Who were they?
A priestly–aristocratic party centered on Jerusalem’s Temple and high-priestly leadership. Think “Temple administrators, landowners, and elite families” rather than a popular lay movement.
Where did they come from?
They rose to prominence in the Hasmonean period (2nd–1st century BCE), when priest-kings ruled Judea. Their base was the Temple, and many high priests came from Sadducean families. [1][2]