ASMONÆANS, a name given to the Maccabees, the descendants of Mattathias. Authors are not agreed concerning the original of this term. Some are of opinion that it was derived from the Town of Assamon1, situated in the Tribe of Judah; from whence their family originally might come. Noldius has conjectured, that they took this name from Mount Asamon, spoken of by Josephus2, which he places in the midst of Galilee, near Sephoris. Kimchi maintains3, that this was a title of honour given to Mattathias, and passed from him to his descendants. Chaschmanim signifies in Hebrew, Princes. 1 Kings vi. 7. Josh. xv. 17.Josephus4 advances something which seems to be more probable, and his opinion is more generally followed. He informs us, that Mattathias was the Son of John, the Grandson of Simon, and great Grandson of Asmonæus. Besides, he seems to make Mattathias come immediately from Asmonæus5; whereas others make him the Son of John, and Grandson of Hesenai. The family of the Asmonæans6 became very illustrious in the latter times of the Hebrew Commonwealth; it was the support both of the Religion and Liberty of the Jews; and was possess’d of the supreme Authority from Mattathias to the reign of Herod the Great; for the space of about an hundred and eight and twenty years. See Maccabees, and the catalogue of the Asmonæan Princes, under the Article KINGS OF THE JEWS.
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Footnotes
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Druf. Præfat. in 1 Macc. ↩
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Joseph. de Bello, l. ii. c. 23. ↩
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Kimchi ad Psalm. lxviii. 32. ↩
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Antiq. l. xii. c. 8. ↩
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De Bello, l. i. c. 1. ↩
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Translators’ note. It is no where said whether the Asmonæans were of the race of Jozadack, in whose family the office of High Priest continued in a lineal descent till Alcimus was promoted to this dignity. This is certain of the Asmonæans, that they were of the course of Joarib, which was the first class of the Sons of Aaron; and therefore upon the failure of the for- mer Pontifical Family (which had then happened by the flight of Onias the Son of Onias into Egypt) they had the best right then to succeed. And with this right Jonathan took the Office, when nominated to it by the King then reigning in Syria, and also elected thereto by the general suffrage of all the people of the land. Prid. Connect. &c. Part II. Book IV. ↩