ASMONEAN DYNASTY.
This government was founded by a priest named Mattathias, who had five sons named respectively:—John, Simon, Judas, Eleazar, and Jonathan. The dynasty lasted 130 years and was succeeded by the Idumean dynasty of Herod the Great. The dates here given result from a geometric plotting of the facts given by Josephus and the books of the Maccabees.
| Mattathias began to rule in | B.C. | 167 |
| Judas Maccabeus began to rule in | ” | 166 |
| The feast of lights instituted November 26th | ” | 165 |
| Alcimus, high priest | ” | 162 |
| 7 years interregnum | ” | 159 |
| Jonathan Maccabeus | ” | 152 |
| Simon made governor | ” | 145 |
| Simon Maccabeus | ” | 143 |
| Temple cleansed May 4th | ” | 141 |
| John Hyrcanus | ” | 135 |
| Judas Aristobulus, king | ” | 105 |
| Alexander Janneus | ” | 104 |
| Queen Alexandra | ” | 76 |
| Hyrcanus II. | ” | 67 |
| Aristobulus | ” | 67 |
| Hyrcanus II. | ” | 63 |
| Antigonus | ” | 40 |
| Antigonus put to death | ” | 37 |