The revolt of the Jewish people in response to Antiochus IV Epiphanes's attempt to impose his Hellenistic policies on Judea, including the proscription of male circumcision and the worship of pagan gods and pagan sacrifices on the altar in Jerusalem. Led by an old priest from the village of Modiin, Mattathias ben Hasmon, the revolt succeeded in regaining the Temple and restoration of Jewish worship there in 164 BC, an event commemorated since then in the festival of Hanukkah or 'Dedication' (Jn 10:22). Not satisfied with just religious liberty, the Jews continued their revolt against the Seleucids until political independence of Judea was secured in 160 BC. The name derives from Ha-Makabi, "the Hammer," the nickname of Judas, the most outstanding of Mattathias's sons and one-time leader of the revolt.
The Maccabean Revolt resulted in the Hasmoneans taking the pride of place, first as high-priests of the restored Second Temple, and then later as kings; the dynasty ruled Judea for about a century before a dispute between two brothers led them to seek Roman help and eventual imposition of Roman control of the land in 63 BC.
The story of the revolt—from the rise of Antiochus Epiphanes to the eventual victory of the Jews—is found primarily in the apocryphal books of 1 Maccabees 1-4, 2 Maccabees 4-11, and summarized in Josephus's Jewish Wars i.1.1-4 and The Antiquities Book XII.5-7.
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