Power Struggles in the Hasmonean Dynasty

This chapter critically examines the Pharisees' role during the Hasmonean dynasty, highlighting their opposition to corrupt rulers and their resilience after the dynasty's fall. It explores key figures, military conquests, and the political tensions that shaped Judea's landscape, culminating in Roman intervention and the subsequent rise of the Sadducees under Herod the Great. The narrative captures the brutal power struggles, familial betrayals, and ideological conflicts that defined this tumultuous period in Jewish history.