Bible Timeline Poster – Page 10 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on May 30, 2014September 1, 2016 by Amy — 2 Comments

Burgundians

The Romans encountered great problems on how to fight back the frequent invasions of various tribes that threaten its peace, order, and wealth. Among these groups were the Burgundians or a group of aggressive and powerful people from the East Germanic tribe. Based on studies, this tribe originally settled in mainland Scandinavia and moved to Bornholm, a Baltic Island. Afterwards, they traveled to Bornholm, and they explored the Vistula basin, which is near modern-day Poland. Some members of the tribe relocated to the west and crossed the Rhine in 406 AD. Afterwards, they remained in the Rhine Valley and formed their own independent kingdom. On the other hand, a few Burgundians chose to stay in their homeland in the Oder-Vistula basin. Here, they established a contingent in the Hunnic army of Attila in 451 AD where it is charted on the Bible Timeline Poster with World History.

Burgundian and Christianity

A number of Burgundians who settled in the east decided to adopt the Arian practice of Christianity in place of their old beliefs called Germanic polytheism. When they imbibed the teachings of Arianism, this sparked suspicion between the Catholic Church of the Western Roman Empire and the Burgundians. Nevertheless, King Gundobad (a Burgundian) fostered a good personal relationship with the Bishop of Vienne named Avitus. Even the son of Gundobad was a Catholic, and several Burgundians decided to convert including a number of females in the ruling family.

‘Kingdom of the Burgundians in around 500’

Historical Background

According to Roman scholars including Pliny and Tacitus, minimal information was available about the origins of the Germanic tribes from the east portion of the Elbe River and the Baltic Sea. However, Pliny mentioned the Burgundians, along with the Goths, Vandals and other eastern Germanic tribes.

Claudius Ptolemy wrote that that the Burgundians lived in various places including the Vistula Rivers, Suevus, the southern part of coast-dwelling tribes, and the northern portion of Luii. Jordanes, another writer, also noted that the Burgundians who were once in the Vistula basin were nearly annihilated by the King of the Gepids, during the 3rd century.

In the latter part of the 3rd century, it was discovered that the Burgundians lived on the east portion of the Rhine river banks. They also confronted the Roman Gaul with the hopes of dwelling in this place. There were also accounts of the defeat of the Burgundians in Gaul, with Emperor Probus gaining victory after the battle.

As for Ammaianus Marcellinus were the Romans’ descendants. However, the Romans barely gave any accounts of the Burgundians migrating from Poland. Yet, other Vandals were noted as moving westward during this period. Thus, there were some doubts regarding the connection between the western and eastern Burgundians.

About 40 years later, this tribe of people nomads the Burgundians appeared once again. The northern tribes successfully crossed the river Rhine, and they made their way through the Germanic migrations. Included in the crossing were the Suevi, Vandals, Alans, and a few Burgundians. A percentage of Burgundians set off westwards while the other half remained in their Oder-Vistula homeland.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgundians#Background
http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Families/Family/45453

Posted on April 29, 2014October 16, 2017 by Amy — 1 Comment

Persecution in Rome, Christian

Christians faced harsh treatment from non-believers beginning 200 to 323 AD. where it is listed on the Bible Timeline Poster. In fact, the start of the third century signaled the beginning of severe persecutions that Christians experienced during that period in history. Roman authorities viewed Christians as a threat to the society because of their prominence. For instance, more and more people decided to convert into this religion. Conversions were held in various parts of the nation, which led to the increasing presence of Christians throughout the empire. Lastly, this group of people who was bound by their faith became zealous and expressive with their beliefs. As a result, the Roman leaders were worried that these people would eventually jeopardize the state’s security and power.

Persecutions Under the Roman Leander Septimius Severus

During 193 to 211 AD, a fearless Roman ruler took the throne and aimed to monitor the progress of Christians in the empire. Septimius Severus then issued a law that was intended for the converts. He proclaimed that conversions to Christianity was considered as illegal, and those who disobeyed the law will be persecuted. At that time, more converts were persecuted in Egypt and several parts of Africa. In Alexandria, Leonidas was beheaded and most of the followers of Origen were eliminated. In Carthage, new converts were persecuted and punished by harsh tortures. A number of them were thrown to be devoured by wild animals while others were burned publicly at stake.

