Editing Second Temple (section)

=== Hasmonean dynasty and Roman conquest ===
There is some evidence from archaeology that further changes to the structure of the Temple and its surroundings were made during the Hasmonean rule. [[Salome Alexandra]], the queen of the Hasmonean Kingdom appointed her elder son [[Hyrcanus II]] as the [[High Priest of Israel|high priest of Judaea]]. Her younger son [[Aristobulus II]] was determined to have the throne, and as soon as she died he seized the throne. Hyrcanus, who was next in the succession, agreed to be content with being high priest. [[Antipater the Idumaean|Antipater]], the governor of Idumæa, encouraged Hyrcanus not to give up his throne. Eventually, Hyrcanus fled to [[Aretas III]], king of the [[Nabateans]], and returned with an army to take back the throne. He defeated Aristobulus and besieged Jerusalem. The [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] general [[Pompey]], who was in Syria fighting against the [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenians]] in the [[Third Mithridatic War]], sent his lieutenant to investigate the conflict in Judaea. Both Hyrcanus and Aristobulus appealed to him for support. Pompey was not diligent in making a decision about this, which caused Aristobulus to march off. He was pursued by Pompey and surrendered but his followers closed Jerusalem to Pompey's forces. The Romans [[Siege of Jerusalem (63 BC)|besieged]] and took the city in 63 BCE. The priests continued with the religious practices inside the Temple during the siege. The temple was not looted or harmed by the Romans. Pompey himself, perhaps inadvertently, went into the [[Holy of Holies]] and the next day ordered the priests to repurify the Temple and resume the religious practices.<ref name="Lester2010">{{cite book |author=Lester L. Grabbe |author-link=Lester L. Grabbe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i89-9fdNUcAC&pg=PA20 |title=An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism: History and Religion of the Jews in the Time of Nehemiah, the Maccabees, Hillel, and Jesus |publisher=[[A&C Black]] |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-567-55248-8 |pages=19–20, 26–29 |access-date=2015-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830021831/https://books.google.com/books?id=i89-9fdNUcAC&pg=PA20 |archive-date=2023-08-30 |url-status=live}}</ref>