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Land of Palestine Under the Maccabees

175 B.C. - Antiochus IV Epiphanes becomes ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. In an effort to unify the Greek elements of his empire, he begins campaign to force the Greek culture onto Judea.

167 B.C. - A Jewish priest, Mattathias, starts a revolt against the Seleucid overlords of Judea by refusing to worship the Greek gods. Mattathias dies about a year later. One of his five sons, Judas, becomes military chief of the rebellion. Judas would later be known as Judas Maccabaeus (or Judah the Maccabee), which translated means "Judah the Hammer." Judas was called "the hammer" as recognition of his ferocity in battle.

164 B.C. - Judas Maccabeus leads an army of Jewish dissidents to victory over the Seleucids. After the victory, he enters Jerusalem in triumph and religiously cleanses the Temple (which had been profaned by the pagan Seleucids). On the twenty-fifth day of the Jewish month Kislev the Temple was re-dedicated. Supposedly, only one day's supply of oil was available to burn in the candelabrum (holder for one or more candles) and it miraculously lasted for eight days. In commemoration of this event Jews celebrate Hanukkah each year.

160 B.C. - Judas Maccabeus dies in battle. Two of Judas' brothers continue the war to gain Judea's independence.

147 B.C. - Judea gains independence.

63 B.C. - Roman troops, led by Pompeius, occupy Palestine (Judea). Fall of Jerusalem.

37 B.C. - Herod the Great is appointed ruler of Judea by Rome.

There were originally five books of the Maccabees. The first contains a history of the war of independence, commencing (175 B.C.) in a series of patriotic struggles against the tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes, and terminating 135 B.C.. It became part of the Vulgate Version of the Bible, and was thus retained among the Apocrypha.

The second gives a history of the Maccabees' struggle from 176 to 161 B.C.. Its object is to encourage and admonish the Jews to be faithful to the religion of their fathers.

The third does not hold a place in the Apocrypha, but is read in the Greek Church. Its design is to comfort the Alexandrian Jews in their persecution. Its writer was evidently an Alexandrian Jew.

The fourth was found in the Library of Lyons, but was afterwards burned. The fifth contains a history of the Jews from 184 to 86 B.C.. It is a compilation made by a Jew after the destruction of Jerusalem, from ancient memoirs, to which he had access. It need scarcely be added that none of these books has any divine authority.