Dr. Jodi Magness

Exactly so. That's right. There had been a devastating battle that Antiochus III lost against the Romans in the year 190 BC, the Battle of Magnesia, Magnesia on the Meander in Asia Minor. As a result of that battle, the Romans imposed really harsh terms of surrender on Antiochus III.

Exactly so. That's right. There had been a devastating battle that Antiochus III lost against the Romans in the year 190 BC, the Battle of Magnesia, Magnesia on the Meander in Asia Minor. As a result of that battle, the Romans imposed really harsh terms of surrender on Antiochus III.

Exactly so. That's right. There had been a devastating battle that Antiochus III lost against the Romans in the year 190 BC, the Battle of Magnesia, Magnesia on the Meander in Asia Minor. As a result of that battle, the Romans imposed really harsh terms of surrender on Antiochus III.

He actually ended up paying, if we put it into modern terms, what was the largest war indemnity in history until our time. basically bankrupted the Seleucid kingdom. And as one of the terms of surrender, his younger son, Antiochus IV, was sent as a hostage to Rome. So by the time we get at the beginning of the 160s BC, Antiochus III is dead. There actually had been another king in the meantime.

He actually ended up paying, if we put it into modern terms, what was the largest war indemnity in history until our time. basically bankrupted the Seleucid kingdom. And as one of the terms of surrender, his younger son, Antiochus IV, was sent as a hostage to Rome. So by the time we get at the beginning of the 160s BC, Antiochus III is dead. There actually had been another king in the meantime.

He actually ended up paying, if we put it into modern terms, what was the largest war indemnity in history until our time. basically bankrupted the Seleucid kingdom. And as one of the terms of surrender, his younger son, Antiochus IV, was sent as a hostage to Rome. So by the time we get at the beginning of the 160s BC, Antiochus III is dead. There actually had been another king in the meantime.

We'll skip over that. And now Antiochus IV, Epiphanes, is the ruler of the Seleucid kingdom. One of the things that the Romans did in that peace treaty, it's called the Peace of Apamea in 188 BC. One of the things that the Romans did was to try and make it impossible for the Seleucid kingdom ever to become a threat to Rome again, right?

We'll skip over that. And now Antiochus IV, Epiphanes, is the ruler of the Seleucid kingdom. One of the things that the Romans did in that peace treaty, it's called the Peace of Apamea in 188 BC. One of the things that the Romans did was to try and make it impossible for the Seleucid kingdom ever to become a threat to Rome again, right?

We'll skip over that. And now Antiochus IV, Epiphanes, is the ruler of the Seleucid kingdom. One of the things that the Romans did in that peace treaty, it's called the Peace of Apamea in 188 BC. One of the things that the Romans did was to try and make it impossible for the Seleucid kingdom ever to become a threat to Rome again, right?

So they wanted to make sure that the Seleucid kingdom was sort of permanently weakened. Well, so we get into the beginning of the 160s BC and what does Antiochus IV do? He invades Egypt, right? And this Egypt campaign is going pretty well, actually. And the Romans are kind of monitoring what's going on. And at some point, it looks like Antiochus IV is going to be able to take Egypt.

So they wanted to make sure that the Seleucid kingdom was sort of permanently weakened. Well, so we get into the beginning of the 160s BC and what does Antiochus IV do? He invades Egypt, right? And this Egypt campaign is going pretty well, actually. And the Romans are kind of monitoring what's going on. And at some point, it looks like Antiochus IV is going to be able to take Egypt.

So they wanted to make sure that the Seleucid kingdom was sort of permanently weakened. Well, so we get into the beginning of the 160s BC and what does Antiochus IV do? He invades Egypt, right? And this Egypt campaign is going pretty well, actually. And the Romans are kind of monitoring what's going on. And at some point, it looks like Antiochus IV is going to be able to take Egypt.

And at that point, the Romans apparently send some ships over and they threaten him and they say, listen, you withdraw or you're going to suffer the consequences. And so he ends up having to withdraw. Now, while Antiochus IV was in Egypt, rumors began to spread around Judea that he had died. He had been killed. That then led to a kind of a local uprising.

And at that point, the Romans apparently send some ships over and they threaten him and they say, listen, you withdraw or you're going to suffer the consequences. And so he ends up having to withdraw. Now, while Antiochus IV was in Egypt, rumors began to spread around Judea that he had died. He had been killed. That then led to a kind of a local uprising.

And at that point, the Romans apparently send some ships over and they threaten him and they say, listen, you withdraw or you're going to suffer the consequences. And so he ends up having to withdraw. Now, while Antiochus IV was in Egypt, rumors began to spread around Judea that he had died. He had been killed. That then led to a kind of a local uprising.

This is when Jason, by the way, reappears briefly on the scene. Anyway, there's kind of a local uprising. All of this then puts Antiochus IV into a really, really bad mood. So he's forced to withdraw from what had been a really successful campaign in Egypt because of Roman pressure.

This is when Jason, by the way, reappears briefly on the scene. Anyway, there's kind of a local uprising. All of this then puts Antiochus IV into a really, really bad mood. So he's forced to withdraw from what had been a really successful campaign in Egypt because of Roman pressure.

This is when Jason, by the way, reappears briefly on the scene. Anyway, there's kind of a local uprising. All of this then puts Antiochus IV into a really, really bad mood. So he's forced to withdraw from what had been a really successful campaign in Egypt because of Roman pressure.

And he's withdrawing and he hears that basically Judea is up in revolt and it's a mess and he has to send troops to kind of put down all of that instability. And so all of this is kind of background to what happens the following year. So the following year, 167 BC, Antiochus IV issues an edict. And this edict now really does completely change everything that had been going on before.

And he's withdrawing and he hears that basically Judea is up in revolt and it's a mess and he has to send troops to kind of put down all of that instability. And so all of this is kind of background to what happens the following year. So the following year, 167 BC, Antiochus IV issues an edict. And this edict now really does completely change everything that had been going on before.