Marriage prohibitions in the Hasmoneans’ dynastic politics

Abstract

The article describes the marriage prohibitions in the Hasmonean state’s dynastic policy (2–1 centuries BC). The Jewish rulers had a very strict approach in choosing a partner. The main criteria were ritual purity and good origin (by the Judaic norms), as well as belonging to the Jewish elite. During the last rulers of an independent state of the Hasmoneans (Aristobul II and Hyrkanus II) there was a transition to consanguineous marriages. One of the reasons is the influence of the Hellenistic tradition, in which such marriages are normal. In Judaism there are prohibitions on incest, but the Hasmoneans were able to meet the standards of Judaism (marriage with a cousin). Such a policy is an excellent example of the specificity of the Hasmonean dynasty: to follow the norms of Judaism, while being in the context of the common Hellenistic paradigm.