Christian_Persecution_in_Rome_wild_animal — ‘A number of them were thrown to be devoured by wild animals while others were burned publicly at stake.’

‘A number of them were thrown to be devoured by wild animals while others were burned publicly at stake.’

Threats to the Life of Christians During the Roman Empire There were some isolated incidents when Christians experienced harsh treatments from the Romans. Aside from being persecuted because they refused to show the highest reverence to the emperor out of their great love for God, they were also punished because of the Romans’ general dislike for Christians. These people refused to participate in any activities such as the worshipping of Gods or taking part in forms of sacrifices that the Romans were tasked to perform. Christians were also believed to follow certain rites that made the Romans assume that they were introducing a dangerous sect to non-believers. Persecution was largely accusatory, and those who were believed to be partaking in these rituals were punished immediately. Governors were responsible for the accusation and prosecution, and most trials failed to allow Christians to explain themselves.

Christian_Persecution_in_Rome_Constantine — ‘Helen and Constantine’

The persecution and suffering of Christians continued for a period of three centuries. However, these threats to converts and believers resulted to the increase of cults and saints, and this has fueled the spread of Christianity instead of putting an end to its progress.

It was not until Licinius and Constantine the Great issued the 313 Edict of Milan that Christianity was considered as legal. They gave Christians the right to live and practice their faith, and they were no longer persecuted for believing in their God. Although this group of people suffered tremendously in the past centuries, a number of them did not succumb to their fear and continued to remain strong in their faith amidst the intense suffering that other believers experienced.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_early_Christians_by_the_Romans#Persecution_from_64-250
http://www.churchhistory101.com/century2.php
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ycv0BE0wFr4/TU8WRXJmxYI/AAAAAAAAAgI/2QjVrd4bEHo/s1600/Sermon_on_the_Mount_Carl_Bloch.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Flavius_Valerius_Constantinus#mediaviewer/File:Sazonov._Elena_and_Konstantin.jpg
http://lj.rossia.org/users/john_petrov/594655.html

Posted on April 11, 2014April 3, 2020 by Amy — 1 Comment

Pliny (historian)

Battle leader, legal representative and author, Pliny the Elder appears on the Bible Timeline Poster from 23 AD to 70 AD. His studies on nature molded the foundation of the sciences for centuries.

Pliny passed away August 25, 79 AD after trying to save a friend and his family with his ship from Mount Vesuvius as it erupted. The volcano had already demolished Pompeii and Herculaneum. The persistent wind prevented his ship from leaving the shoreline. His collapse and death were blamed on the toxic fumes; however his companions had no reaction to the vapors. That suggested he might have died from natural influences instead of the volcanic activity.

Pliny grew up in a wealthy family and joined the army as was the custom for men of his status. He worked his way up through the ranks with his knowledge and influential friendships. It was during this time that he started writing books and became interested in recording history. He started with the wars among the Romans and the Germans.

It took him several years to finish his first project. The next two books he wrote were about his former commander Pomponius Secundus. Pliny also published books on grammar, public speaking, Africa, nature and more.

At the end of Nero’s reign around 69 A.D., Vespasian became emperor and appointed Pliny to be in his administrations as a procurator. June 23, 79 Vespasian died of a disease. Two months later, Pliny was sent to Misenum in the Roman navy to guard against unlawful actions. When Mount Vesuvius erupted, he received a message from his friend Rectina for help. He died shortly after being rescued.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliny_the_Elder http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/pliny_elder.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pliny_the_Elder.png

Posted on April 7, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Germans defeat Roman Teutoburg Forest 9 CE

The Roman Emperor Augustus was in shock when he received the news that his legions were decimated to the last man by the Germans. After hearing all of the details of the incident he repeatedly beat his head against his palace walls in frustration while screaming “Varus, give me back my legions.” After the defeat of his legions by the Germans, Emperor Augustus had to send his General Tiberius to avenge Rome’s devastating defeat at the hands of the Germans. The battle of Teutuborg Forest in 9 A.D. was one of Rome’s most humiliating defeats. It is listed on the Bible Timeline Poster at 1 A.D.-50 A.D. The loss that took place from this battle forced Rome to change how it formed its legions and employ its military tactics.

