I. THE PERIOD

The Roman seizure of Jerusalem in the autumn of 63 B.C. brought to a close a formative period in Jewish history. The previous century had seen Judaea’s emergence as a power to be reckoned with in the region of Palestine, one comparable in extent, even if not quite in distinction, with the kingdom of David. The impact of this national experience continued for the Jews through the classical period, and, indeed, far beyond.

From the military leadership of Judas Maccabaeus and his Hasmonean brothers came, in due course, permanent authority, a dynastic succession and a monarchy which eventually gained independence. Defensive wars merged into aggressive ones; there was expansion westwards to occupy most of the cities of the coast, east to the Jordan, south into Idumaea and north to Samaria and the Galilee. However, long-term stability was not secured. Geographical factors alone would always make Palestine vulnerable. Religion made it volatile; and this period was one of intense religious activity. Thus, elements within Jewish society found the hardening authority, the profane habits, the wealth and perhaps the Hellenizing style of the Hasmoneans wholly unacceptable. The ruling family itself also fell prey to a war of succession, so, at the time of Pompey’s annexation of Syria, the door was wide open to a Roman intervention which had been long in the making. One of the rival Hasmoneans then remained in control of a reduced Jewish entity, and he was made subject to Roman taxation and to the Roman order. This was the political outcome, together with a divided population and substantial discontent. It would be left to the Idumaean Herod, in an inventive exploitation of the role of client king under Augustus, to reconstruct what the Hasmoneans had built, in the spirit of his own day and age.

There can be no doubt that the religious and social effects of these upheavals were lasting. Differing political reactions were reflected in division within the community and this division bore ample cultural and religious fruits, however painful it may have been. Already at the time of the struggle against Antiochus Epiphanes (Antiochus IV) we observe the existence of ideological groupings, with the promoters of Hellenism on the one hand, and the hasidim (the pious) who attached themselves to Judas but later left the cause, on the other.