Maccabees in Biblical History

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Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
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Who are the Maccabees?
THE FAMILY OF THE MACCABEES
The proper name of this family was "Asmonaeans" or "Hasmonaeans," from Chasmon, the great-grandfather of Mattathias "of the sons of Jehoiarib." 1 Chr 24:7. "Maccabaeus" was a surname originally given to Judas, one of the sons of Mattathias, and then extended first to the whole family and then to the whole party which arose against the despotism of the Seleucides. The meaning of this surname has been variously given as "the hammer," "the extinguisher," "destruction," and some regard it as a combination of the initial letters of the Hebrew sentence, "Who among the gods is like unto thee, Jehovah?" on Judas' banner. When the emissaries of Antiochus Epiphanes came to Modin and required the people to offer idolatrous sacrifices, Mattathias, a priest of the course of Joarib, slew the first Jew who approached the altar to renounce his faith, then the emissaries themselves, and then he fled to the mountains with his sons, in b.c. 168. Numbers of his country-men who held dear their religion joined him here, and thus the revolt began. In 166 Mattathias died, and his son, Judas, succeeded him as leader of the movement. After the brilliant victories at Beth-horon and Emmaus, Judas occupied Jerusalem, and the temple was purified exactly three years after its profanation. By the still more brilliant victory at Adassa, 161, over Seleucus Nikanor, the independence of the Jews was practically established, but Judas fell shortly after in the battle of Eleasa. The contest was continued with success by his two brothers, Jonathan, died 143, and Simon, died 135. Under the latter the office of high priest was made hereditary in the family of the Asmonaeans. Simon's son, Johannes Hyrcanus, 135-105, changed the traditional policy of the family and sought support with the Sadducees, and his two sons, Aristobulus I., 105-104, who assumed the title of king, and Alexander Jannseus, 104-78, pursued the same line of conduct. After the death of Alexandra, 78-69, a civil war broke out between her two sons, Aristobulus II. and Hyrcanus II. The Romans interfered, and Aristobulus II., 69-63, having been defeated by Pompey, was dethroned. His brother Hyrcanus II. succeeded, 63-40, as high priest and prince under Roman supremacy, but without the title of king. With Antigonus, 40-37, a son of Aristobulus II., the Asmonaean dynasty ceased to reign, and with Aristobulus' two grandchildren, Aristobulus and Mariamne, it became extinct. Herodes became its heir.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'maccabees' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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