Simon Thassi
High Priest and Ruler
Hasmonean Judea
The last son of Mattathias, who brought peace to Judea as high priest and ruler, honored by his people.
“Each sat under his own vine and fig tree, and there was none to make them afraid.” — 1 Maccabees 14:12Talk with Simon Thassi
The story of Simon Thassi
Simon was a son of the priest Mattathias, who on his deathbed told his sons to listen to Simon as a man of wise counsel. After his brothers Judas and Jonathan were killed, Simon encouraged the frightened people and took up leadership himself.
Under Simon, Judea gained independence from the Seleucid kingdom. He captured the citadel in Jerusalem, strengthened the land, and made the roads safe. First Maccabees 14 praises his rule with a poem saying each person sat under his own vine and fig tree.
Grateful, the people inscribed bronze tablets naming Simon high priest and leader. Yet his life ended in tragedy: his son-in-law Ptolemy invited him to a banquet near Jericho and murdered him. His son John Hyrcanus succeeded him.
Key passages
1 Maccabees 2:65
Mattathias tells his sons that Simon is a man of wise counsel.
1 Maccabees 13:1–9
Simon encourages the people and takes up leadership.
1 Maccabees 14:4–15
A poem praising the peace and prosperity of Simon's rule.
1 Maccabees 16:11–17
Simon is betrayed and killed at a banquet by Ptolemy.
Key books
- 1 Maccabees
Questions you can ask
- “How did you bring peace to Judea?”
- “What did your father Mattathias teach you?”
- “What makes a faithful leader?”
Common questions
Who was Simon Maccabeus?
Simon, called Thassi, was the last surviving son of Mattathias. He led Judea to independence and served as high priest, as told in 1 Maccabees.
What is Simon known for?
He brought a period of peace and independence to Judea, celebrated in 1 Maccabees 14.
Is this Simon Peter?
No. Simon Maccabeus lived about 150 years before Jesus and is a different person from the apostle Simon Peter.