Matt[at]hias (מתתיהו 'gift of Jahweh')

Founder of the Maccabees

Asamoneus' line continues back via HP47 Onias IV, HP44 Onias III, HP43 Simon II, HP42 Onias II, HP39 Simon the Just, HP38 Onias I ... Aaron ... Adam (75-6). According to KRGG p76 chart, there are 5 generations between Onias III d171 BC and Mattathias d166 BC 'an old man', hmmm. Unlikely, but what if Onias III was b270 [99yo], Onias IV b255, Asamoneus b240, Simeon b225, Jonathan b210 and Mattathias b195? But then he was only 29yo when he died 'an old man'! Hmmm.

Matt[at]hias was father of Janna and of Judas Maccabeus 'The Hammer' M1 r164-160, bro Jonathan M2 r160-143 d142, bro Simon [Thassi] M3 r143-34, KRGG p76, founder of the Maccabean clan, orig. M's 3rd son Judas was called Maccabeus = 'the Hammer' but later the name was used to refer to the whole clan. From br-400sy: M was of the house of Asmonaeus, of the course of Joarib, so his family are called Asmonaeans ... when King Antiochus Epiphanes' commissioner, Apelles, arrived at their town of Modin (scholars don't know exactly where, but probably somewhere between Jerusalem and Jaffa) to enforce Jewish observance of the king's heathen ways. Recognizing in M a ruler and an honorable man, Apelles came first to him, demanding that he set the example by sacrificing on the heathen alter. M refused, but as another Jew pressed forward attempting to appease the demand by making an offering, M was so stirred that he slew not only the errant Jew but also Apelles! M then destroyed the false alter ("thus had a second Phinehas arisen in Israel"). He then called to himself all those "zealous of the law and maintain[ing] the covenant" to follow him in his open defiance of the king.

The aged leader fled with his band (sons included) from the city to a nearby mountain retreat, "leaving all his goods behind him ... The flame of insurrection spread far and wide, and as of old, the 'discontented, in debt, and distressed,' [i.e. right cause, wrong reasons] rallied to the standard of Mattathias" (47, along with the faithful remnant, i.e. right reason). The Syrian army responded immediately, wishing to crush this rebellion in its cradle. "They fell upon a heterogeneous mass of Jews who were encamped in the wilderness, on their way to the hiding place of Mattathias. It was the holy Sabbath, and the patriotic band felt they dared not violate its sanctity by armed resistance, so a thousand were butchered like defenceless sheep. But this led to a change of judgement, and decided the Jews never again to refuse to defend their country and their families on the holy day ... The most devoted Jews joined Mattathias; those known as the Assidaeans [connected to our word assiduous?], or Chasidim [i.e. Hasidic Jews] (i.e. the Pious), who detested all that savored of idolatry, and clung tenaciously to the old paths, as well as the nationalist party, who were actuated more by mere patriotism than true piety" (47-8). They essentially became a guerrila-type insurgency, roving, gaining recruits, destroying heathen sites (alters, temples), circumcising children, and proclaiming the triumph of God's law. Mattathias himself died within a year (166 BC, cause unstated, bur. Modin), but named his son Judas new military leader of the movement, and son Simon chief counsel ("noted for his sagacity and singleness of purpose" 48).

Judas proved a successful leader, winning many victories, even against a great host led by Apollonius (governor of Samaria), who was killed in the battle (Judas used his trophy sword thereafter). At this, another greater army commanded by Seron was sent by king Antiochus against the Jews. They met at Beth-horon, and the much larger Syrian army was scattered (after earlier Jewish fasting, discouragement and re-encouragement by Judas that all is possible with God's help). This enraged Antiochus, who sent his mighty general Lysias with fully half of the Syrian army to annihilate these insolent Jews. Lysias divided his force (40,000 foot soldiers, 7,000 horsemen) among 3 divisions lead by generals Ptolemy, Nicanor, and Gorgias. Judas had 6,000 men. The Syrians camped at Emmaus, the Jews at Mizpeh, who watched and prayed. "With ashes on their heads and sackcloth on their bodies, they [the Jews] fell down before God in prayer and confession. Eleazar, the brother of Judas, read from the Holy Scriptures" (51). When Jewish sentries found Gorgias preparing for battle before daybreak, they hurried away and, as Gorgias arrived at their empty camp (thinking them retreating), the Jews attacked the rest of the Syrian force, routing them (felling 3,000 Syrians). Once Gorgias returned to the field of battle, the disorder disheartened them and they fled before the attacking Jews. The following year Lysias made another attempt with 65,000 men, but Judas' 10,000 strong army once again repelled them at Idumea [in the land of Edom]. "So overwhelming was this blow, that it was years before the Syrian army recovered from its effects, and in the meantime (164 BC), less than a year after the triumph of Judas, the vile Antiochus Epiphanes died a horrible death, raving in madness and foul with an evil disease that rotted the flesh upon his bones while life was yet in his filthy body. He had reigned 11 years, and came to his end as he was hastening home from Persia to avenge the defeat of his generals upon the exultant Jews" (52).

