John Hyrcanus

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John Hyrcanus (; Hebrew: יוחנן הרקנוס, romanized: Yoḥānān Hurqanos; Koine Greek: Ἰωάννης Ὑρκανός, romanized: Iōánnēs Hyrkanós) was a Jewish high priest and ruler of Judea from the Hasmonean dynasty (born 164 BCE, reigned from 134 BCE until he died in 104 BCE). In rabbinic literature he is often referred to as Yoḥanan Cohen Gadol (יוחנן כהן גדול), "John the High Priest". John combined political and religious authority and secured Judea's independence from Seleucid control. His reign consolidated the Hasmonean state, expanded its territorial boundaries, and incorporated neighboring populations, laying the foundation for the policies and territorial expansions of subsequent Hasmonean rulers. Hyrcanus assumed power following the assassination of his father, Simon Thassi, a brother of Judas Maccabeus, by Ptolemy ben Abubus near Jericho. He escaped the attack that killed his father and some of his brothers and was accepted as high priest in Jerusalem. Initially, he maintained relations with the...

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