240:
moderate
Hellenists who were happy to work with Alcimus as long as religious protections were guaranteed and Antiochus IV's decrees stayed repealed. This would explain why the Hasideans were willing to work with Alcimus at first, why the books of Maccabees discuss Nicanor's attempted negotiations with Judas, and the author's frustration at how "all the troublers of their people rallied to him (Alcimus), overran the land of Judah, and inflicted a great defeat on Israel." While the surviving sources are hostile to Alcimus, it does appear that they grudgingly concede he was able to rally more allies to his cause than Menelaus had. Alcimus's coalition building, however he managed it, would go on to cause problems for the Maccabees, who would suffer military disaster in 160 BCE and be forced to retreat to the countryside seemingly in defeat.
268:) argues a more direct translation would be as a continuation of "he" (Alcimus) both seizing the Hasideans and writing the verse. If that was the intent of the author of 1 Maccabees, it would suggest that Alcimus himself wrote the Psalm himself as a lament, which would rather change the tenor of the verse and offer a more sympathetic portrayal to Alcimus. More favorable sources to Alcimus suggest that the execution of the sixty was unlikely to be for no reason, and the Hasmoneans wished to sway the moderate Hasideans by portraying the executed as innocent moderates rather than Maccabee supporters.
277:
literally, the passage suggests a return to the uncleansed Temple under
Menelaus, where Greeks and Jews alike worshipped together. However, a full-scale revival of the syncretic cult Menelaus established does not appear to have taken place; whether that was due to Alcimus's death, or that the wall incident had nothing to do with such a plan, is not clear. Another possibility is that it may have been related to theological dispute of the era, and the barrier was intended to be between priests and common worshippers. Josephus, elsewhere in
178:. Alcimus's position as high priest was reinforced and strong garrisons were left in Jerusalem and the other cities of Judea to maintain Seleucid rule. Alcimus did not long enjoy his triumph, since he died soon after. The authors of the Books of Maccabees say his last act was to order the wall of the temple that divided the Gentiles from the Jews pulled down. His death is recorded in May 159 BCE, the month
174:. Nicanor at first attempted to make a peace deal with Judas; 2 Maccabees reports that Alcimus sabotaged the deal by complaining to Demetrius I. Nicanor then attempted to arrest Judas and eventually went into the countryside to fight the Maccabees; he was defeated and killed, however. A third army, under Bacchides again, was dispatched, and Judas was defeated and killed at the
151:. Alcimus received his appointment as high priest at some point from 163–162 BCE: 2 Maccabees suggests 163 BCE, under the reign of Antiochus V, while 1 Maccabees suggests only after the trip to Antioch in 162 BCE. It is also possible that Alcimus had been made High Priest on some sort of interim arrangement by Lysias in 163 BCE and was confirmed by Demetrius I in 162 BCE.
457:
210:
Temple to be robbed by
Antiochus IV and stole from it himself, allegedly. Other midrash indicate that Joezer was executed by General Bacchides, suggesting that Alcimus's alliance with Bacchides led to his own family's death, if the identification of the two figures is correct. However, not all scholars are convinced of the connection;
726:
299:
as getting in trouble at the Temple for bringing a Greek inside, suggesting that the matter of who is allowed into what parts of the Temple would continue to be contested. Alternatively, the meaning could be entirely reversed: that by removing the barrier, non-Zadokite priests, once able to approach
230:
region has an inscription in Greek that reads "Salōmē, wife (daughter?) of
Jakeimos". It is speculated that this ossuary might hold the bones of Alcimus's wife or possibly daughter; it is from the roughly correct era of time and Gophna had many priests, although others wealthy enough to inter their
209:
is Jakum's uncle; Jakum mocks Joezer during his hanging, but then experiences remorse and commits suicide. Due to Jakum's similarity to
Jakeimos, some scholars believe it is describing Alcimus, albeit after hundreds of years of the story drifting. In this view, Meshita is Menelaus, who allowed the
239:
By the time of
Alcimus's reign as High Priest, the Maccabees had radicalized into seeking a starker break from Seleucid political control. The author of 1 Maccabees describes any who worked with Alcimus as godless traitors, but it seems that there was a branch of moderates caught in the middle -
307:
of the Talmud might refer to
Alcimus as well. Chapter 2, Verse 3 says: "Within it was the Soreg , ten handbreadths high. There were thirteen breaches in it, which had been originally made by the kings of Greece, and when they repaired them they enacted that thirteen prostrations should be made
276:
Temple architecture was deeply important in the era for its symbolism. The sources do not directly describe
Alcimus's motive for pulling down the wall in the Temple, although the book of 1 Maccabees goes so far as to suggest that God struck down and killed Alcimus for the impious act. Taken
190:
Josephus writes that
Alcimus was "also called Jakeimos." Jews in the Hellenistic era usually adopted dual names, a Greek and a Hebrew one: Alcimus was likely the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Eliakim" and Jakeimos the Greek form of Hebrew "Yakim"
308:
facing them." Some interpreters believe that "kings of Greece" refers to the Greek-appointed High Priest
Alcimus: that he made 13 ceremonial breaches in the lattice rather than destroying it entirely, which were then ceremonially repaired later.
