The Hasmoneans, also known as the Maccabees, were a Jewish priestly family who led a revolt against the Seleucid Empire and established an independent Jewish kingdom that lasted from 167 to 37 BCE. Their story is told in the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, which are not part of the Hebrew Bible but are included in the Catholic and Orthodox Bibles. Here is an overview of the key events and figures associated with the Hasmoneans:
Background
After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, his empire was divided among his generals. Judea came under the control of the Seleucid Empire based in Syria. At first, the Seleucids allowed freedom of religion, but under Antiochus IV Epiphanes, that changed. Antiochus outlawed Jewish religious practices such as circumcision and Sabbath observance and desecrated the Jerusalem Temple by erecting a statue of Zeus there in 167 BCE. This sparked a revolt by traditionalist Jews led by Mattathias the Hasmonean and his five sons.
The Maccabean Revolt
After Antiochus’s desecration of the Temple, Mattathias and his sons launched a guerrilla war against the Seleucids from their base in the Judean hills. Led by Judas Maccabeus, the Jewish rebels employed effective guerrilla tactics to defeat larger and better-equipped Seleucid forces. In 164 BCE, after three years of fighting, the Maccabees recaptured Jerusalem and purified and rededicated the Temple. This event is commemorated by the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Fighting continued for over 20 more years until Judea finally achieved full independence under the Hasmonean leader Simon.
Hasmonean Dynasty
Simon was recognized by the Jews as high priest, commander and leader and became the first of the Hasmonean dynasty of priest-kings. His successors consolidated power and expanded the borders of Judea. Under John Hyrcanus I (134-104 BCE) Judea gained full independence and began forcibly converting neighboring tribes like the Idumeans and Itureans to Judaism. The zenith of Hasmonean power occurred under Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 BCE), who conquered much of the territory of ancient Israel. After his death, civil war broke out between supporters of his sons Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus II for control of the throne.
End of Hasmonean Rule
The rivalry between Hyrcanus and Aristobulus eventually prompted the Romans under Pompey to intervene in Judean affairs in 63 BCE. The brothers appealed to Pompey to settle their dispute over the kingship. Pompey took away much of Judea’s territory and autonomy, ending Jewish independence. Hyrcanus was confirmed as high priest but stripped of his royal title. Later, Hyrcanus’ adviser Antipater cultivated ties with Rome and his son Herod was appointed King of Judea by the Romans in 37 BCE, bringing the Hasmonean dynasty to an end.
Key Figures
Mattathias – Priest who sparked the revolt against Antiochus IV’s persecutions.
Judas Maccabeus – Mattathias’s son and military leader of the revolt. Defeated the Seleucids and rededicated the Temple.
Simon – Last surviving son of Mattathias and first Hasmonean high priest and ruler.
John Hyrcanus – Secured Judean independence and began forced conversions.
Alexander Jannaeus – Conquered much territory, sparking civil war after death.
Hyrcanus II – Last Hasmonean high priest until deposed by Herod.
Significance
The Hasmonean revolt represented Jewish resistance against foreign oppression and signaled a reassertion of Jewish identity and autonomy for a period. Their success inspired future revolts against foreign powers. However, their forced conversions and internal conflicts also foreshadowed the divisions that would surface later in Jewish history. The Roman intervention that eventually ended Hasmonean rule also set the stage for eventual direct Roman administration of Judea during Jesus’ time.
In the Bible, the Hasmonean period represents a gap between the Old Testament prophets and figures like Herod and Jesus in the New Testament. But the events they set in motion resonated for centuries and shaped the environment into which Christianity would emerge.
The Hasmoneans demonstrated how groups of faithful Jews responded at different times to the pressures of assimilation and identity loss. Their complex legacy as both warrior liberators and also divisive and assimilated leaders reveals the difficulties of maintaining independence and religious identity in a tumultuous geopolitical environment surrounded by foreign powers.
While the Hasmoneans are not directly discussed in the Bible, their impact led into the world of the 1st century CE at the beginnings of the New Testament. The struggles and choices of the Hasmoneans as they resisted religious persecution but also embarked on forced conversions still echo as relevant complexities for faith communities today.
