MAC'CABEES. The name given to a Jewish family of great prominence B.C. 167-37. The surname Naecabfeus properly belongs only to the most prominent representative of the family, Judas, and in the Books of the Maccabees is given to him alone. From him the designation was applied to other members of the family. The common interpretation of Maceaba•us as 'the hammerer' is open to objection, and there is no proof that it was given to Judas because of valor. The family are also called Asmoneans or Easmoneans, from the name of an ancestor. The Slaeeabees first come into prominence in con nection with the attempt of Antioehus IV., Epiphanes (u.c. 175-164), to crush out by force the rites of the Jewish religion and substitute the Creek cult therefor. (See Jews.) Every village in Palestine was required to set up an altar to the Greek gods and sacrifices were of fered daily. At this juncture the aged priest Mattathias, with his five sons, Joehanan, Simon, Judah (Judas), Eleazar. and Jonathan, placed
themselves in opposition to the King's policy. At the beginning of the trouble Mattathias was residing at Modin, a town about eighteen miles northwest of Jerusalem. When ordered to offer the first heathen sacrifice he resolutely refused. ApeIles, a Syrian captain, endeavored to induce him by tempting promises to relinquish his faith and embrace the Greek religion. He answered by slaying with his own hand the first renegade Jew who approached the altar of idolatry and by pulling down the altar. The sons of Matta thins, with a handful of faithful men, rose against the national foe and fled to the moun tains, where they raised the standard of rebel lion. Mattathias died n.c. 166, and Judas became the leader of the patriots. For subsequent events, see the articles on the different members of the