Chapter XII: The Hasmonæan Dynasty

(140-37 B. C. E.)

(_See the Genealogical Table of the Hasmonæan Dynasty, p. 130._)

EGYPTIAN KINGS.

146. Ptolemy VII Physcon _and_ Ptolemy VIII,

117. Ptolemy VIII Lathurus _and_ Alexander I,

81. Alexander II,

80. Ptolemy IX Auletes,

51. Ptolemy X _and_ Cleopatra VI,

47. Cleopatra VI [_and_ Ptolemy XI _and_ Ptolemy XII],

30. Egypt a Roman Province.

SYRIAN KINGS.

137. Antiochus VII Sidetes (_alone_),

128. Demetrius II (_restored_) _and_ Alexander II Zabina,

125. Seleucus V,

125. Antiochus VIII Grypus _and_ Antiochus IX Cyzicenus,

95. Seleucus VI, Antiochus X Eusebes, Philip, Demetrius III
Eucærus, Antiochus XI Epiphanes, Antiochus XII Dionysius,

83. Tigranes, king of Armenia,

69. Antiochus XII Asiaticus,

64. Syria a Roman Province.

B.C.E.

140. Simon made hereditary high priest and Nassi
(Prince).

139. Simon stamps coins by permission of Antiochus VII
Sidetes.

Cendebæus, general of Antiochus Sidetes, makes war
upon Simon.

135. Simon slain by his son-in-law; accession of JOHN
HYRCANUS I.

135-123. Wars with the rulers of the Seleucidæan house.

133(about). Embassy to Rome. Rome calls upon Antiochus VII to
make restitution to Judæa.

120(about). Samaria reduced; the Temple on Mount Gerizim
destroyed.

_Conquest of the Idumæans and their conversion to
Judaism._

John Hyrcanus again appeals to Rome in his
difficulties with Antiochus IX Cyzicenus.

John Hyrcanus victorious over the allies, Antiochus
IX Cyzicenus and Ptolemy VIII Lathurus.

109. Samaria destroyed; Judæa at the height of
prosperity; John Hyrcanus has coins struck.

Formation of the three sects: =Pharisees=,
=Sadducees=, =Essenes=; outbreak of hostilities
between the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

106. Accession of Aristobulus I. Discord in the family of
the king.

War with the Ituræans and Trachonites; Judæa
enlarged.

105. Accession of _Alexander (I) Jannæus_.

98-96. The seaport towns taken by Ptolemy VIII Lathurus
regained with the help of the Egyptian king’s
mother.

94-89. Contentions between the Pharisees and the Sadducees;
Alexander Jannæus opposed to the Pharisees.
800 Pharisees executed.

Alexander Jannæus adds trans-Jordanic territory to
Judæa.

79. _Salome Alexandra_, wife of Alexander Jannæus,
ascends the throne.

SIMON BEN SHETACH and JUDAH BEN TABBAI, Pharisee
leaders, reorganize the Synhedrion, and exclude
the Sadducæans. The queen favors the Pharisees.

70. Accession of _Hyrcanus II_.

69. Aristobulus II co-regent; quarrels between the
brothers.

_Antipater the Idumæan_ becomes the counselor of
Hyrcanus II.

66. Aretas, king of the Nabathæans, ally of Hyrcanus
II against Aristobulus II, takes Jerusalem.

Scaurus, the Roman legate, at the instance of
Aristobulus II, forces Aretas to raise the siege
of Jerusalem.

63. _Pompey captures Jerusalem_; Hyrcanus II made
Ethnarch; Aristobulus II a prisoner.

Alexander (II), son of Aristobulus II, enters
Jerusalem; subdued by Aulus Gabinius, Roman
governor of Syria.

60. _Shemaya_ and _Abtalion_ presidents of the
Synhedrion.

56. Aristobulus II escapes from Rome, opposes the Romans
in Judæa, and is taken captive a second time.

55. Alexander (II) routed by the Romans at Mount Tabor.

53. CRASSUS PLUNDERS THE TEMPLE.

Aristobulus II, set free by Julius Cæsar, is
poisoned by the followers of Pompey; Alexander
(II) decapitated.

47. At the petition of Antipater, Cæsar proclaims
Hyrcanus II high priest and Ethnarch.

The _Judæans of Alexandria_ governed by their own
Ethnarch, or _Alabarch_.

Phasael, oldest son of Antipater, governor of
Jerusalem; HEROD, second son of Antipater,
governor of Galilee.

Ezekias of Galilee decapitated by Herod.

Herod before the Synhedrion, protected by Hyrcanus
II; made governor of Cœlesyria by Sextus
Cæsar, Roman governor of Syria.

43. Antipater poisoned.

42. Herod and Phasael made Tetrarchs by Mark Antony.

40. Barzaphernes, Parthian general, takes Jerusalem,
proclaims Antigonus king, and incapacitates
Hyrcanus II for the high-priestly office by
mutilating his ears.

HEROD PROCLAIMED KING BY THE ROMAN SENATE.

37. _Herod marries Mariamne_, granddaughter of Hyrcanus
II.

Jerusalem besieged and taken by Herod and Sosius,
Mark Antony’s general; Antigonus executed.