ABSTRACT
Antiochus III had a positive attitude toward the Jews – he reduced their taxes and made a donation to the Temple. In the peace treaty he was forced to hand over his territory in Asia Minor, the richest part of the empire. Antiochus IV advanced against Egypt and defeated the Egyptian king, Ptolemy VI; on his return he robbed the Jerusalem Temple. He also decreed that the Temple should be dedicated to the worship of the Greek god Zeus, that pigs should be sacrificed on the altar, and that all people, including non-Jews, should be allowed to worship there. Hellenism, which previously was encouraged by the Seleucids, thus became official policy. Antiochus IV underestimated Jewish resistance to his reforms; many Jews were prepared to die rather than violate their traditions. Eventually a guerrilla band, led by a priest Mattathias and his five sons, engaged in armed revolt. After Mattathias's death, this movement was spearheaded by his son Judas.
