The
Hasmonean dynasty (
(audio]; ,
Roman. Ḥashmona'im) was the ruling dynasty of
Judea and surrounding regions during
Classical antiquity. Between and
BC, the dynasty ruled semi-autonomously from the
Seleucids in the region of
Judea. From 110 BC, with the
Seleucid empire disintegrating, the dynasty became fully independent, expanded into the neighbouring regions of
Samaria,
Galilee,
Iturea,
Perea, and
Idumea, and took the title "
basileus". Some modern scholars refer to this period as an independent kingdom of
Israel. In 63 BC, the kingdom was conquered by the
Roman Republic, broken up and set up as a Roman
client state. The Kingdom had survived for 103 years before yielding to the
Herodian Dynasty in 37 BC. Even then,
Herod the Great tried to bolster the legitimacy of his reign by marrying a Hasmonean princess,
Mariamne, and planning to drown the last male Hasmonean heir at his
Jericho palace.
