Biography Page
We do not know when Judas Maccabee was born but it was probably around
180BCE.
He came from a family named the Hasmoneans who were a family of Jewish
priests.
Judas's father was a man by the name of Mattathias.
Historians are not aware of who Judas's mother was, if he had a spouse,
or if he ever had children.
However, Judas did have two famous brothers by the names of Simon
and Jonathon who to control of the revolt after Judas was killed.
In 167 B.C. the Seleucid Empire under control of Antiochus IV imposed
anti-Jewish laws on the Jews in Jerusalem.
Mattathias began the Jewish revolt when he stabbed and killed a Jewish
man and a Seleucian soldier for obeying Antiochus IV.
Judas then became the leader of the Jews and started a revolt against
Antiochus IV.
Judas was given the nickname "Maccabee" which means "The Hammer."
Judas led the Jewish people for 6 years until in 161 B.C. In 161
B.C. Judas was killed in battle and his brothers Jonathon and Simon took
over.
They finished the revolt and won the freedom for the Jewish people. Later,
both Jonathon and Simon became high priests.
