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Mattathias
2nd century BCE Jewish priest of the Hasmonean Dynasty / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Matityahu" redirects here. For the Israeli settlement, see Matityahu (Israeli settlement).
Mattathias ben Johanan (Hebrew: מַתִּתְיָהוּ הַכֹּהֵן בֶּן יוֹחָנָן, Mattīṯyāhū haKōhēn ben Yōḥānān; died 166–165 BCE)[1] was a Kohen (Jewish priest) who helped spark the Maccabean Revolt against the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. Mattathias's story is related in the deuterocanonical book of 1 Maccabees and in the writings of Josephus. Mattathias is accorded a central role in the story of Hanukkah and, as a result, is named in the Al HaNissim prayer Jews add to the Birkat Hamazon (grace after meals) and the Amidah during the festival's eight days.
Quick Facts Leader of the Maccabees, Successor ...
Mattathias | |
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![]() An imaginary depiction of Mattathias from Guillaume Rouillé's Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum (1553) | |
Leader of the Maccabees | |
Successor | Judas Maccabeus |
Died | 166–165 BCE |
Burial | |
Issue | Judas Maccabeus Eleazar Avaran Simon Thassi John Gaddi Jonathan Apphus |
Dynasty | Hasmonean |
Religion | Judaism |
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