Modi'in (ancient city)

Modi’in, also known as Modi’im and Modein, was an ancient Jewish city located in Judea, near the modern city of Modi'in, State of Israel. It was first mentioned in the Books of Maccabees. It was the hometown of the priestly Hasmonean family, who assumed leadership over Judea following the victorious Maccabean uprising.

Modi’in was known in ancient times for housing the mausoleum of the Hasmonean family, commonly referred to as the Tomb of the Maccabees. This monumental structure, erected in the 2nd century BC by Simon Thassi, is described in both the Book of Maccabees and the writings of Josephus. During the Byzantine period, Eusebius noted its continued existence. However, its remains were lost over time.

The precise geographical location of Modi’in remains a subject of scholarly dispute, with various proposed sites including Tell er-Ras near al-Midya, Givat HaTitora, Umm el-Umdan, and Khirbet Midya, all located in the vicinity of the modern city of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, which takes its name from the ancient city. The remnants of the Hasmonean mausoleum, previously associated with various sites now believed to belong to the Byzantine period, are still undiscovered.