From Glory to Destruction: The Unexpected Victory of the Maccabees

Join us over the next three weeks as we unfold the tale of destruction—how the mighty Judean kingdom dwindled, weakened, and ultimately fell to Roman conquest. How did the Romans end up in Judea? What were they seeking? And what role did baseless hatred play in all of this?<\/p>

Our story begins with the Hasmonean Kingdom in 167 BCE, during the Maccabean Revolt. This revolt saw Mattathias and his sons achieve miraculous victories, leading to the famous Chanukah miracle, the purification of the Temple, and the foundation of a Jewish state with Jerusalem as its capital. Despite being few in number, the Maccabees defeated the Greeks in several battles. Eventually, Judah the Maccabee leveraged cracks in the Seleucid Empire (Greek rule over the Middle East) to secure a peace treaty that guaranteed Judean independence.<\/p>

Years passed. The Hasmonean brothers fought various internal and external enemies. In 142 BCE, the Hasmonean Kingdom officially gained independence from the Seleucid Empire. Simon the Hasmonean, son of Mattathias the High Priest and brother of Judah, Elazar, and Jonathan, was formally appointed High Priest and leader of the Jews. Previously threatened by the Seleucid general Tryphon, who even imprisoned him and demanded a huge ransom for his release, Simon formed an alliance with his enemy, Demetrius II, securing a declaration of independence that formally established the Hasmonean state.<\/p>

Demetrius convinced Antiochus to release Judah. The declaration by Antiochus, quoted in the Book of Maccabees, states: "King Antiochus to Simon the High Priest and the people of Judah: I hereby grant you everything the kings before me have granted you. You have the power to mint gold and silver coins in your land. The city of Jerusalem shall be sacred and free, and the fortified cities you have built and all the weapons you have gathered shall be under your control. All that you owed the king and wished to give him, I now forgive forever. When I sit on my royal throne, I shall further delight the Temple of Hashem by adding honor and greatness, and you shall become renowned and glorious throughout the land."<\/p>

Tryphon, the notorious troublemaker, failed once again. In a previous story, we discussed another of his failures.<\/a> This time, he retreated with the few men remaining to him, hiding in a fortress at the coastal city of Dora. The Jewish army besieged Dora, forcing him to secretly sail to Acre, from where he embarked to Apamea in Syria. There, he was defeated in battle by Antiochus VII's forces and took his own life.<\/p>

The Hasmoneans began counting years from 142 BCE, when a Jewish monarchy was established in the Land of Israel for the first time since Nebuchadnezzar deposed King Zedekiah of Judah.<\/p>

Simon was a war hero, expanding Judean territory. He conquered Gezer, a major city in the lowlands, the port city of Jaffa, and most importantly, the mighty fortress within Jerusalem known as the "Acra Fortress," overseeing the Temple. For many years, the Greeks controlled Jerusalem from this impenetrable fortress, capable of launching arrows into any part of the city. The Acra was captured on the 23rd of Iyar, 141 BCE, marking a day of celebration noted in the Scroll of Fasting. On Mount Zion, large copper plates described Simon's deeds, and these events are detailed extensively in the Book of Maccabees.<\/p>

Simon remained devoted to Hashem and His Torah, restoring the Great Assembly, an expanded Sanhedrin of Israel's sages and elders, to make decisions regarding the spiritual state of the nation and necessary legal ordinances. The Talmud frequently mentions the "Hasmonean court."<\/p>

The monarchy appeared to have returned to Israel, with Simon's kingdom enjoying great strength. What could possibly go wrong?<\/p>

But as Ramban notes, establishing this monarchy was a sin, for Hashem chose King David and his descendants to rule, while priests were meant to focus on Temple service. By assuming both kingship and priesthood, the Hasmoneans committed an error, leading to their kingdom's collapse, first spiritually, long before it fell politically and militarily. More on this in upcoming articles.<\/p>