Maccabee

The Maccabees refer to the Jewish rebel leaders and their followers who fought against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. The term is most closely associated with Judah Maccabee, the best-known commander of the revolt, and is commonly understood as meaning “the hammer.” The exact origin of the name is uncertain, but it exists in Greek, Latin, and Jewish sources as a label for the family and their partisans.

Historical context and rebellion: The revolt arose after the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to suppress Jewish religious practices and enforce Hellenization. Mattathias and his sons initiated the uprising around 167 BCE. Judas Maccabeus (Judah) led a series of guerrilla campaigns that culminated in the recapture of Jerusalem and the rededication of the Temple in 164 BCE, an event commemorated by Hanukkah in Jewish tradition.

Rise of the Hasmonean dynasty: Following Judas’s death, leadership passed to his brothers and then to Simon Thassi, who established the Hasmonean autonomous state for Judea. The Hasmoneans expanded their territory and asserted Jewish independence for several decades, governing as a priestly-military dynasty. Internal rivalries and external pressures, especially from Rome, eventually undermined independence. By 63 BCE, Pompey’s intervention placed Judea under Roman influence, setting the stage for later Hasmonean and Herodian rule and the broader Roman incorporation of the region.

Legacy: The Maccabees are central in Jewish history for their role in preserving Jewish religious identity and in the celebration of Hanukkah. The name has endured in modern usage as a symbol of resilience and is associated with various organizations and sports clubs, notably the Maccabi federation. Ancient sources include 1 and 2 Maccabees and the works of Josephus, with scholarly debate continuing over some particulars of the revolt and its chronology.