Traces of Conflict: An Archaeological Perspective on the Hasmonean–Herodian Transition (63–37 BCE)

The transition from Hasmonean rule to Herod’s regime sparked significant unrest among the Jewish population of Judea. Over the course of these two and a half decades, five distinct conflicts occurred between Aristobulus II and his sons on one side, and Hyrcanus II and the House of Antipater on the other. Although these events are thoroughly recounted by Josephus, relatively few archaeological finds have been linked to the conflicts of this period. This study surveys the available material evidence and evaluates its historical implications. The core dataset includes numismatic finds (hoards, Antigonus and early Herodian coinage), hiding complexes, and refuge caves. Two additional, though less conclusive, categories—siege systems around Hasmonean fortresses and indications of site abandonment—are also examined. The distribution and context of these finds not only lend support to Josephus’s account but also potentially indicating that resistance to the rise of the Antipatrid regime may have been more widespread than is reflected in his pro-Herodian narrative.