JOHN HYRCANUS

(d. 104 bc), son and successor of Simon, ruler from 134 to 104 bc. The youngest son of Simon, he succeeded to his father's offices before his rivals could effectively claim them. John freed Judea from all Syrian influence and, in a series of military actions, expanded his domains to include the provinces of Idumaea and Samaria, parts of Galilee, and territories east of the Jordan River. He subsequently colonized these regions and converted large parts of the local populations to Judaism. John never proclaimed himself king, but he ruled over a court, designated himself high priest and leader of the Jewish commonwealth, and had coins struck with his name on them. He also was sympathetic to certain Greek ideas, even changing his sons' Hebrew names to Greek names. His departure from the purer ideals of the earlier Hasmonaeans antagonized the popular faction later known as the Pharisees, and thus he precipitated the factional religious strife that came to dominate the history of the Judean period. Nevertheless, the Jewish commonwealth attained its greatest prosperity during his reign.

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