But before Antiochus died, the temple had been cleansed after the 2,300 days of defilement. Upon Judas' arrival in Jerusalem, it had been a sorry sight of ruin and desolation, but they set to work repairing and cleansing, while also keeping in check the Syrian garrison in the nearby fortress. Finally, the temple was rededicated (and temple service restarted) "on the 25th Chisleu [December], 165 BC, exactly 3 years from the day when the first offering had been made on the alter of Jupiter, and some 6.5 years after it had been first polluted by Antiochus" (53). This originated the annual "Feast of the Dedication" (John 10:22).

See br-400sy (link below) for the rest of the Maccabean story ...

KRGG p16: Here he discusses 3 Bible lines that leave the Holy Land and branch to other parts of the world;

• 1 the line from James the Just son of St Joseph which leads to Conan, who m. into the line from Anna of Arimathea in St Dareca. This line continues to St Judicael thru one branch and to St Brychan's wife Prawst thru another branch. But Brychan is also directly descended from Joseph Ha Rama Theo, the son of St Joseph thru Siaclotus who m. Eurgain, the descendant of St Joseph of Arimathea. These lines lead to the English Kings.

• 2 the line from Judas of Gamla that leads to Meroveous, father of the Merovingian Dynasty. This line is Judas of G, Joseph of G, Jesus of G m. Mary Magdalene, Jesus Justus, Joseph ... leads to Franks, whose line is joined by a long line from Joseph the Israelite and eventually to the 7-foot-tall HRE Charlemagne.

• 3 the line from Joseph Ha Rama Theo, son of St Joseph. Siaclotus m. Eurgen ... St Helen of the Cross, RE Constantine. Now Eurgen was of the lines of the British Kings (i.e. Beli the Druid King was an ancestor) and thru a female branch Numerius Julius Caesar can be found as well as Tiberius Nero Caesar as ancestors of Eurgen.

He says on p22 that the Gamala line (aka the 'Magadan' line, i.e. 'magadan' means 'the region of the Dan' tribe, which is NE of the Galilee, in the modern Golan Heights) was formed when the Aaronic (Levitical) and Davidic (via Hyrcanus) were joined in the marriage of Eliub and Janna in the 5th gen before Christ. Since Eliub was b. c206 BC (and d. at, let's say, 80yo in c126), we could estimate they were m. when he was 30yo in c176 BC? Judas of Gamala (of this page) appears in the 3rd gen before Christ.

Now this gets a little confusing, but Judas of Gamala's father Mathan m. Alexandra, dau of Hyrcanus II. But he also had a sister Alexandra who m. Mathat of the [Davidic] line of Nathan[iel] who was the father of Joachim, father of St Mary. Rachel the sis of Mathan (and Alexandra) was of Arimathea and was the mother of Joseph of Arimathea. And Joseph of A was the bro of Mathat (23, also cf chart p69)! Joseph of A had a bro Heli, both sons of Mathat, so apparently bros of Joachim who m. St Ann (dau of Alexandra). Rachel of A is aka Escha or Esmiralda (25).

Now Antigonus the son of John Hyrcanus was the father of a Judas of Gamala (? diff. from this one?) who was [also] an ancestor of Mary Magdalene (23). Antigonus was also the father of Joidiah who was father of St Ann, mother of St Mary!

In the 3rd gen before Christ, Mathan was father of Jacob, Judas of Gamala, Hizikiah and [a girl] Don [aka Donna Verch Mathonry p138]. Jacob m. Cleopatra of Jerusalem, the mother of St Joseph. Jacob also had a wife Eucharia who was mother of Miriam (who m. King Herod). Judas of Gamala was father of Joseph of Gamala. Hizikiah was father of Judas the Zealot and another Jacob. Hizikiah's line continued only another 4-5 gens (chart p109). Don the sis of Jacob m. the British King Beli [Mawr d100 BC] and was the mother of Caswallon, Lldwiath, Affalach and Llud. These lines continue to the present, respectively, to Wales, to Bran who m. Anna of Arimathea, to Brychienog, and to Julia of the Iceni and then to the Romans and beyond (24).

Judas of Gamala (son of Antigonus d103 BC, p119) was the father of Judas Zebedee, whose sons were the apostles James and John (24, 35). This Judas of G was also father of Menehem (father of Eucharia) and Menechem (father of Matthew Syrus, p77).

