The priestly family descended from Mattathias Hasmon, made famous by their resistence to and victory over the religious and political hegemony of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and in establishing of a dynasty that ruled an independent Judea for nearly a century from 143 to 63 BC. The most famous hero during their wars against Antiochus was the son called Judas, nicknamed Maccabee, the "hammer'; as a result, the war they fought that brought them to power is often called the Maccabean Revolt.
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Once established the dynasty began to reconquer much of the land that had been lost until its territory was almost as extensive as that of King David. Perhaps the most significant of these territories was Idumea whose population was forced to convert to Judaism, of which the Herod family would come eventually to rule the Jews.
Just as significant for their political roles was the part they played in the high-priest's office. The last of the Zadokite heirs had decamped to Egypt in about 160 BC. While fighting the Seleucid king, Jonathan had accepted the gift of the high-priest's office from Alexander Balas, pretender to the Seleucid throne. When Jonathan was taken prisoner and put to death in 143 BC and was succeeded by his brother Simon, the Jewish nation decided, with a mixture of demurral and gratitude, "that Simon should be their leader and high priest for ever, until a trustworthy prophet should arise . . . that he should take charge of the sanctuary . . . And none of the people or priests shall be permitted to nullify any of these decisions or to oppose what he says . . ." (1 Macc 14:41-44).
The end of the dynasty came when two contending brothers appealed to Rome for help. Pompey took the opportunity, instead, to conquer Judea for Rome in 63 BC. When Pompey made his triumphant parade through Rome two years later, many members of the Jewish royal family led the parade of captives. Though Hycarnus II remained the high-priest, the real power had passed to an Idumean called Antipater, who was made procurator of Judea by the Romans; Antipater's son, Herod the Great, would eventually rule Judea and more as "King of the Jews."
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