287:; Alcimus's act may have been related to a dispute around a different such barrier that was interpreted in a hostile fashion by the Maccabees. A similar theological dispute, possibly a continuation, existed in the later Roman era - the Christian
162:. The favor with which Alcimus was received by the Jews at Jerusalem on account of his Aaronic descent was soon turned to hate by his cruelties. Alcimus ordered the arrest and execution of 60 Jews, apparently members of the
352:, a sect of Judaism. The truth of the Righteous Teacher's identity is unclear as firm dates are not provided, but this scenario is consistent with the known antagonism of the Qumran community to the Hasmonean dynasty.
260:) The statement introducing it says that he (Alcimus) seized the sixty and killed them, and continues on to say in most translations that it is in accordance with the word that was written in the Psalm. However,
214:
argues that the identification of the two Yakims as the same person is "highly speculative and debatable", as Yakim was not a rare name at the time, and the manner of death greatly differs in the two accounts.
170:(Judah Maccabee) remained active in the countryside, where they attacked Greek-friendly Jews. Alcimus returned to Demetrius I to ask for more troops to fight the rebels. Demetrius sent another army, led by
316:
The holder of the High Priest position from 159–152 BCE is not known. It is possible the position was vacant, or held by some interim priest whose name is lost to history. Eventually,
205:
briefly discuss a figure named "Jakum of Zeroroth" (or "Jakim", "Yakim"). In the story, a man named Joseph Meshita robs a golden artifact from the temple, then is sawed in half. Rabbi
103:
Book 12, Chapters 9-11. All of these sources are hostile to Alcimus; no sources from his faction's perspective survived. Alcimus is described as a leader of the Hellenizing faction of
127:. It is not clear if Menelaus was of the high priestly line, but he most likely was not, which partially explains the troubles his time had. Alcimus was a descendant of the Biblical
403:
252:
after describing the death of the Hasideans: "The flesh of your faithful ones and their blood / they poured out all around Jerusalem, / and there was no one to bury them." (
817:
541:
Bar-Kochva is citing "An ancient Jewish cave on the Jerusalem-Sechem road" from the 1933 Bulletin of the Israel Exploration Society, volume I p.7–9 (in Hebrew).
1350:
1365:
810:
637:
300:
the Inner Temple but not past the barrier, could no longer enter at all, making the Inner Temple more exclusive rather than more inclusive.
