The Hasmonean dynasty was a ruling dynasty in ancient Judea that emerged after the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. Founded by the Maccabees, a group of Jewish rebel warriors, the dynasty established an independent Jewish state and expanded its territory through military conquests and political alliances. The Hasmoneans ruled from 140 BCE until 37 BCE, when the dynasty fell to the Roman general Pompey. During their reign, they promoted Jewish culture and religion, and their rule is often associated with the celebration of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.