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 BiAOHABEES

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BfAOHABEES

tested against the sacrilege he procured his assassina- tion. The following year Jason, emboldened by a rumor of the death of Antiochus, who was then war- ring against Egypt, attacked Jerusalem and forced Menelaus to take refuge in the Acra. On hearing of the occurrence Antiocnus marched against the city, massacred many of the inhabitants, and carried off what sacred vessels were left (I Mach., i, 17-29; II Mach., iv, 23-v, 23).

In 168 B. c. Antiochus undertook a second campaign against Egypt, but was stopped in his victorious progress by an ultimatum of the Roman Senate. He vented his ra^e on the Jews, and began a war of exter- mination against their religion. Apollonius was sent with orders to hellenize Jerusalem by extirpating the native population and by peopling the city with strangers. The unsuspecting inhabitants were at- tacked on the Sabbatn, when they would offer no defence; the men were slaughtered, the women and children sold into slavery. The city itself was laid waste and its walls demolished. An order was next issued abolishing Jewish worship and forbidding the observance of Jewish rites under pain of death. Ji heathen altar was built on the altar of holocausts. Tdiere sacrifices were offered to Olympic Jupiter, ana the temple was profaned by pagan orgies. Altars were also set up throughout the country at which the Jews were to sacrifice to the king's divinities. Though many conformed to these orders, the majority re- mained faithful and a number of them laid down their lives rather than violate the law of their fathers. The Second Book of Miichabees narrates at length the heroic death of an old man, named Eleazar^ and of seven brothers with their mother. (I Mach., i, 30-67; II Mach., V, 24-vii, 41.)

The persecution proved a blessing in disguise; it exasperated even the moderate Hellenists, and pre- pared a rebellion which freed the country from the corrupting influences of the extreme Hellenist party. The standard of revolt was raised by Mathathias, as priest of the order of Joarib (cf. I Par., xxiv, 7), who to avoid the persecution had fled from Jerusalem to Modin (now El Mediyeh), near Lydda, with his five sons John, Simon, Judas, Eleazar and Jonathan. When solicited bjr a royal oflScer to sacrifice to the sods, with promises of rich rewards and of the King's favour, he firmly refused, and when a Jew approached the altar to sacrifice, he slew him to- gether with the king's officer, and destroyed the altar. He and his sons then fled to the mountains, where they were followed by many of those who re- mained attached to their religion. Among these were the 5asldlm, or Assideans, a society formed to oppose the encroaching Hellenism by a scrupulous observance of traditional customs. Mathathias and his followers now overran the country destroying heathen altars, circumcising children^ driving off aliens and apostate Jews, and gathering m new recruits. He diea, how- ever, within a year (166 b. c). At his death he ex- horted his sons to carry on the fight for their religion, and appointed Judas military commander with Simon as adviser. He was buried at Modin amid great lamen- tations (I Mach., ii).

Judas Machabeus {166-161 b. c.).^— Judas fully jus- tified his father's choice. In a first encounter he de- feated and killed Apollonius, and shortly after routed Seron at Bethoron (I Mach., iii, 1-26). Lysias, the regent during Antiochus's absence in the East, then sent a large army under the three generals Ptolemee, Nicanor and Gorgias. Judas's little army unexpect- edly fell on the main body of the enemy at Emmaus (later Nicopolis, now Amw&s) in the absence of Gorgias, and put it to rout l^efore the latter could come to its aid; whereupon Gorgias took to flight (I Mach., iii, 27- iv, 25; II Mach., viii). The next year Lysias himself took the field with a still larger force; but he, too, was defeated at Bethsura (not Bethoron as in the Vulgate).

Judas now occupied Jerusalem, though the Acra still remained in l^e hands of the Sjrrians. The temple was cleansed and rededicated on the day on whfch three years before it had been profaned (I Mach., iv, 26-^81; II Mach., X, 1-8). During the breathing time left to him by the Syrians Judas imdertook several expedi- tions into neighbouring territoiy, either to punish acts of aggression or to bring into Judea Jews exposed to danger among hostile populations (I Mach., v; 11 Mach. , X, 14-38; xii, 3-40). After the death of Antiochus Epiphanes (164 b. c.) Lysias led two more expeditions into Judea. The first ended with another defeat at Bethsura, and with the granting of freedom of worship to the Jews (II Mach., xi). In the second, in which Lysias was accompanied by his ward, Antiochus V Eupator, Judas sunered a reverse at Bethzacharam (where Eleazar died a glorious death), and Lysias laid siege to Jerusalem. Just then troubles concerning the regency required his presence at home; he there-* fore concluded peace on condition that the city be sur- rendered (I Mach., vi, 21-63; II Mach., xiii). As the object for which the rebellion was begim, had been obtained, the Assideans seceded from Judas when Demetrius I, who in the meanwhile had dethroned Antiochus V, installed Alcimus, *'a priest of the seed of Aaron", as high-priest (I Mach., vii, 1-19). Judas, however, seeing that the danger to religion would remain as long as the Hellenists were in power, would not lay down his arms till the country was freed of these men. Nicanor was sent to the aid of Alcimus, but was twice defeated and lost his life in the second encounter (I Mach., vii, 20-49; II Mach., xiv, 11-xv, 37). Judas now sent a deputation to Rome to solicit Roman in- terference; but before the senate's warning reached Demetrius, Judas with only 800 men risked a battle at Laisa (or Elasa) with a vastly superior force under Baccides, and fell overwhelmed by numbers (I Mach., viii-ix, 20). Thus perished a man worthy of Israel's most heroic days. He was buried beside his father at Modin (161 b. c).

Jonathan (161-143 b. c). — The handful of men who still remained faithful to Judas's policy chose Jonathan as their leader. John was soon after killed by Arabs near Madaba, and Jonathan with his little army escaped the hands of Bacchides only by swimming the Jordan. Their cause seemed hopeless. Gradually, however, the number of adherents in- creased and the Hellenists were again obliged to caD for help. Bacchides returned and oesieged the rebels in Betnbcssen; but disgusted at his ul success he returned to Syria (I Mach., ix, 213-72). During the next four years Jonathan was practically the master of the country. Then began a series of contests for the Syrian crown, which Jonathan turned to such good account that by shrewd diplomacy he obtained more than his brother had been able to win by his general- ship and his victories. Both Demetrius I and his op- ponent Alexander Balas, sought to win him to their side. Jonathan took the part of Alexander, who ap- pointed him high-priest and bestowed on him the insignia of a prince. Three years later, in reward for his services, Alexander conferred on him both the civil and military authority over Judea (I Mach., ix, 73-x, 66). In the conflict between Alexander and Demetrius II Jonathan a^ain supported Alexander, and in return received the gift of the city of Accaron with its terri- tory (I Mach., X, 67-89). After the fall of Alexander, Demetrius summoned Jonathan to Ptolemais to an- swer for his attack on the Acra; but inst<*ad of punish- ing him Demetrius confirmed him in all his dignities, and even granted him three districts of Samaria. Jonathan having lent eflRcient aid in quelling an insur- rection at Antioch, Demetrius promised to withdraw the Syrian garrison from the Acra and other fortified places in Judea. As he failed to keep his word, Jona- than went over to the party of Antiochus VI, the son of Alexander Balas, whose claims Tryphon was press-