Emperor Augustus sent his forces into Germania in 9 A.D. to gain control over the barbarian tribes that had been plaguing the land for many years. Many Germans were situated along the Rhine River between Gaul and Germania was constantly harassing the Romans. The Romans controlled Gaul (which is now modern France) and the Germans kept challenging their power by trying to expand into Western Europe.

General Varus was one of Augustus’ leading generals and a gifted military commander. He was given the responsibility of leading Roman legions in Eastern Europe around 9 A.D. Emperor’s Augustus sent him on a mission to put an end to the German’s advancement into Roman territory.

Germans_defeat_Roman_Teutoburg_Forest_9_CE — The Teutoburg Forest on a foggy and rainy day.

The Teutoburg Forest on a foggy and rainy day.

General Varus was provoked by a man named Arminius to attack the German tribes. Arminius was a German prince (son of a chief) who was forced to go to Rome as a hostage from his birth. Arminius had fabricated a clever lie about a group of rebellious Germans revolting near the Rhine. After informing Emperor Augustus about the matter, he gained his approval for an attack against them. Since Arminius was a trusted soldier and who knew all about the Germans, Varus didn’t question him. Instead, he received his instructions from Augustus and marched his three legions into Germania.

The rebellion was taking place at a location that was far from where the legions were stationed along the Rhine. They had to march for many miles to reach the marauding Germans. Arminius was put in charge of leading the Romans to the rebellious tribes. He navigated the Romans throughout the thick and barely impassible forests that were situated in ancient German lands. While the Romans were making the trek, a large rainstorm had taken place.

The Romans were forced to travel through mud and other rough conditions. This wasn’t the only problem that the Romans had to deal with they also marched to their destination with their troops spaced over a 9-mile stretch. Thousands of troops were miles away from each other, and if something were to happen during the march, then it would take some time before soldiers could aid their comrades.

The rain poured down on the Romans for most of their journey and by the time they made it close to their destination it had stopped. Arminius then decided to go on a brief mushroom hunting expedition and General Varus agreed to his activity. While the Romans were rested, Arminius had managed to navigate them into a trap, and his ruse worked. The Germans violently attacked the unsuspecting Roman Legions and slaughtered thousands of them.

The Romans couldn’t effectively counter the Germans, and they were being beat at every turn. Since their armies were spread out for about 9 miles, this made it easy for the Germans to pick them off at will. Eventually, General Varus and his commanding officers were killed, and the vast majority of the Roman soldiers were also slain. The ones that were fortunate enough to escape were forced into slavery. Many of the captured officers were sacrificed to the gods of the German tribes. After this defeat, the Romans never again tried to conquer German lands. General Tiberius was sent to Germania to avenge this humiliation set in Rome, but he left Germania after he accomplished this task.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Teutoburg_Forest
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arminius
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/battleswarsto1000/p/Roman-Empire-Battle-Of-The-Teutoburg-Forest.htm

Posted on February 8, 2014September 5, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Secrets You Learn From A Bible Timeline You Don’t Learn Reading The Bible

We have spent years showing people how amazingly logical and coherent the Bible is using the Bible Timeline poster. This new video is so much fun. It takes some of the ‘gee whiz’ facts that are in the Bible and shares them in a way that bring them to life.

Enjoy and share with friends online or Sunday School classes! More will be coming so be sure to like this video and subscribe to our Youtube channel.

Posted on March 1, 2013October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Hadrian Rome and the Jews, Emperor

Around 118 A.D., the Jewish people were tired of their living conditions under the Roman rule. Many of them were driven out of their homeland and relocated to various areas within the Roman Empire. There were other Jews who became slaves and had to serve masters all over the world. The biggest blow to the Jewish people came in the form of religious persecution and not being able to worship God according to their belief system. Eventually, they rebelled against Rome from 132 to 135 AD that is where it appears on the Bible Timeline Poster with World history.

Hadrian_Emporer_of_Rome_and_the_Jews — Emporer Hadrian

Emperor Hadrian and the Jews
Emperor Hadrian took power in 118 A.D. and when he came to power, he promised the Jews that they could rebuild their temple and return to their homeland in Jerusalem. Most of the Jews were previously dispelled from their home land in 70 A.D. So when Hadrian made this promise they got excited about the thought of returning home. However, Hadrian tricked the Jews and never had any intention of fulfilling his promise. He outraged them to the point of rebellion when he created a law that forbade them from performing circumcisions.

