MACCABEES

Jewish family, who led patriotic revolt against Antiochus Epi- - phanes and his succe ors. Chief member, Judas (d. 160 B. C.), s. of the priest Followers of Judas called themselves - over A poll on i us near Samaria, over Seron at Be thoron, and over Ptolemy, Nicanor, and Gorgias; entered Jerusalem, purified * temple and restored religion, 164. His bro. Jonathan, high priest, continued - contest, expelling Syrians from Palestine, till death, 144. Remaining bro. Simon, also high priest, with aid of his sons and Roman alliance, freed Judeea from Syria. cabees contains Jewish history, 175-135 B.C. (i.e.) from the reign of Antiochus _ Epiphanes to death of Simon, main source for this period—the life and death struggle of Jewish nationalism against Hellenizing tendencies; dates probably from 100-80 B.C. (po ibly earlier), and is the work of a Palestinian Jew; original language Hebrew or Aramaic. II. Maccabees gives history from 176-161 B.C., thus covering some of the ground of I. Maccabees, but with additional matter. It is fuller of the supernatural and generally le hist. and more didactic; written probably I. oh. C. Serta Mz. iven to other 2 ‘books Bice not in & our regular Apocrypha. III. Maccabees, an _ hist. remains of _ Jewish persecution dealing with II. cent. B. C., written I. cent. B. C. orl. A. D. Maccabees, religious work of no hist. IV. value, written about time of Christ. V. Maccabees, an Arabic compilation.