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Antiochus Epiphanes and the Temple of Doom
Aberdeen American News ^ | 12/26/2019 | Art Marmorstein

Posted on 12/25/2019 10:04:09 PM PST by ancientart

We are in the midst of the Hanukkah season, the eight-day festival that commemorates the second century BC victory of Judah Maccabee and his family over the forces of the Seleucid king Antiochus Epiphanes.

It was a remarkable, almost miraculous, victory. Antiochus was close to achieving the long-time Seleucid goal of recreating the empire of Alexander the Great. He and his predecessors had annexed Turkey, Mesopotamia, Persia and parts of India. They solidified their control of Judaea and came close to turning Egypt into a satellite kingdom as well.

Like so many ancient rulers, Antiochus fixated on the idea he could unite his multi-ethnic empire through a religious cult focused on himself. He insisted he be worshipped as the manifestation of the god Zeus, thus creating a dilemma for many of his subjects, especially the Jews.

But not all of them. For Joshua, brother of the high priest Onias, Antiochus’ overlordship was the smell of opportunity.

(Excerpt) Read more at aberdeennews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: antiochus; antiochusepiphanes; greekastrologers; hanukkah; hellenism; judahmaccabee; judea; maccabeanrevolt; maccabees; seleucidkingdom; seleucids

1 posted on 12/25/2019 10:04:10 PM PST by ancientart
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To: ancientart

It further didn’t help matters when the priestly macaabees soon claimed the david secular power throne, too. The entire history was so depressing with so many Enemies Within — wolves in sheep’s clothing— erev rav— backstabbers. Traitors. ——— ( much like today, we seem just about as unable to overcome our domestic enemies as did the Israelites). So we can profit by trying to learn about chennukah. The miracle wasn’t god’s continued love and protection for his Jewish people. He’d promised that many times already. The miracle was and is that He keeps giving the human species chance after chance after chance after chance — something we can be so thankful for !


2 posted on 12/25/2019 10:19:27 PM PST by faithhopecharity ( “Politicians are not born; they are excreted.” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: faithhopecharity; SkyPilot; Roman_War_Criminal; null and void; metmom

[Antiochus fixated on the idea he could unite his multi-ethnic empire through a religious cult focused on himself. He insisted he be worshipped as the manifestation of the god Zeus]

Gee, this reminds me of somebody.........


3 posted on 12/26/2019 12:31:59 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: ancientart
Antiochus’ overlordship was the smell of opportunity.

Reminds me of the title of an episode of "Police Squad."

Regards,

4 posted on 12/26/2019 1:57:08 AM PST by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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To: SaveFerris

Verily, there’s very little new under the sun. Pharaohs, Seleucids, Roman emperors, Constantine, Spain’s first 100 years after restoration, etc.


5 posted on 12/26/2019 3:22:07 AM PST by faithhopecharity ( “Politicians are not born; they are excreted.” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: ancientart

“There was to be no tolerance for those who refused to go along with the changes: traditional (fill in the blank) had to be wiped out.”

Hmm, sounds familiar. Seems to be a reoccurring theme when tyrants decide to take over a country.


6 posted on 12/26/2019 5:02:12 AM PST by redangus
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