The Jews Prepare for War
The Jews could no longer take being treated inhumanely, so they started to secretly prepare for war. They started to build, and stock hideouts in caves and they started to amass weapons in secrecy. This went on for five years. Word of this rebellion spread to different Jewish communities around the empire, and many Jews started to prepare in the same manner. They had a leader named Joshua ben Hananiah, who kept them from rebelling until the time was right. Another leader named Shimon Bar Kokhba then became the most important leader of the movement. He then started to send his forces around the empire to terrorize Roman forces. Hadrian stayed in Jerusalem for a short while because he wanted to turn the city into a new metropolis called Aelia. The Jews did not revolt while he was there but when he left they decided to start the war.

The Jews Rebel
Around 132 A.D., the Jews attacked the Romans after the emperor decided to harass the Jews even further. The Jews spread the word to rebel to other cities and the Jews all over the empire began to revolt. Cyrene Libya was one of the most active places where the Jews were attacking the Greeks and Romans. They were killing and massacring many people, and Hadrian had no choice but to send his forces to this area and in Alexandria, Egypt to stop them.

The Jews initially defeated the Romans in Syria and other key areas. They primarily took over fortresses and cities that would be their undoing in the end. The Romans were losing a lot of ground and could not contain the fury of the Jewish rebels so they decided to capture as many fortresses and cities as they could from the Jews. When they did, they ended up cutting off important supplies and food from the Jewish rebels.

The Jews slowly starved, and they could no longer continue to fight without food and supplies. They staged a final battle in Bethar near the headquarters of Bar Kokhba. The Romans surrounded the Jews in this area, and the final showdown began. Every Jew who was present at Bar Kokhba lost their life during this battle. The Romans suffered heavy casualties and were extremely angry about the situation. The remaining Jewish people could not bury their country men for at least 6 days after the conflict ended.

When the war was finished, Hadrian immediately set out to finish off any last resistance. He then exiled and deported Jews to different parts of the empire. He passed many anti-Jewish laws and changed the name of Judea to Syria-Palestine. Though Jerusalem is still remembered by its primary name, Hadrian changed its name to Aelia Capitolina. The few Jews that remained in the city were fortunate enough to still call this place home even though they could no longer worship or live as they pleased.

References:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aelia_Capitolina
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Kokhba_revolt
http://www.roman-empire.net/highpoint/hadrian.html
http://www.gojerusalem.com/article_520/Aelia-Capitolina-Judaism-Expelled
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bust_Hadrian_Musei_Capitolini_MC817.jpg

Posted on February 25, 2013July 16, 2018 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Bible Timeline As a Gift

The darling Ashley (we don’t know her but we think she’s adorable) is not showing our Bible World History Timeline but we still like her video.

This is a great gift for Father’s Day and birthdays as well as Christmas – and for dads, husbands and good friends not just grandfathers.

The advantages of the Bible Timeline Chart over a book:

You can see it all in one view – without opening page after page
It’s compact – you don’t need a 20 foot wall to see it all
It has world history too – Find out what’s happening all over the world (China, Europe, The Americas) during any Biblical time period on up to 2000 AD
You can frame it and hang it on a wall – makes a great conversation piece.

Order the Amazing Bible World History Timeline Today- and get Interactive Maps of the Holy Land FREE! (limited time offer)

Tell me more about the Amazing Bible World History Timeline

Posted on February 13, 2013October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Great Wall of China Built, When and Why Was the

The Tatars (also called Tartars) were a group of nomadic tribal people that existed in Central Asia. They were a part of many different tribal groups called the Donghu (eastern barbarians) that roamed Central Asia around 700 B.C. The Tartars are related to the Mongols who eventually went on to forge a vast empire that stretched across most of Asia, the Middle East and various parts of Eastern Europe. Since the Tartars were considered Eastern Barbarians their culture was similar to many other tribal groups with the same name.

