Given Hebrew name: Jehudah
(Judah; Greek: Judas)
Fifth Hasmonean
priest to rule Judea & first to
claim the title of "king" [basileus]. The eldest
son of Johanan
Hyrcanus was a ruthless
warrior, who imprisoned his own kin to prevent rivals. He extended Jerusalem's
control further north than since 950 BCE. He conquered Syrian
strongholds at Samaria
& Scythopolis. After his father's death, he wrested control of Galilee
from the Itureans [Lebanese] & forced the inhabitants to accept
"the laws of the Judeans." His brief turbulent reign was
terminated by his death from some painful disease. He was succeeded by his
brother, Alexander Jannai.
References:
Josephus,
Antiquities
13.276-277,
301-323.
_____, War
1.64-85.
Other online
resources: