Judean Civil War

Judean Civil War
	Part of the Pharisee-Sadducee conflict
Date	93 BC-87 BC
Location	Judea
Result	See aftermath
Belligerents
Sadducees	Pharisees:; Seleucid Empire (89-88 BC)
Commanders and leaders
Alexander Jannaeus	Joshua ben Perachiah; Simeon ben Shetach; Demetrius III Eucaerus
Casualties and losses
Unknown	800 executed

The Judean Civil War was a conflict between King

Great Sanhedrin at the time. Alexander was supported by the minority Sadducees, while the Pharisees under Nasi Joshua ben Perachiah were briefly backed by the Seleucid Empire

.

Background

The civil war began after a decade of expansionist military campaigns by Alexander, whose dual role as both

Nabateans in the Battle of Gadara in 93 BC, Alexander returned to Jerusalem to officiate the festival of Sukkot. He demonstrated his displeasure against the Pharisees by refusing to perform the water libation ceremony properly; instead of pouring it on the altar, he poured it on his feet. The crowd was shocked at his mockery and showed their displeasure by pelting him with etrogim (citrons). Outraged, he ordered soldiers to kill those who insulted him, which led to the massacre of six thousand people in the temple courtyard. With further frustration, Alexander had wooden barriers built around the temple and the court with the sacrificial altar, to which only priests had access. This incident during the Feast of Tabernacles was a major factor leading up to the Judean Civil War by igniting popular opposition against Alexander.^[1]

War

After Alexander succeeded early in the war, the rebels relocated to Sepphoris, in the heavily pro-Pharisee region of Galilee, and appealed for Seleucid assistance. Judean insurgents joined forces with Demetrius III Eucaerus to fight against Alexander. Alexander had gathered six thousand two hundred mercenaries and twenty thousand Jews for battle, while Demetrius had forty thousand soldiers and three thousand horses. There were attempts from both sides to persuade each other to abandon their positions, but they were unsuccessful. The Seleucid forces defeated Alexander at Shechem, and all of Alexander's mercenaries were killed in battle. This defeat forced Alexander to take refuge in the mountains. In sympathy for Alexander, six thousand Judean rebels ultimately returned to him. Demetrius withdrew in fear upon hearing this news. Nevertheless, the war between Alexander and the rebels who returned to him continued. They fought until Alexander achieved victory. Most of the rebels died in battle, while the remaining rebels fled to the city of Bethoma until they were defeated.^[2]

Aftermath

Alexander brought the surviving rebels back to Jerusalem, where he had eight hundred Jews, primarily Pharisees, crucified. Before their deaths, Alexander had the rebels' wives and children executed before their eyes as he ate with his concubines. Alexander later returned the land he had seized from the Nabateans to have them end their support for the Jewish rebels. The remaining rebels, who numbered eight thousand, fled by night in fear of Alexander.^[3]

However, Alexander's military victory failed to translate into a political one. In 87 BC, Alexander's queen,

Queen Regnant of Judea, and assassinations of Sadducee leaders who had served in the civil war became common. These retributions would later contribute to the Hasmonean Civil War

.