830:
131:, brother of Moses, and possibly himself was in the high-priestly line. Being ambitious for the office of high priest, he traveled to
697:
665:
503:
803:
394:
1273:
835:
773:
534:
283:, describes "a wooden lattice around the altar and the sanctuary extending up the barrier" during the time of Hasmonean King
1263:
398:
390:
1168:
124:
1324:
946:
408:
1181:
604:
487:
325:
253:
211:
171:
17:
82:
78:
1202:
1289:
1152:
745:
472:
279:
99:
1360:
1355:
1294:
1284:
1087:
1072:
1062:
1027:
1017:
961:
766:
120:
90:
57:
for three years from 162–159 BCE. He was a moderate Hellenizer who favored the ruling government of the
1304:
1258:
1057:
1052:
1037:
1022:
998:
983:
972:
931:
883:
826:
265:
54:
1314:
1197:
1009:
888:
625:
292:
257:
1329:
1278:
1268:
1253:
1212:
1192:
1082:
936:
913:
329:
155:
144:
104:
291:
describe the curtain of the Temple separating God from common people tearing in two on the day of
1243:
1238:
1222:
1207:
1137:
522:
491:
284:
993:
1309:
1299:
1233:
1107:
693:
661:
633:
530:
499:
140:
1319:
685:
333:
261:
202:
62:
1117:
787:
321:
317:
304:
223:
206:
175:
167:
136:
58:
147:
and Lysias. Alcimus was of the Hellenizing party, and therefore bitterly opposed by the
660:. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdsmans Publishing Company. p. 27–61.
344:(Jonathan) and a "Man of the Lie" and dismissed from his post. The Teacher retreats to
1217:
1147:
740:
467:
198:
27:
736:
463:
1344:
1132:
1127:
730:
714:
341:
320:
took the position in 152 BCE after securing an alliance with Seleucid royal claimant
412:
119:
The office of high priest was recently vacant in 163 BCE after despised High Priest
1122:
296:
107:
that favored more enthusiastic adoption of Greek practices and less adherence to
1142:
795:
653:
86:
74:
845:
108:
1162:
1077:
941:
898:
163:
159:
148:
166:. When Bacchides and his army returned to Antioch, the rebel forces under
1248:
1186:
1176:
1092:
1067:
951:
903:
863:
249:
94:
729: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
1047:
988:
926:
868:
858:
757:
349:
219:
195:
132:
1042:
1032:
956:
893:
345:
288:
227:
40:
1228:
921:
873:
853:
337:
179:
128:
878:
498:. Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press. p. 267.
799:
47:, "God will rise"), also called Jakeimos, Jacimus, or Joachim (
340:, serves as High Priest for a time before being betrayed by a
336:
discovered in 1947. In this theory, the Righteous Teacher, a
48:
31:
527:
Judas Maccabaeus: The Jewish Struggle Against the Seleucids
721:. Eds. Orr, James, M.A., D.D. Retrieved December 9, 2005.
632:. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock. p. 119–123.
324:. One theory of Alcimus's successor is that it was the
630:
The Maccabean Revolt: Anatomy of a Biblical Revolution
404:
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
73:
What is known of Alcimus comes from records found in
1161:
1106:
1007:
912:
844:
158:to establish Alcimus in the high priesthood at
517:
515:
328:, a mysterious figure described in the Qumran
811:
231:family's bones might have had the same name.
8:
658:The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Hasmonean State
529:. Cambridge University Press. p. 381.
367:
365:
818:
804:
796:
753:
719:International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
361:
1351:2nd-century BCE high priests of Israel
348:, where he becomes the founder of the
186:Name and similar figures in tradition
143:, who had just overthrown young king
7:
1366:People in the books of the Maccabees
451:
449:
135:to secure the appointment from new
65:which was in progress at the time.
496:2 Maccabees: A Critical Commentary
14:
692:. University Press America, Inc.
749:. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
724:
476:. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
455:
735:Alexander Büchler (1901–1906).
690:Alcimus, Enemy of the Maccabees
462:Alexander Büchler (1901–1906).
