobulus II, Hyrcanus II, were reappointed high priest, and the Idumean Antipater,
who, cling himself with the Romans, held the power.41

38
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 98-99.
39
Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State…, 158-159.
40
Atkinson, A History of the Hasmonean State…, 156.
41
Scott, The Jewish Background…, 98.

9
 6. Evaluation:

The emergence of the Hasmonean Dynasty is out of necessity of the people. With the
Greek and their Hellenistic ideologies which were enforced upon the Jewish by the
Seleucid rulers, the Jewish felt violated, culturally, politically and most importantly
religiously. However, with the zeal that Mattathias and the Hasmonean family, they form a
revolution group. This revolt was partially support by those who held the “Jewishism”, yet
was decline by those who support Hellenism.

The revolt was led by the sons of Mattathias, Judas and Jonathan. Following this revolt, the
Hasmonean family took charge of the new ideology and the birth of the new history began.
With the independent state, the Jewish people felt the freedom in their own land, especially
after they have successfully overthrown the foreigners and their ideologies and culture.

Under the Hasmonean, the people may have prospered, as they were peasant friendly
government, except the increment on the tithes. The state has had many of the rulers, of the
family, inherited the leadership through blood line.

The dynasty has lasted over a period of 80 years. And have therefore sustained the people
and provided securities and hope of an independent state. However, no kingdom last
forever, and the Hasmonean Dynasty also succumbed to the dame fate after the thirst and
hunger for power and the corruption that burrowed in the heart of the leaders. The
dynasty lost it power to the Roman Empire and the death of Antigonus brought the end of
the Hasmonean kingdom.

Conclusion:

There is no doubt that the Hasmonean dynasty has brought peace to the Jewish people for a
span of less than a century. The dynasty is ruled by different kings and leaders with different
ideologies. The Conquest Policy that force the non-Jewish to accept and convert; the
military power along with the mercenaries, and it is also not free from greed as
assassination and leaders murdered occurred from the inside of the wall. The Jewish
tradition was the reason that this revolt turned into a dynasty, however, as period goes by,
that very tradition lost it shine (Alexander Jannaeus). The dynasty was finally defeated

10
by the Roman Empire generals, and Antigonus was its last legitimate ruler.

Bibliography

Atkinson, Kenneth. A History of the Hasmonean State: Josephus and beyond. Bloomsbury T&T
Clark: Bedford Square, London, 2016.

11
Dabrowa, Edward, The Hasmonean and their state: A study of history, ideology and institution.
Jagiellonian University Press: 2009.

Gilchrist, Peter Alexander. From the Maccabees to the Maccabi: Tracing the Hasmonean story
from I Maccabees to Modern day. Wesleyan University: Middletown Connecticut, 2010.

Grabbe, Lester, The Introduction to the Second Temple: History and Religion of the Jews in the
time of Nehemiah, Maccabees, Hillel and Jesus. T&T Clark International: York Road
London, 2010.

, The Introduction to the Second Temple: The coming of the Greek: The Early
Hellenistic Period. T&T Clark International: York Road London, 2010.

Regev, Eyel. “The Hasmonaean: Ideology, Archaeology and Identiy.” In The Journal of Ancient
Judaism Supplements. Eds. Armin Lange and Vered Noam. Vol. 10. Vandenhoeck &
Ruprecht LLC: Bristol, 2013.

Russell, D. S. Between The Testament. Fortress Press: Philadelphia, 1965.

Schafer, Peter. The History of the Jews in the Greco- Roman World. Routledge, Taylor and
Francis Group: London, 2003.

Scott, J. Julius. The Jewish Background of the New Testament. Bakers Academic: Grand Rapids
Michigan, 1995.

Webliography:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Hasmonean dynasty.” Encyclopedia Britannica,

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hasmonean-dynasty. 31 August 2021.

Dabrowa, Edward. “The Hasmoneans and the Religious Homogeneity of Their State,” in
Scriptura Judaica Cracoviensia, Vol. 8, 2010.
https://www.ejournals.eu/pliki/art/1096/ 2 September 2021

Steven H. Werlin, “The Maccabean Revolt: Between Tradition and History,” in Society of Biblical
Literature (SBL Press, 2010), 2. https://www. sbl- site.org/educational/teachingbible/aspx.
2 September 2021.

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