Timeline of Key Events
167 BCE – Antiochus IV desecrates the Jerusalem Temple, outlawing Jewish religion.
167 BCE – Revolt led by Mattathias begins.
166 BCE – Judas Maccabeus takes over leadership after death of Mattathias.
164 BCE – Maccabees recapture Jerusalem and rededicate Temple.
160 BCE – Death of Judas Maccabeus.
142 BCE – Simon granted leadership of Judea, gaining autonomy.
134 BCE – John Hyrcanus I gains full independence for Judea and begins forced conversions.
103 BCE – Alexander Jannaeus becomes king, expanding Hasmonean territory greatly.
76 BCE – Civil war erupts between Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II.
63 BCE – Pompey intervenes, making Judea subject to Rome.
37 BCE – Romans appoint Herod the Great as client king over Judea, ending Hasmonean dynasty.
Hasmonean Relations with Other Groups
The Hasmoneans interacted with several other key groups during and after their revolt, shaping regional politics and Jewish identity:
- Seleucids – The Syrian-Greek empire was the main enemy during the initial revolt. Seleucid religious persecution sparked the uprising.
- Sadducees – This priestly sect was allied with the Hasmoneans at first but later fell out over theology and power politics.
- Pharisees – The early Pharisees supported the Maccabean revolt, but eventually became critics of Hasmonean secularism and forced conversions.
- Idumeans – The people of Idumea were conquered by John Hyrcanus I and forcibly converted to Judaism.
- Romans – Roman intervention in Judea eventually led to direct Roman rule and the end of the Hasmonean dynasty.
- Herodians – Rome appointed the Idumean Herod as client king of Judea, displacing the Hasmoneans.
These complex relationships reveal how politics, religion and identity were interwoven during the late Second Temple period as different groups vied for power and autonomy.
Hasmonean Impact on Later Jewish History
The Hasmonean period represented a significant chapter in Second Temple Judaism that continued to impact later Jewish history in several ways:
- Their success inspired future revolts against foreign domination like the First Jewish-Roman War.
- Their conflicts and forced conversions exacerbated sectarian divisions within Judaism between groups like Pharisees and Sadducees.
- Their brief independence whetted Jewish desire for autonomy, leading to later messianic and Zionist movements.
- Their internal feuding showed the fragility of Jewish self-rule open to Roman intervention.
- Their assimilation and secularism contrasted with later, more traditional Jewish identity and practice.
While short-lived, this volatile period demonstrated that militancy, zealotry, diplomacy and compromise all intersected during defining moments in Jewish history. The choices made by the Hasmoneans in resisting oppression but also seizing power resonated throughout the Second Temple and rabbinic eras and into the modern age, for good or ill.
Hasmoneans in Jewish Memory and Tradition
The Hasmoneans left a complex legacy in Jewish memory that continues to be debated:
- They are heroes for resisting religious persecution but criticized for forced conversions and corruption.
- Jewish festivals like Hanukkah and Purim celebrate Hasmonean victories but obscure their flaws.
- The Books of Maccabees praise their zeal but are not in the Hebrew Bible due to their late date and glorification of violence.
- Jewish views range from glorifying them as ideal leaders to dismissing them as tainted priest-kings.
- Their dynasty’s demise raises questions about the dangers of secular nationalism disconnected from faith.
- Some modern Zionists extol their proto-nationalism, while others criticize their forced conversions of neighbors.
While held up by some Jews as ancient nationalist heroes, the Hasmoneans often prove troubling upon closer scrutiny. Their complicated legacy defies easycategorization but provides lessons about resisting oppression without becoming oppressors oneself.
Key Takeaways
- The Hasmoneans revolted against Seleucid religious persecution and established an independent Jewish state.
- Their success was temporary and marred by internal divisions and forced conversions.
- Roman intervention eventually led to the end of Hasmonean independence.
- Their complex legacy resonates as both ancient liberators and also flawed extremists.
- The Hasmonean period shaped Jewish identity and nationalism for centuries.
In many ways, the Hasmoneans encapsulate the tensions within Judaism between zealotry and moderation, nationalism and universalism, and triumph against oppression versus collaboration. Their mixed legacy offers lessons relevant both in antiquity and the modern age about remaining true to identity and faith without falling into the same behavior one resists in others.
