Ii from Alexander the Great to Ad 70

The Seleucids had always been much more missionary-hearted in their Hellenism than the Ptolemies. They founded large num 'On the relations between the Palestinian Jews and the Jews in Egypt (and particularly in Alexandria) see Art. JEWS.

hers of Greek cities and regarded themselves as ardent patrons and supporters of Greek city life. The immediate successors of Antiochus the Great found themselves crippled by the tremen dous war-indemnity he had agreed to pay the Romans after his disastrous defeat at Magnesia (190 B.c.). The next king but one, Antiochus IV., Epiphanes (175-164 B.c.), seems to have cherished two great ambitions : one to conquer Egypt, and the other to weld together his dominion into a real cultural unity. When the Romans finally put an end to the first (Dan. xi. 3o; Polybius xxix. I I) he threw himself all the more zealously into the second. His empire should have one religion, or at least it should unite in the worship of the deity manifest (Epiphanes is short for Theos Epiphanes, the god manifest) in himself ; viz., Zeus. This was by no means a complete innovation. Antiochus II. (262-246 B.C.) had called himself Theos. But no king hitherto had taken the matter so seriously, and enforced a cult throughout his dominions.

Jewish Revolt.

Antiochus met with resistance nowhere but in Palestine. Here the process of Hellenization had been proceed ing apace ; but when an altar to Zeus was erected on the great altar in the Temple' and all observance of the law forbidden by the Seleucid authorities in a deliberate attempt to uproot the Jews' superstition (Tacitus) a great wave of resistance—resis tance at first passive' and then active and intense—swept over the country. Judas, the third son of an aged priest named Matta thias, proved himself to be a very capable leader, and became known as Maccabaeus (probably the Hammer). He carried on a successful guerilla warfare by means of surprises, rapid marches, and night attacks ; and at length managed to force his way to the Temple which he had cleansed and re-dedicated on 25 Chislev (December) 165 B.C., exactly three years (according to I. Macca bees) after the setting up of the "'abomination that maketh deso late" (Dan. xi. 31) and the first sacrifice to Zeus.

After a series of little engagements—the size of the forces in volved is greatly exaggerated in both I. and II. Macc.—the

Seleucid government, having its hands full nearer home, came to terms with the insurgents and granted them religious liberty (163 B.c.). Menelaus, the high priest, being now dead (II. Macc. xiii. 7), Alcimus of the true Aaronite stock, but an ardent Hellen izer, was set up in his place. The most pious section of Judas's followers accepted him at first, but were soon scandalized by his behaviour and with Judas again at their head offered him strenu ous opposition. A considerable force under a general called Nicanor was sent to reinforce his dwindling supporters; but it was signally defeated by Judas, and Nicanor himself killed.

The Maccabaean Priest-Princes.

At length the Seleucid government took matters seriously in hand and Judas himself fell fighting against great odds at Elasa (161 B.c.). Again, how ever, domestic embarrassments at Antioch prevented the central authorities from making a final settlement of the country. This happened time after time during the rest of the century. A succession of rival claimants to the throne appeared, and by playing them off one against another, Judas's brothers and their successors gained various concessions and opportunities to pro ceed on razzias and small wars of conquest on their own account.

Rome, meanwhile, whose influence and interest in the nearer East was steadily growing, connived, and even approved. (I. Macc. viii.). The gradual extension of Jewish territory is shown on the accompanying maps.

Jonathan (161-143 B.c.) put on the holy garments of the high priest in 153 B.C. (I. Macc. x. 21), and soon after the accession of his brother Simon (143-135 B.c.) the high-priesthood was 'The sacrifice to Zeus was offered presumably by the Jewish high priest, Menelaus, who was not improbably a member of the Tobias family. Onias III. of the regular high-priestly family, a conscientious opponent of Hellenization, had been ousted from office and assassi nated some time previously ; and his son Onias IV., in despair, had fled to Egypt—very likely the family had all along been in league with Egypt—where he founded a new temple to Jehovah at Leontopolis (c. 15o B.c.).