Early Walls

Chinese emperors started to build the wall around 700 B.C. The wall was erected for the purpose of defense and since that time it had additions added onto the structure. The kingdoms built the walls around the areas where they ruled. There were certain dynasties that made considerable improvements on the Great wall throughout its history and they include the kingdom of Chu, which was ruled by the Eastern Zhou and Qin, Qi, Zhao, Han and Yan. Qin Si Huang conquered these six different Chinese kingdoms in 221 B.C. and ordered the destructions of the walls surrounding each territory. After destroying the walls around the six kingdoms he rebuilt a single wall around his territories that lay in the north. Through his efforts the foundation of the Great Wall and how it appears today was created then. This is when it appears on the Biblical Timeline Poster with World History.

Once the Han Dynasty came to power between 206 A.D. and 220 A.D., a secondary wall was built outside of the original wall. This outer wall was added to the Great Wall and it was designed to keep out foreigners. This particular wall had stayed in place for over a thousand years starting with the Han Dynasty and it wasn’t until the time of the Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D.) that the wall received additions and repairs.

Tartar Invasions and The Great Wall

The Tartars had invaded China all throughout its long history. They infiltrated the wall on numerous occasions and some of these invasions took place in 1075 A.D. and later on during the conquest of China. They didn’t attack the Chinese during the rule of Khans (or the Yaun) in the 13th and 14th centuries.

The Tartars were added into the Mongol’s Empire as a part of the confederation of tribes that were established in the early part of the 13th century under Genghis Khan. Some of the Tartars ruled in China as administrators and officials during the Yaun era.

Ultimately, the Tartars would not have been able to penetrate Chinese society if it were not for the efforts of the Mongols. They aided the Mongols as they spread into China and fought along side of them in battle. There were some Tartar tribes that settled into other Mongolian lands other than China.

The Great Wall helped to keep the Tartars and other barbarian tribes out of China for many years. After the Mongolian Dynasty of China (Yaun) had been wiped out in 1368 A.D. the Ming Dynasty used the wall as a means to keep the Tartars and other wandering tribes from trying to come back to reclaim China.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Tatars http://www.allsands.com/history/places/historyoftheg_rkf_gn.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Great_Wall_of_China_at_Jinshanling.jpg

Posted on January 21, 2013October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Julius Caesar Defeats the Suevi

The Suevi also known as the Suebi was once a confederation from Germany and had migrated throughout Europe. They consisted of at least seven tribes that included the Semnones, Langobardi, the Hermunduri, Elbe, Anglii, Varini and the Nuitones.

Suevi,Defeated_by_Julius_Caesar — Germanic tribes

The Romans dealt with the Suevi along the Rhine River as a threat to their empire. They appear on the Bible Timeline Poster with World History in 58 BC, when they were defeated by Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was the first Roman ruler to describe the Suevi. He said that they were a nomadic people that didn’t have a centralized government. They developed chiefs when they settled down into one area later on the chiefs became kings and nobles.

He claimed that they wore animal skins, cleansed themselves in Rivers and forbade the people to drink wine. Since they didn’t have a great need for wealth whenever they amassed plunder, they would trade with other tribes or kingdoms to get rid of their extra goods. The people were incredibly warlike, and they constantly raided areas inside of Gaul, which was under the protection of the Romans.

Caesar went on to say that he had no choice but to deal with these people because of this reason. Since Caesar was the governor of Gaul, it was up to him to keep the Suevi in check. As Rome was starting to expand its territories, it was gaining allies and becoming well known in Europe. Many of the tribal peoples who lived in Europe resented the Roman’s encroachment into their land. Other tribes realized that the Romans had become a necessary evil that they must endure, and they became their allies. The Suevi didn’t pay attention to the Romans but as they encountered them, it became clear to them that the Romans were not another simple European tribe. Before his confrontation with the Suevi in 58 B.C., Caesar constructed bridges along the Rhine and set up his forces in this area. Once he did this, he sent a formal decree to the Suevi to get them to stop harassing Rome’s allies in the area.

