Mattathias

Matityahu son of Yochanan, also known by the Greek name Mattathias was a Jewish kohen who lived when Antiochus IV took over Judea. When the Greeks tried to assimilate the Jews they ordered him to offer a sacrifice to Zeus but Matityahu refused. Matityahu decided to lead a rebellion against Antiochus to defend Judaism but he died of old age so his sons and their followers, known as the Maccabees fought the war against the Greeks and beat them.

Category:Jewish people
Category:Ancient Israeli people
Category:160s BC deaths