Editing Hasmonean dynasty (section)

===Pompey the Great===
[[File:Pompée dans le Temple de Jérusalem.jpg|thumb|''Pompey in the Temple of Jerusalem'', by [[Jean Fouquet]]]]
While this civil war was going on, the Roman general [[Marcus Aemilius Scaurus (praetor 56 BCE)|Marcus Aemilius Scaurus]] went to Syria to take possession of the kingdom of the [[Seleucids]], in the name of [[Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus]]. Each of the brothers appealed to him through gifts and promises: Scaurus, moved by a gift of four hundred talents, decided in favour of Aristobulus; Aretas was ordered to withdraw his army from Judea and while retreating suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Aristobulus himself.

But the situation changed when Pompey, who had just been awarded the title "Conqueror of Asia" due to his decisive victories in Asia Minor over [[Kingdom of Pontus|Pontus]] and the Seleucid Empire, came to Syria (63 BC) having decided to bring Judea under the rule of the Romans. The two brothers, as well as a third party which, weary of Hasmonean quarrels, desired the extinction of the dynasty, sent delegates to Pompey; who delayed the decision and eventually, in spite of Aristobulus' gift of a golden vine valued at five hundred talents, decided that Hyrcanus II would had made a more acceptable ward of Rome than his brother. 
Aristobulus fathomed the designs of Pompey and assembled his armies; but Pompey was able to defeat him multiple times and capture his cities, so he entrenched himself in the fortress of [[Alexandrium]]. 
Soon realising the futility of resistance however, he surrendered at the first summons of the Romans, and decided to deliver Jerusalem to them. Despite this, the patriots were not willing to open their gates to the Romans, and a [[Siege of Jerusalem (63 BC)|siege]] ensued which ended in the capture of the city. Aristobulus was taken to Rome a prisoner, but Hyrcanus II was reappointed only to the office of High Priest, without actual political authority, factually ending the Hasmoean rule of the area and jewish independence with it.

Pompey entered the [[Holy of Holies]] (this was only the second time that someone had dared to penetrate into this sacred spot) [[Iudaea Province|Judaea]] had to pay tribute to Rome and was placed under the supervision of the Roman governor of Syria: <blockquote>In 63 BC, Judaea became a protectorate of Rome. Coming under the administration of a governor, Judaea was allowed a king; the governor's business was to regulate trade and maximise tax revenue.<ref>Hooker, Richard. {{cite web|title=The Hebrews: The Diaspora|url=http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/HEBREWS/HEBREWS.HTM|access-date=2006-01-08|archive-date=29 August 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060829230214/http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/HEBREWS/HEBREWS.HTM|url-status=dead}} World Civilizations Learning Modules. Washington State University, 1999.</ref></blockquote>

In 57&ndash;55 BC, [[Aulus Gabinius]], proconsul of [[Roman Syria#Provincia Syria|Syria]], split the former Hasmonean Kingdom into Galilee, Samaria, and Judea, with five districts of legal and religious councils known as ''sanhedrin'' (Greek: συνέδριον, "synedrion"): "And when he had ordained five councils (συνέδρια), he distributed the nation into the same number of parts. So these councils governed the people; the first was at Jerusalem, the second at [[Umm Qais|Gadara]], the third at Amathus, the fourth at [[Jericho]], and the fifth at [[Sepphoris]] in Galilee."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0146&redirect=true|title=Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 1, Whiston chapter pr.|website=perseus.tufts.edu}}</ref><ref>"Josephus uses συνέδριον for the first time in connection with the decree of the Roman governor of Syria, Gabinius (57 BCE), who abolished the constitution and the then existing form of government of Palestine and divided the country into five provinces, at the head of each of which a sanhedrin was placed ("Ant." xiv 5, § 4)." via [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=229&letter=S&search=Gabinius Jewish Encyclopedia: Sanhedrin]</ref>