Simon Thassi

File:Hasmonean dynasty family tree.svg

The name "Thassi" has a connotation of "the Wise", a title which can also mean "the Director", "the Guide", "the Man of Counsel", and "the Zealous".International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, [http://net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=Thassi Thassi], accessed 6 January 2021{{Cite web|url=http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/102978/jewish/The-Story-of-Chanukah.htm|title=The Story of Chanukah|website=www.chabad.org|access-date=2016-12-11}} This Simon is also sometimes distinguished as {{nowrap|Simon the Hasmonean}}, {{nowrap|Simon Maccabee}}, or (from Latin) {{nowrap|Simon Maccabeus}}.

File:Judea Simon Makk.PNG

Simon took a prominent part in the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid Empire led by his brothers, Judas Maccabaeus and Jonathan Apphus. The successes of the Jews rendered it expedient for the Seleucid leaders in Syria to show them special favour. Therefore, Antiochus VI appointed Simon strategos, or military commander, of the coastal region stretching from the Ladder of Tyre to Egypt. As strategos, Simon gained control of the cities of Beth-zur and Joppa, garrisoning them with Jewish troops, and built the fortress of Adida.{{Cite Jewish Encyclopedia|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13746-simon-maccabeus |title=Simon Maccabeus}}

After the capture of Jonathan by the Seleucid general Diodotus Tryphon, Simon was elected leader by the people, assembled at Jerusalem. He at once completed the fortification of the capital, and made Joppa secure.{{Bibleverse|1|Maccabees|13:8-13:11|KJV}}[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2848/2848-h/2848-h.htm#link132HCH0006 Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Bk. 13, Ch. 6, § 4].

At Hadid he blocked the advance of Tryphon, who was attempting to enter the country and seize the throne of Syria. Realizing he could gain nothing by force, Tryphon demanded a ransom for Jonathan and for the release of Jonathan's sons as hostages. Although Simon was aware that Tryphon would deceive him, both Josephus and 1 Maccabees state that he acceded to both demands so that the people might see that he had done everything possible for his brother. Jonathan was nevertheless treacherously assassinated, and the hostages were not returned. Simon thus became the sole leader of the people.

As an opponent of Diodotus Tryphon, Simon decided to side with the Seleucid king, Demetrius II, to whom he sent a deputation requesting freedom from taxation for the country. The fact that his request was granted implied recognition of the political independence of Judea.

He became the first prince of the Hebrew Hasmonean dynasty. He reigned from 142 to 135{{nbsp}}{{sc|bc}}.

The Hasmonean dynasty was established by a resolution, adopted in 141{{nbsp}}{{sc|bc}} at a large assembly "of the priests and the people and of the elders of the land, to the effect that Simon should be their leader and high priest forever, until there should arise a faithful prophet".{{Bibleverse|1|Maccabees|14:41|KJV}} Recognition of the new dynasty by the Roman Republic was accorded by the Senate about 139{{nbsp}}{{sc|bc}}, when the delegation representing Simon was in Rome. Simon had made the Jewish people semi-independent of the Seleucid Empire.

In February 135{{nbsp}}{{sc|bc}},{{cite book |title=The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies |last=Rogerson |first=J. W. |year=2006 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=9780199254255 |quote=Simon Maccabee was killed by a Jewish rival in 135{{nbsp}}{{sc|bc}}, the last of the Maccabees to 'die with his boots on', and his son John Hyrcanus (I) took over. Under Hyrcanus (135–104{{nbsp}}{{sc|bc}}) Jewish independence was finally achieved |page=292}} Simon and his two sons Mattathias and Judah were assassinated at a banquet at Dok by his son-in-law Ptolemy, the Seleucid governor at Jericho. Simon's third son John Hyrcanus succeeded him as high priest and ruler of Judea but was unable to capture Ptolemy, initially because the latter held John's mother hostage, and subsequently because his army disbanded in observance of the custom at the time of resting every seventh year.

Simon (and its Hebrew form, Simeon) would go on to become the most popular male name for some three centuries afterward in both the Hasmonean Kingdom and Roman Judea. This was both to honor a Jewish hero who had attained independence for the Jewish state, as well as because "Simon" did not sound artificial or strange to Greek ears.{{cite book |last=Hengel |first=Martin |authorlink=Martin Hengel |title=Judentum und Hellenismus: Studien zu ihrer Begegnung unter besonderen Berücksichtigung Palästinas bis zur Mitte des 2. Jahrhunderts vor Christus |trans-title=Judaism and Hellenism : Studies in Their Encounter in Palestine During the Early Hellenistic Period |edition= 1st English |location=London |publisher=SCM Press |date=1974 |orig-date=1973 |page=64 }}Ilan, Tal (2002) Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity: Palestine 330 BCE–200 CE (Texts & Studies in Ancient Judaism, 91), Coronet Books, pp. 56–57; Hachili, R. "Hebrew Names, Personal Names, Family Names and Nicknames of Jews in the Second Temple Period," in J. W. van Henten and A. Brenner, eds., Families and Family Relations as Represented in Early Judaism and Early Christianity (STAR 2; Leiden:Deo, 2000), pp. 113–115; apud {{cite book| last=Bauckham| first= Richard |title =Jesus and the Eyewitnesses | edition = 2nd | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing | year = 2017 | isbn = 9780802874313 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=J2lAvgAACAAJ | pages =68–72 }} Quote (p. 71): 15.6% of men bore one of the two most popular male names, Simon and Joseph; (p. 72): for the Gospels and Acts... 18.2% of men bore one of the two most popular male names, Simon and Joseph.

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Category:2nd-century BCE high priests of Israel

Category:2nd-century BC Hasmonean monarchs

Category:Founding monarchs in Asia

Category:Maccabees

Category:People in the deuterocanonical books

Category:2nd-century BC murdered monarchs

Category:Assassinated religious leaders

Category:Year of birth unknown

Category:135 BC deaths