Judas Maccabaeus The Jewish Struggle Against the Seleucids

An account of Judas Maccabeus' battles against the Seleucid empire between 166 and 160 B.C.

This book is an account of the battles fought by Judas Maccabeus between 166 and 160 B.C. against the forces of the Seleucids during the revolt of the Jews against domination by the Seleucid empire. It reexamines the accepted assessments of Judas Maccabeus' activities and achievements and seeks to reconstruct the course of the military and political events of his time. Part I examines the composition and strength of the armies on both sides, their armaments and operating methods, and discusses the extent of Judas Maccabeus' success. Following an introduction evaluating the Jewish writings from all points of view, Part II gives detailed accounts of the battles, including the terrain and the tactics employed, analysing and commenting on the relevant narratives from the Book of Maccabees. Numerous appendices discuss individual problems vital to the reconstruction of the historical developments.

List of illustrations; Transliteration of Hebrew; Acknowledgements; Prologue; Part I. Historical Evaluation: 1. Introduction; 2. The number of combatants on each side; 3. The armament and tactical composition of the Jewish army; 4. The ethnic origin and fighting capability of the Seleucid phalanx; 5. The Seleucid army and mountain warfare; 6. The military achievements of the Jewish forces; 7. The battlefields, tactics and leadership of Judas Maccabaeus; Part II. Accounts of the Battles: Introduction, Text and Commentary: 8. The sources: their date, provenance and characteristics; 9. The beginning of the Revolt and the battle against Apollonius; 10. The ambush for Seron at the Beth Horon Ascent; 11. The ceremony at Mizpah and the Ammaus campaign; 12. Lysias' first expedition and the raid near Beth Zur; 13. Lysias' second expedition and the battle at Beth Zacharia; 14. The negotiations with Nicanor and the encounter at Kafar Salama; 15. The battle of Adasa and Nicanor Day; 16. Bacchides' second expedition and the battle of Elasa; Conclusion; Appendices; Excursus; Plates; Abbreviations; References; Indexe locorum; general index; Index of Greek terms; Index of Hebrew words and phrases.

This book is an account of the battles fought by Judas Maccabeus between 166 and 160 B.C. against the forces of the Seleucids during the revolt of the Jews against domination by the Seleucid empire.