Person

John Hyrcanus

d. 104 BCE · 2nd century BCE · Also known as Hyrcanus I

John Hyrcanus was Hasmonean high priest and ruler of Judea from 134 to 104 BCE, son of Simon Thassi. Taking advantage of Seleucid decline, he conquered Idumaea and forced its people to adopt Judaism, and destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim. His reign marked the Hasmonean state's emergence as an independent regional power.

John Hyrcanus
Image: Georges Reverdy · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Hasmonean Kingdom

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). John Hyrcanus. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/john-hyrcanus
MLA
“John Hyrcanus.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/john-hyrcanus. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “John Hyrcanus.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/john-hyrcanus.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘John Hyrcanus’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/john-hyrcanus (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