Who were the Maccabees?

The Maccabees were a priestly family of Jews who led a successful rebellion against the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes during the 2nd century BCE.12

The movement began in the village of Modi'im under the leadership of the priest Mattathias and his five sons: John, Simon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judas Maccabeus. The title "Maccabee" was originally an honorific for Judas, likely meaning "the Hammer," but it was later extended to his entire family and their descendants, who established the Hasmonean dynasty.34

The Maccabees were staunchly opposed to the forced Hellenization of Judaea and the desecration of the Temple of Jerusalem, which Antiochus had dedicated to the Greek god Zeus. Following their victory, they purified and rededicated the Temple, an event commemorated annually during Hanukkah. They are recognized as the first Jews to fight specifically to defend their religious beliefs and distinct culture against external oppression.23