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The Rise of the Herodian Kingdom - The Fall of the Hasmoneans in 37 BCE
In 37 BCE, a pivotal shift occurred in the history of ancient Judea when Herod the Great, a Roman-appointed ruler, decisively overthrew the Hasmonean dynasty, which had governed Judea for over a century. This marked the end of Jewish self-rule under the Hasmoneans and the beginning of the Herodian Kingdom, a client state firmly under Roman influence.
The Hasmonean dynasty had emerged from the Maccabean Revolt (167-160 BCE), successfully resisting Seleucid rule and establishing an independent Jewish kingdom. However, by the 1st century BCE, internal strife and corruption weakened the dynasty. A bitter civil war erupted between Hyrcanus II (supported by the Nabateans and later Rome) and his younger brother Aristobulus II, creating an opportunity for Roman intervention.
The Roman general Pompey captured Jerusalem in 63 BCE, making Judea a Roman client state. Later, Antipater the Idumean (Herod's father) became a key power broker, securing Roman favor. After Antipater's assassination, Herod, with Roman backing, fought to claim the throne.
In 40 BCE, the Parthians invaded Judea, installing Antigonus II (the last Hasmonean king) as ruler. Herod fled to Rome, where the Senate declared him "King of the Jews" and provided military support. After a brutal three-year campaign, Herod, aided by Roman legions, besieged Jerusalem in 37 BCE. The city fell, and Antigonus was captured and executed by the Romans, ending Hasmonean rule.
Herod, though ethnically an Idumean (Edomite) and viewed by many Jews as a foreign usurper, secured his reign through:
- Political marriages (he married Mariamne, a Hasmonean princess, to legitimize his rule).
- Ruthless suppression of remaining Hasmonean rivals.
- Loyalty to Rome, ensuring imperial backing.
- Massive building projects, including the expansion of the Second Temple, to win Jewish support.
The fall of the Hasmoneans and Herod's ascension marked Judea's deeper integration into the Roman sphere. While Herod maintained a degree of Jewish autonomy, his reign was characterized by tyranny and paranoia. His death in 4 BCE led to the division of his kingdom among his sons and, eventually, direct Roman rule, setting the stage for the Jewish Revolts and the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.
This transition remains a crucial turning point in Jewish history, illustrating the interplay between local dynastic struggles and the expanding power of Rome.
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