1. Josephus explains in The Jewish War that John was known as "Hyrcanus" but does not explain the reason behind this name.
23 Facts About John Hyrcanus
1. 2.
John Hyrcanus was the son of Simon Thassi and hence the nephew of Judas Maccabeus, Jonathan Apphus and their siblings, whose story is told in the deuterocanonical books of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees, in the Talmud, and in Josephus.
3.
John Hyrcanus was not present at a banquet at which his father and his two brothers were murdered by John Hyrcanus's brother-in-law, Ptolemy son of Abubus.
4.
John Hyrcanus attained his father's former offices of High Priest and ethnarch, but not king.
5.
Josephus said that John Hyrcanus had five sons but he named only four in his histories: Judah Aristobulus I, Antigonus I, Alexander Jannai, and Absalom.
6.
The prolonged siege caused John Hyrcanus to remove any Judean from the city who could not assist with the defence effort.
7.
Furthermore, John Hyrcanus was forced to accompany Antiochus on his eastern campaign in 130 BCE.
8.
John Hyrcanus probably functioned as the military commander of a Jewish company in the campaign.
9.
Therefore, at an early point in his 31-year reign, John Hyrcanus had lost support from Judeans in various cultural sectors.
10.
John Hyrcanus took advantage of unrest in the Seleucid Empire to reassert Judean independence and acquire new territories.
11.
John Hyrcanus determined to take advantage of the dissipation of the Seleucid Empire to enlarge the Judean State.
12.
The new army was funded with more treasure that John Hyrcanus removed from the Tomb of David.
13.
John Hyrcanus placed his sons Antigonus and Aristobulus in charge of the siege of Samaria.
14.
John Hyrcanus's first conquest was an invasion of the Transjordan in 110 BCE.
15.
John Hyrcanus then instituted forced conversions of the Idumeans to Judaism.
16.
On top of that, John Hyrcanus initiated vital building projects in Judea.
17.
John Hyrcanus built a fortress north of the Temple called the Baris and possibly the fortress Hyrcania.
18.
Also, an embassy sent by John Hyrcanus received Roman confirmation of Hasmonean independence.
19.
John Hyrcanus was an excellent case of a ruler backed by Roman support.
20.
The coins seem to suggest that John Hyrcanus considered himself to be primarily the High Priest of Judea, and his rule of Judea was shared with the Assembly.
21.
Ultimately, one of the final acts of John Hyrcanus's life was an act that solved any kind of dispute over his role as High Priest and ethnarch.
22.
John Hyrcanus's widow was given control of civil authority after his death, and his son Judas Aristobulus was given the role of High Priest.
23.
The Tomb of John Hyrcanus was, according to Josephus, located near the Towers' Pool northwest of the present Jaffa Gate.