St Joseph had many sons and daughters w/his 1st wife. After she died, he later m. St Mary. He had a bro Cleopus who m. Mary Alphaeus, and they had many sons and daughters, 3 of whom became Apostles; Simon the Zealot, James [the lesser p54], Jude/Thaddeus (112, 'Judas Thaddeus' p26). Other kids were Miriam mother of John Mark (33), Joseph [Barsabbas p57] (35), JoAnne, Salome, Lillian, Susan, Cyrian, Dinah (37), Simeon (57). Now Cleopus and St Joseph had a bro Ptolas, a twin of Cleopas, who may've been the Apostle [doubting] Thomas (24).

He says Jesus of Gamala m. Mary Magdalene, again joining the Levitical and Davidic (MM) lines, and that the line from this union continues to Wales, Spain and France (25). Eucharia was the father [? mother?] of St Lazarus, St Martha and St Mary Magdalene and these 3 were the kids of Matthew Cyrus, son of Menechem (hmmm, so apparently Eucharia was a woman who m. Matthew Cyrus, 25).

The kids of Jesus of Gamala and Mary Magdalene were Justus who m. Marcella, dau of 'a son who was the son of Rabbi Nicodemus the Pharisee mentioned' in the Scriptures. So this Nicodemus was in the 2nd or 3rd gen before Christ (since Justus/Marcella were in the 1st). St Lazarus m. Salome the sis of St Mary and had kids Ann and Eurgen whose line continues to Wales (26).

On the name John Hyrcanus, MG HAI p199 says that in the later years of Persian rule, stability deteriorated in Judea and this is probably why Artaxerxes III 'Ochus' r359-38 BC 'deported a substantial number of [Jews] to Hyrcania, beside the Caspian Sea'. This was shortly before the region fell to AlexGrt in 330 BC. On p219 MG says John Hyrcanus 'derived this name from a Jewish settlement in Hyrcania on the Caspian'. MG p210 says Modein was not far from Lydda (now Lod) and, after the incident, Mattathias and his sons and followers 'took to the Gophna hills, up the Beth-horon pass'. He died a few months later, probably still holed up in those hills.

MG HAI p212 characterizes the ldrs thusly: M1 Judas was widely thot a hero, i.e. godly and successful, tho his treaty w/the Romans was later criticized, MG says its what allowed him to succeed (i.e. v. God?). Because Judas was unqualified for HP, 'a certain Alcimus (Eliakim)', descended from Aaron, but not Zadok, became HP48. This caused Onias IV to flee to Egypt, where he was allowed by Ptolemy VI 'Philometer' to found an alternate 'Temple' at Leontopolis (not Elephantine Island, but a town near the S tip of the Nile Delta). When Judas d160 his bro M2 Jonathan took over (Alcimus d. ~same time), Jonathan became ldr and after 7yrs allowed himself to be named HP49 as well. He was named 'governor of Judea' by the Seleucids. Like Judas, he d. in battle. The last surviving bro M3 Simon [Thassi] expelled the Seleucids; 'the only successful revolt in defense of religion in ancient history', beginning 80yrs of Israeli self-govt. He called himself 'ethnarch' and was also HP50 (212). After Simon was assassinated by his son-in-law (name?), the Seleucid king Antiochus VII 'Sidetes' reconquered Israel (219). But when he d129 BC, Simon's son M4 and HP51 John Hyrcanus reasserted indep. by allying w/Rome, thus keeping both Syria and Egypt at bay. He even expanded into Samaria, Galilee and Idumaea (to where Edomites had fled Arabs 400yrs earlier) and his influence extended even further. But his pro-Hellenism offended many. His son M5 and HP52 Aristobulus I even called himself 'Greek-lover' (Philhellen, 221). M5's bro M6 and HP53 Alexander Jannaeus lived a luxurious, secular way of life and even called himself 'king'. Tho seemingly Hellenized, the Greek cities suffered greatly from his brutality; he conquered the whole Judean coast from Egypt to Mt Carmel, except Philistine Ashkelon. He even confronted the Arab Nabataeans who'd taken over Petra (the former Edomite capital Sela) and the former kingdom of Dedan (Kebar). Not since Solomon's time had a Jewish ruler controlled so much territory (221). He had diplomatic ties to the Parthians, an Iranian speaking people who'd split from the Seleucids and expanded into Babylon, where many Jews remained from the 6C BC. It was during M6's reign that the Pharisees finally broke into open rebellion, tho unsuccessfully and w/great loss (100s) of life. M6's widow and successor M7 Salome Alexandra reversed his religious policy, favoring the Pharisees and harrying the Sadducees (222). The 1st female ruler of the Jews since the ill-fated Athaliah. Her son Hyrcanus II became HP54, but he was a weak character, and when he succeeded to the throne at her death, deferred to the guidance of warlord Antipater of Idumaea. The kingdom went into rapid decline as Hyrc II (egged on by Antipater, who invited the Nabitaeans to march on Jerusalem) clashed w/his bro Aristobulus II. But in the meantime, the Romans had entered Syria (i.e. Pompey in 63 BC).

