important local sect, that of the Jews. He allowed his troops to plunder and kill in Jerusalem, and the city walls were pulled down. The Books of the Law were destroyed and possession of them was made a capital offense. The Temple was attacked, and treasure was taken away. The worst indignity came when a symbol of the pagan god of heaven (equivalent to the Greek Zeus) was set up and a pig, abhorrent to the Jews, sacrificed to it. (This was probably "the abomination of desolation" mentioned in Daniel 11:31.)
Because of this persecution, Mattathias and his five sons took to the hills where they were joined by other zealots and started a guerilla campaign against Antiochus. This was the beginning of the heroic Maccabean Revolt, so named after Mattathias' son Judas Maccabeus, who took over when his father died. Their success was considerable, and they managed to defeat the professional troops of Antiochus and to retake Jerusalem in a relatively short time. The Feast of Lights of Hanukkah (rededication) celebrates the rededication of the Temp
...