248:The book of 1 Maccabees quotes
222:discovered in a burial cave by
1274:Elioneus ben Simon Cantatheras
568:Scolnic 2004, p. 162–165
380:Scolnic 2004, p. 143–144
61:(Greek Syria) and opposed the
1:
1264:Simon Cantatheras ben Boethus
737:"Alcimus (called also Jakim)"
464:"Alcimus (called also Jakim)"
411:. p. 102. Archived from
154:Demetrius sent an army under
615:Scolnic 2004, p. 62–64
586:Scolnic 2004, p. 66–67
577:Scolnic 2004, p. 47–48
550:Scolnic 2004, p. 12–36
443:Scolnic 2004, p. 72–84
371:Scolnic 2004, p. 16–17
1382:
49:
32:
15:
1325:Mattathias ben Theophilus
780:
771:
763:
756:
409:Little, Brown and Company
182:in the Hebrew calendar.
18:Alcimus (disambiguation)
1290:Ananias son of Nedebeus
1203:Matthias ben Theophilus
746:The Jewish Encyclopedia
473:The Jewish Encyclopedia
407:. Vol. 1. Boston:
280:Antiquities of the Jews
123:was executed by Regent
100:Antiquities of the Jews
743:; et al. (eds.).
470:; et al. (eds.).
1305:Joseph Cabi ben Simon
1259:Theophilus ben Ananus
774:High Priest of Israel
626:Harrington, Daniel J.
272:Pulling down the wall
266:Jonathan A. Goldstein
55:High Priest of Israel
1315:Jesus son of Damneus
1285:Josephus ben Camydus
16:For other uses, see
1330:Phannias ben Samuel
1279:Jonathan ben Ananus
1269:Matthias ben Ananus
1254:Jonathan ben Ananus
1213:Eleazar ben Boethus
1193:Jesus, son of Fabus
595:Scolnic 2004, p. 70
523:Bar-Kochva, Bezalel
492:Attridge, Harold W.
434:Scolnic 2004, p. 43
425:Scolnic 2004, p. 36
330:Habakkuk Commentary
254:1 Maccabees 7:16–17
235:Political situation
145:Antiochus V Eupator
105:Hellenistic Judaism
1244:Simon ben Camithus
1239:Eleazar ben Ananus
1223:Joazar ben Boethus
1208:Joazar ben Boethus
1138:Alexander Jannaeus
559:Scolnic 2004, p. 9
285:Alexander Jannaeus
83:1 Maccabees 9:1–57
79:1 Maccabees 7:4–50
1338:
1337:
1310:Ananus ben Ananus
1300:Ishmael ben Fabus
1234:Ishmael ben Fabus
1198:Simon ben Boethus
839:
794:
793:
781:Succeeded by
713:Mack, E. (1915).
686:Scolnic, Benjamin
656:(February 2008).
639:978-1-60899-113-6
326:Righteous Teacher
303:A passage in the
293:Jesus's execution
141:Demetrius I Soter
1373:
1320:Joshua ben Gamla
833:
820:
813:
806:
797:
778:162 BCE—159 BCE
764:Preceded by
754:
750:
728:
727:
703:
672:
671:
650:
644:
643:
622:
616:
613:
607:
602:
596:
593:
587:
584:
578:
575:
569:
566:
560:
557:
551:
548:
542:
540:
519:
510:
509:
484:
478:
477:
459:
458:
453:
444:
441:
435:
432:
426:
423:
417:
416:
387:
381:
378:
372:
369:
334:Dead Sea Scrolls
262:Benjamin Scolnic
69:Original sources
63:Maccabean Revolt
52:
51:
35:
34:
1381:
1380:
1376:
1375:
1374:
1372:
1371:
1370:
1341:
1340:
1339:
1334:
1182:Aristobulus III
1167:
1165:
1157:
1118:Jonathan Apphus
1109:
1102:
1003:
908:
840:
824:
790:
788:Jonathan Apphus
777:
769:
741:Singer, Isidore
734:
725:
710:
700:
684:
681:
676:
675:
668:
652:
651:
647:
640:
624:
623:
619:
614:
610:
603:
599:
594:
590:
585:
581:
576:
572:
567:
563:
558:
554:
549:
545:
537:
521:
520:
513:
506:
486:
485:
481:
468:Singer, Isidore
461:
456:
454:
447:
442:
438:
433:
429:
424:
420:
389:
388:
384:
379:
375:
370:
363:
358:
322:Alexander Balas
318:Jonathan Apphus
314:
305:Middot tractate
274:
246:
237:
224:Eleazar Sukenik
207:Jose ben Joezer
188:
176:Battle of Elasa
168:Judas Maccabeus
117:
71:
59:Seleucid Empire
39:, "valiant" or
21:
12:
11:
5:
1379:
1377:
1369:
1368:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1343:
1342:
1336:
1335:
1333:
1332:
1327:
1322:
1317:
1312:
