(Ὑρκανός), prince and high-priest of the Jews, was the son and successor of Simon Maccabaeus, the restorer of the independence of Judaea. In B. C. 137, Antiochus VII. having established himself on the throne of Syria after the defeat and death of Tryphon, determined to effect the reduction of Judaea to its former condition of a tributary province of the Syrian monarchy, and sent a force, under his general, Cendebeus, to invade the country. Simon, being now a man of advanced years, confided the command of the force which he opposed to them, to his two sons, Judas and Joannes Hyrcanus: they were completely successful, defeated Cendebeus, and drove him out of Judaea. But Simon did not long enjoy the fruits of this victory, being treacherously seized and assassinated by his son-in-law, Ptolemy, the governor of Jericho, B. C. 135. Two of his sons, Judas and Mattathias, perished with him, but Hyrcanus escaped the snares of the assassin, and assumed the dignity of high-priest and prince of the Jews, and advanced with an army against Ptolemy, who took refuge in the fortress of Dagon, where he was able to defy the arms of Hyrcanus. It is not improbable that the crime of Ptolemy had been previously concerted with Antiochus Sidetes: at least, that monarch immediately took advantage of it to invade Judaea with a large army; and, Hyrcanus being unable to meet him in the field, laid siege to Jerusalem itself. The siege was closely pressed, and the Jews suffered severely from famine; but at length Antiochus consented to conclude a treaty, by which Jerusalem and its inhabitants were spared, on condition of the fortifications being dismantled and the payment of an annual tribute, B. C. 133. (J. AJ 13.7. §§ 3, 4, 8.1-3, B. J. 1.2.5; 1 Mace. xv. xvi.; Just. 36.1.; Diod. Exc. Hoesch. 34.1.; Plut. Apophth. p. 184. f.; Euseb. Arm. p. 167.) Four years afterwards Hyrcanus accompanied Antiochus in his expedition against Parthia, and bore an important part in his first successes, but returned with his auxiliaries to Jerusalem, at the approach of winter, by which means he fortunately escaped the final disaster that overwhelmed the Syrian king and his army. But as soon as he heard of the death of Antiochus, he took advantage of the unsettled state of the Syrian monarchy to prosecute his own schemes, reduced several cities on the confines of Judaea; among others, Sichem, in Samaria, and destroyed the temple on Mount Gerizim: after which he completely subdued the Idumaeans, whom he compelled to adopt the laws and customs of the Jews. (J. AJ 13.9.1.) At the same time he took a still more important measure in order to secure his independence, by sending an embassy to Rome, which was favourably received by the senate, who confirmed the alliance already concluded by them with Simon. (Id. ibid § 2.)
Demetrius II., who had returned from his captivity
Although Joannes Hyrcanus did not himself assume the title of king, he may be justly regarded as the founder of the monarchy of Judaea, which continued in his family till the accession of Herod. The foregoing genealogical table exhibits the line of the kings and princes of the Asamonean race, as well as their descent from the Maccabees.
[E.H.B]