Hasmoneans Era and its Impact on the Formation of Jewish Sects

Maccabean Revolt was a movement made by Jews who defeated Seleucid Emperors, successors of Alexander the Great, in Judea. Alexander pursued the expansion of Hellenistic culture to all of the lands under his dominance. Therefore he started to Hellenize lands like Persia, Asia Minor, India, Syria and Egypt, already conquered. After Alexander, one of the successors, Antiochus IV, attempted to replace Yahweh (Jewish God) with Hellenistic gods and religion, in addition to hellenizing the Jewish culture. Consequently, a group of Jews revolted to prevent the beliefs and thoughts of the Jewish nation being hellenized. This thesis aims at surveying various aspects of and viewpoints on this Jewish revolt as well as its impacts on the nation. A group of Jews called Hasidim, a part of the revolt, continued to support it up to Judah Maccabee^, s victory.  Maccabee^, s dynasty included the priest Mattathias and his sons, John, Judah, Eleazar, Jonathan and simon who leaded Jewish resistance against tyrant Seleucid emperors that were spreading Hellenistic faith in their land. Jews revolt resulted in their independence, The time period of 142 to 63 B.C is called Maccabean Era during Jews independence. An era through which various sects emerged, Pharisees and Sadducees being two of the most significant. The conflict between these two sects paved the way for Roman dominance, weakening their nearly a hundred-year- old rule. Ultimately in 63 B.C Pompey, a Roman general, captured a part of  Maccabean territory in Syria.