Idumaea; Idumaeans
LocationsGeographical Setting
Idumaea was the Hellenistic and Roman name for the region of Edom, located south of Judea, inhabited by the Idumeans, a people of Edomite origin who were forcibly converted to Judaism under Hasmonean rule.
What is the meaning of Idumaea; Idumaeans in the Bible?
Idumaea denotes the territory of the Idumeans, the descendants of the biblical Edomites, who inhabited the region south of Judea from the Iron Age through the Roman period.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding Idumaea clarifies the geopolitical landscape of the Second Temple period, explaining the presence of a distinct, semi-autonomous population with Edomite roots that interacted frequently with Judean leadership and influenced the political dynamics of the era.
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.