Hasmonean Jerusalem

Conservative Jews, the ones that liked being Jewish rebelled against Hellenism and this revolt was called Maccabean revolt. This revolt was led by Judas Maccabaeus. They attacked renegade Jews and gentiles villages in Palestine and Seleucids. They rebel against the other Jews and the Greeks. They rebelled against Hellenism. This revolt was successful. They succeeded by about 165-164 BCE. They regained the temple from the Seleucids and they reinstalled the priesthood and sacrificial system. They also established the holiday of Hanukah to commemorate their victory and self rule. There is proof of this from hasmonean coins.
The Hasmonean kingdom started with Judas Maccabaeus who led the rebellion and goes down to Hycraneus II and Aristobulus II. From 164-160 BCE to 67-63 BCE. Leaders were from the descendant of Hasmon, and they rebuilt on the lines of the first kings. They said that they were going to be temporary kings because they weren’t of the right line, but this never happened. The Hasmonean rulers become Hellenized, secular and corrupt. They never did give the power to the true king. They declared themselves king but also the high priest. They forced gentiles into Judaism and they were insensitive to Jewish religious traditions.
During this period Jerusalem became a great urban center. It was a center of religious life for the community. There was Hasmonean expansion on the wall on the temple mount, which is evidence of Hasmonean rule.
The Hasmonean dynasty continued centrality of Jerusalem. The Hasmoneans learned from Hezekiah and Josiah's and their religious reforms.They made Jerusalem the center which made it easier for them to control the people. Different Jewish sects were defined by how they viewed the temple. The Pharisees did not mind the temple, Saduccees were temple based, the Qumran thought the high priest and the temple were corrupt and the Christians believed that the temple would be destroyed. Defined based on how they viewed the temple. The Saducces were priestly aristocracy and the Pharisees were common priests. Hyrcanus II became king, and he favored the Pharisees. Aristobulus rebelled against Hyrcanus the II and liked the Sadducees. This constant fighting between sects became destructive that when the Romans came along led by Pompey that it was hard to fight and gave up Jerusalem.