The Hasmoneans and the Hasmonean Era

Reformed Thinking · Apr 7, 2026 · 51m · transcript

Deep Dive into The Hasmoneans and the Hasmonean Era by Larry R. HelyerThe Hasmonean era, spanning from 167 BC to 36 BC, began as a religious revolt against the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who enacted draconian measures to force the Hellenization of Judea and eradicate Jewish religious practices. The priest Mattathias sparked the rebellion, and his son Judas Maccabeus subsequently led a successful guerrilla war to reclaim and rededicate the Jerusalem temple in 164 BC, an event commemorated as Hanukkah. Judas's brothers, Jonathan and Simon, transitioned the struggle from seeking…