The Suevi abandoned their settlements along the Rhine and moved back into Germany. They did this so that they could start to build up an army to take on Rome. Within a short period the Suevi managed to amass a large force, and they were now marching against Rome. They had hundreds of units that were being led by two chieftains named Nasua and Cimberius. The Suevi began to line up along the Rhine River in clans, and the Battle of Vosges begins. The Romans used their superior tactics to break through the Suevi formations. The Suevi were being beaten so bad that they retreated. During their retreat, the allies of the Suevi turned against them and their chiefs. The different tribes once again went back to Germany to reorganize their armies so that they could attack the Romans in the future. According to Caesar, the Suevi didn’t come back into the Rhine or Gaul during his term as governor.

References:
http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsEurope/BarbarianSuevi.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suebi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Germania_tribes.png

Posted on January 10, 2013October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Judas Maccabaeus Frees Judah

Judas Maccabeus liberated Judah in 165 BC, which is where it appears on the Biblical Timeline Poster with World history. The story begins with the Seleucid and Ptolemy Dynasties. Both fought for control of the Middle East. These rival Greek empires wanted to take each other territories and one of the major battlefronts for this ongoing war occurred in Syria. This particular province was situated north of Judah and it was the capitol territory of the Seleucid Empire. Initially, Judah belonged to the Ptolemy Dynasty but in time it became a part of the Seleucid Empire.

Around 192 B.C. a Seleucid king named Antiochus III was fighting a war against a new emerging empire known as the Romans. The Romans were becoming more aggressive in their expansion policies and taking over the world. Eventually, Antiochus III was defeated by the Romans in Greece. Unfortunately for the Seleucid’s he kept losing to the Romans during his rule. During his reign, he was friendly toward the Jewish people but he eventually changed his policies toward this group of people.

Sources claimed that he deported thousands of Jewish people all over his empire and that King Antiochus III started to treat the Jewish people in a profane manner primarily because of their religion. He noticed that great unrest was developing in Judea, and he changed his policies. He eventually died in 187 B.C. His son Antiochus IV took over the throne after his death. A short time had passed since these events, but the Jewish people didn’t forget what he had done and neither did his son.

Matthias Maccabaeus was a temple priest who was working the temple during the reign of Antiochus III. He had five sons, and one of them was named Judas. When Antiochus IV became king, he was bribed by a Jewish man named Jason. Now Jason wanted to become the high priest of Judah. The current high priest was his brother Onias III and this Jewish man also acted as a governor of Judea for the Seleucid Empire. After Antiochus III had accepted his bribe, he decided to allow Jason to become the next high priest and governor. The problem with this issue is that the people of Judah believed that the high priest position was authorized by God and not man. Antiochus III didn’t care because he just looked at the Jewish priest’s position as if he was just a common official.

After Jason had taken over as the high priest, Antiochus told him to eliminate the Jews way of life and make Jerusalem into a Greek city-state. During these events, statues of Greek gods were placed in the temple, and many of the Jewish priests were being replaced by Hellenistic Jewish clergy. One day one of these priests decided to perform a sacrifice to the Greek gods inside of the temple. This priest was to replace Matthias Maccabaeus. Matthias refused to allow him to perform these actions and killed the man. This act is what started the Jewish people to revolt against the Seleucid Empire, and it led to the Maccabaeus War. Matthias died one year after this incident and his son Judas Maccabaeus took over the revolt against the Seleucids that was started by his father.

Judas was also a priest like his father, and he was a fighter as well. His military feats and battle skills during the war earned him the reputation as a fearless and heroic Jewish warrior. The Maccabees were originally known as the Hasmoneans but earned the title of Maccabees during their revolt. The name means “hammer” and it was given to them because they were known to beat the Seleucid forces in a powerful striking manner. Judas Maccabeus used his troops to fight a guerilla war against the Seleucids. He repeatedly defeated the Seleucids in a string of battles and caused the Seleucids to remove themselves from Judah. Judas Maccabeus had led the Jewish people to freedom from Seleucid power. After he gained victory for his people, he cleansed the temple of pagan idols and founded a new dynasty of Jewish kings. He eventually had to send Jewish forces all throughout the Middle Eastern and Mesopotamian world to help Jewish people that were being harassed by various enemies. The Jewish holiday known as Hannukah was established to honor Judas Maccabeus and the liberation of Judah in 165 B.C. He died in battle in 160 B.C.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_III_the_Great http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Maccabees.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_IV_Epiphanes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maccabees http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Maccabee