The Hasmoneans

Eyal Regev presents an inter-disciplinary analysis of the Hasmoneans: How they perceived themselves and their role in Jewish history, and how they wanted to be perceived by their subjects. By exploring the ways—some common among ancient monarchies, others unique—in which the Hasmoneans shored up their authority, the author reveals the deliberate and innovative construction of a national politico-religious ideology. Regev discusses the Hasmoneans’ use of Temple and its cult, government and subsequent kingship, and their symbolic representations as reflected in their coins and palaces in comparison with contemporary Hellenistic kingdoms. The volume uncovers the cultural and social character of the Hasmoneans as rulers as well as of their state or kingdom. Merging historical sources with archaeological findings, Jewish perspectives and Hellenistic settings, a traditional text-oriented, historical-critical method with comparative and socio-anthropological approaches, The Hasmoneans aims to be the defining work on the cultural and social character of the priestly family that forms one of Jewish history’s most inspiring and instructive chapters.