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Maccabees in Smith's Bible Dictionary

- Maccabees(a hammer), The. This title, which was originally the surname of Judas, one of the sons of Mattathias, was afterward extended to the heroic family of which he was one of the noblest representatives. Asmonaeans or Hasmonaeans is the Proper name of the family, which is derived from Cashmon, great grandfather of Mattathias. The Maccabees we...

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Antigonus I Monophthalmus (one eye) 382-301 BC

Antigonus I Monophthalmus (one-eyed) was one of Alexander the Great's most important generals, and one of the most able of his successors. He came closer than any of his colleagues to reuniting Alexander's empire during the wars of the Diadochi (successors), eventually falling to a coalition that saw most of his fellow successors unite against him....

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Antipater

The story of Antipater's life is virtually the story of Macedonia itself. He was an indispensable part of the glorious reigns of both Philip and Alexander and witnessed the rise of his homeland from a backwater to the greatest power in the world. He was born at the very beginning of the fourth century, probably in 398 BC Over fifteen years older th...

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Who Was Judah Maccabee Anyway?

by Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf. Close your eyes and picture Arnold Schwartzenegger: His Uzi has just jammed, he's got one arm in a sling, he's about to take on 300 bad guys all at once - and he's wearing a yarmulka. That's who Judah Maccabee was! Two thousand years ago, one family led by one man stood between the mighty Greek army and the conquest of the...

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Ptolemy I

Period of Alexander the Great - General of Alexander - Founder of the Great Library of Alexandria. Ptolemy was one of Alexander the Great's boyhood friends and became one of his most trusted generals. He played a principal part in the campaigns of Alexander in Afghanistan and India.When Alexander the Great died Ptolemy took charge of one third of a...

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