Antiochus IV Epiphanes: The King Who Desecrated the Temple and Sparked the Maccabean Revolt

Antiochus IV Epiphanes (174-163 BC) was a king of the Seleucid Empire, who is known for his campaigns against the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Judea. He is often referred to as Antiochus IV or Antiochus Epiphanes.

Antiochus IV was born in 215 BC, and he ascended to the throne in 175 BC, after the death of his father, Seleucus IV Philopator. During his reign, he focused on expanding the Seleucid Empire and strengthening its economy. He also engaged in several military campaigns against the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Judea.

One of Antiochus' most notable actions was his attempt to conquer Judea and impose Greek culture and religion upon the Jewish people. In 167 BC, he besieged Jerusalem and desecrated the Temple by erecting a statue of Zeus and sacrificing pigs on the altar. This event is known as the Abomination of Desolation and is mentioned in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation.

Antiochus' reign ended in 163 BC, when he was killed during a rebellion led by the Jewish priest Mattathias and his five sons, who became known as the Maccabees. The Maccabean Revolt successfully drove the Seleucid Empire out of Judea and established an independent Jewish state.

Overall, Antiochus IV Epiphanes is remembered for his attempts to suppress Jewish culture and religion, which ultimately led to the Maccabean Revolt and the establishment of an independent Jewish state.