Temple, the rededication ceremony lasted eight days. (The story of the lights
miraculously burning for eight days was added later, for reasons that will be
discussed in the next chapter.)
During the second stage of the revolt, the Seleucid Greeks were driven out
of the Land of Israel. In 163, Judah Maccabee laid siege to the city of Acra.
The siege was unsuccessful, and at this point, non-Jewish residents of Greek
cities in the Land of Israel rioted against Hasmonean forces. The Hasmoneans
appeared to be on the verge of defeat. However, they received a reprieve when
Seleucid soldiers were withdrawn and sent to fight the Romans. With a
renewed advantage, Judah Maccabee soundly crushed the Greek rioters.
Following this victory, he assumed the title of nagid(ethnarch). In 162,
Menelaus was put to death and replaced with Alcimus, an Aaronite priest –
thus restoring the legitimacy of the temple priesthood. Many Jews, especially
the Hasideans, stopped fighting at this point, thus weakening the rebel
forces. The Hasmoneans’ conquest of the land and quest for full political
independence continued. In 161, Judah made an alliance with the Romans.
Soon after, he was killed in battle and succeeded by his brother, Jonathan.
After Judah’s death, the Seleucids and their Hellenized Jewish supporters
regained control of Judea and rebuilt several of their strongholds, including
Jericho and Jerusalem. Although Jonathan and the Hasmoneans were unable
to make any gains, the decline of the Seleucid Empire after 153 gave the
advantage back to the Hasmoneans. In 152, Jonathan defeated the much-
weakened Seleucid army and retook the city of Jerusalem. As part of the
settlement, Jonathan asked for, and was awarded, the high priesthood, thus
rendering moot the struggle between Oniads and Tobiads. The Oniads and
Tobiads would be supplanted by the Hasmonean dynasty; both families soon
came to terms with new ruling dynasty. During the ensuing decade, more-
over, Jonathan conquered additional territory, extending the borders of Judea
even beyond the borders of the United Monarchy. In 143, Judean indepen-
dence was recognized by the Seleucids, thus bringing the revolt to a fully
successful conclusion.
The success of the revolt resulted from a combination of factors. The first-
rate military and political leadership provided by the Hasmoneans was
indispensable. In addition, the popularity of the Hasmoneans fostered a sense
of national unity, especially when they were defending the purity of the
Temple and Judaism against Hellenism and foreign intrusion. Yet although
these considerations were important, the overarching reason for the success of
the revolt was the decline and weakness of the Seleucid army. It was, after all,
fighting the Romans at the same time. In retrospect, a strong, undistracted
Seleucid army would have crushed the revolt.
The consequences of the revolt became clearer during the subsequent
decades. At first glance, the victory of the Hasmoneans seemed to undo the
hitherto subversion of the priesthood through simony and the appointment of
illegitimate candidates such as Menelaus. However, the assumption of the
30 The challenge of Hellenism