Hasmonean

Hasmonean, also known as the Hasmonean dynasty or the Maccabees, was a Jewish ruling dynasty in the Hellenistic Judea and surrounding regions. The dynasty traced its founder to the priest Mattathias and his son Judas Maccabeus, whose resistance against the Seleucid Empire culminated in the Maccabean Revolt (approximately 167–160 BCE) and the rededication of the Temple in 164 BCE.

After the revolt, Simon Thassi established an independent Jewish state; around 141 BCE he and his successors combined high priestly and royal authority, giving the family both religious and political power. Over subsequent decades, the Hasmoneans expanded their territory and consolidated control.

Under John Hyrcanus I and his successors, the Hasmoneans expanded Judea, conquering Samaria and Edom. Hyrcanus pursued policies that included the integration or conversion of Idumeans to Judaism, strengthening a centralized Jewish state. The dynasty established a coins program, fortified towns, and a formal administration that fused priestly authority with kingship.

Internal tensions with rival Jewish factions, notably the Pharisees and Sadducees, and dynastic struggles marked the later Hasmonean era. By the mid-1st century BCE, Rome’s influence increased and Judea became a client kingdom under Roman suzerainty. In 63 BCE, Pompey captured Jerusalem, ending full independence and paving the way for Herod the Great’s ascent.

The Hasmonean period left a lasting impact on Jewish political and religious life, contributing to notions of Jewish self-rule and temple leadership, while also generating controversy over coercive policies and dynastic rule.