Judea was part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 200 BCE, when King Antiochus III the Great of Syria defeated King Ptolemy V Epiphanes of Egypt at the Battle of Panium
Judea became at that moment part of the Seleucid Empire of Syria
King Antiochus III the Great, wanting to concelliate his new Jewish subjects, Guaranteed their right to live according to their ancesteral customs, and continue to practice their religion at the Temple of Jerusalem
However, in 175 BC, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, son of Antiochus III, invaded Judea ostensibly at the request of the Sons of Tobias
The Tobiads, who led the Hellenizing Jewish faction in Jerusalem were expelled to Syria around 170 BCE
When the High Priest Onias and his (pause) pro-Egyptian faction wrestled control from them
Tobiads lobbied Antiochus IV Epiphanes to recapture Jerusalem
As the ancient Jewish historian Flavius Josephus tells us: "
The king being thereto disposed beforehand, complied with them, and came upon the Jews with a great army, and took their city by force, and slew a great multitude of those that favored Ptolemy, and sent out his soldiers to plunder them without mercy.
He also spoiled the temple, and put a stop to the constant practice of offering a daily sacrifice of expiation for three years and six months"
When the second temple in Jerusalem was looted and services stopped, Judaism was outlawed
in 167 BCE, Antiochus ordered an alter to Zeus erected in the temple.
He banned circumcision and ordered pigs to be sacrificed at the alter of the temple.
Antiochus's actions provoked a large scale revolt
Mattityahu, a Jewish priest, and his five sons Jochanan, Simeon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah led a rebellion against Antiochus
Judah became known as Yehuda Ha
Makabi, which means Judah the Hammer(echo)
By 166 BCE, Mattathias had died, and Judah took his place as leader
By 165 BCE, the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy was successful
The temple was liberated, and new holy vessels were made.
According to the Talmud, Olive oil was needed for the menorah in the temple, which was required to burn throughout the night, every night.
The story goes that there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet it burned for 8 days, the time required to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah
An 8-day festival was declared by the Jewish sages to commemorate this miracle