MG HAI p216 says the Sadducees' name may've come from King David's HP Zadok. They were an elite (small) group of rich, influential men, mostly landowners and included the hereditary priests who controlled the Temple. Its traditional rituals [T] were more important to them than precise interpretations of the Torah [S] (both opposed Greek [R], tho Sadducees were more open to it). They mostly supported the ruling Hasmonaeans i.e. wanted to maintain the status quo. The Pharisees, by contrast, were more 'middle class'. 'Pharisee' means 'separate' but they preferred the term 'Haberim' meaning equals, associates, fellows (hmmm, proto-democrats? anti-authoritarians?). They descend (intellectually, and maybe also biologically) from the Hasidim who'd earlier broken w/the Hasmonaeans due to their ungodly, secular nature. They were angry w/Jonathan's assumption of the HP role. But there were NOT agitators or activists (at least in their early days), i.e. they were willing to endure injustice and even persecution in the interest of submission to Yahweh's will. Their activities were centered NOT on the Temple, but in the synagogues (houses of prayer, learning). They wanted religion to be relevant to ordinary people and to be a source, not of gloom, but of satisfaction and happiness. They were concened about social problems of the day. Their agents and assistants were the scribes ('sopherim'). The Essenes seem to have been renegade and separatist Pharisees (218).

At JH's death, his son Aristobulus [I] declared himself king of Judea, 1st since 586 BC. By this time the Maccabeans (aka Hasmoneans) had become quite Greek in their ways and behaved 'with all the ferocity of Greek tyrants' (74). e.g. M5 jailed his mom and k. his bro, which drove him mad w/guilt. 'As he d. vomiting blood, he feared that his arrogant surviving bro Alex Yanni was a monster who would destroy the Maccabees' (74). Once he secured Jerusalem, M6 m. M5's widow and set about conquering. He was 'spoiled and heartless ... loathed for his debauched sadism' (74). The Greek kingdoms were collapsing and the Romans had not yet arrived, so he had free reign in the region. He survived frequent defeats by luck, family connections and 'tenacious savagery' (75). The Jews nicknamed him 'the Thracian' for his barbarism and his army of Greek mercenaries' (75). He conquered Gaza and Raphia on the borders of Egypt and the Gaulanitis (aka Golan) in the N. He once had 6k Jews k. in the streets for taunting him, but when the Seleucids used the chaos to attack, he fled to the hills, planning revenge. He later returned to Jerusalem and k. another 50k of his own people. His enemies called him 'the furious young lion' and he d. of alcoholism, advising his wife Salome Alexandra to 'conceal his death from the soldiers til she'd secured Jerusalem, then to govern w/the Pharisees' (75, i.e. a proto-Machiavellian). She was the 1st Queen of J since Jezebel's dau (Athaliah). She managed to rule into her 60s w/the Pharisees' help, but 'the genius of the dynasty was exhausted' (75), and 'she struggled to control her 2 sons'; the elder Hyrcanus II wasn't energetic enough, and the younger Aristobulus II was way TOO energetic! By this time Rome was advancing E, swallowing Greece, then Turkey (i.e. Mithridates, Greek king of Pontus) w/next stop greater Judea. Pompey finally defeated Mith. after a long struggle in 66 BC, and had Judea in the bag by 63 BC.

In the 3rd Macedonian War (began 171 BC), Roman consol/general Aemilius Paullus defeated Perseus (king of Macedon) in 168 BC, abolishing that kingdom, parcelling out the land to 4 republics (allies of Rome), enslaving 150k and exiling to Italy all leading members of anti-Roman factions from the cities of Greece, including the historian Polybius ... this was the same year Antiochus IV of Syria tried to invade Egypt but was turned back by Roman envoy Popilius Laenas who 'drew the original line in the sand' ... Polybius spent nearly 20yrs as a kind of honored prisoner in Rome, getting to know many leading figures e.g. Cato the Elder, the Scipio bros ... he was amazed at their rapid conquest of most of the known world but also horrified when in 146 BC sacked Corinth (and Carthage). As Rome invaded Carthage in 149 and captured the city in 146, Polybius travelled w/Scipio on the campaign, watching the city burn. Like Corinth, it was simply destroyed, graphically demonstrating to all that Rome was central now, and these were merely peripheral (Rome p68-70, a hard lesson for the Greeks).

cf ahnen-sg, ahnen-sf and br-400sy.

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