1307:
1302:
1297:
1292:
1287:
1282:
1276:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1231:
1226:
1220:
1218:Joshua ben Sie
1215:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1184:
1179:
1173:
1171:
1159:
1158:
1156:
1155:
1150:
1148:Aristobulus II
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1114:
1112:
1104:
1103:
1101:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1014:
1012:
1005:
1004:
1002:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
981:
978:
975:
970:
967:
964:
959:
954:
949:
944:
939:
934:
929:
924:
918:
916:
910:
909:
907:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
856:
850:
848:
842:
841:
825:
823:
822:
815:
808:
800:
792:
791:
782:
779:
770:
765:
761:
760:
752:
751:
722:
709:
708:External links
706:
705:
704:
698:
680:
677:
674:
673:
666:
645:
638:
617:
608:
597:
588:
579:
570:
561:
552:
543:
535:
511:
504:
479:
445:
436:
427:
418:
415:on 2007-10-28.
391:Smith, William
382:
373:
360:
359:
357:
354:
313:
310:
273:
270:
245:
244:Psalm 79 quote
242:
236:
233:
199:Genesis Rabbah
187:
184:
116:
113:
91:2 Maccabees 14
70:
67:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1378:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1361:159 BC deaths
1359:
1357:
1356:Seleucid Jews
1354:
1352:
1349:
1348:
1346:
1331:
1328:
1326:
1323:
1321:
1318:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1308:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1270:
1267:
1265:
1262:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1252:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1174:
1172:
1170:
1169:Jewish Revolt
1164:
1160:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1133:Aristobulus I
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1115:
1113:
1111:
1105:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1015:
1013:
1011:
1006:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
979:
976:
974:
971:
968:
965:
963:
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
919:
917:
915:
911:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
851:
849:
847:
843:
837:
832:
828:
821:
816:
814:
809:
807:
802:
801:
798:
789:
786:, eventually
785:
776:
775:
768:
762:
759:
758:Jewish titles
755:
748:
747:
742:
738:
732:
731:public domain
723:
720:
716:
712:
711:
707:
701:
699:0-7618-3044-8
695:
691:
687:
683:
682:
678:
669:
667:9780802862853
663:
659:
655:
649:
646:
641:
635:
631:
627:
621:
618:
612:
609:
606:
601:
598:
592:
589:
583:
580:
574:
571:
565:
562:
556:
553:
547:
544:
538:
532:
528:
524:
518:
516:
512:
507:
505:9780800660505
501:
497:
493:
489:
488:Doran, Robert
483:
480:
475:
474:
469:
465:
452:
450:
446:
440:
437:
431:
428:
422:
419:
414:
410:
406:
405:
400:
399:William Smith
396:
395:"Alcimus (1)"
392:
386:
383:
377:
374:
368:
366:
362:
355:
353:
351:
347:
343:
342:Wicked Priest
339:
335:
332:, one of the
331:
327:
323:
319:
311:
309:
306:
301:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
281:
271:
269:
267:
263:
259:
258:Psalms 79:2–3
255:
251:
243:
241:
234:
232:
229:
225:
221:
216:
213:
208:
204:
200:
197:
192:
185:
183:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
152:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
122:
114:
112:
110:
106:
102:
101:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
68:
66:
64:
60:
56:
46:
42:
38:
29:
25:
19:
1123:Simon Thassi
1097:
914:First Temple
827:High Priests
783:
772:
744:
718:
689:
679:Bibliography
657:
654:Eshel, Hanan
648:
629:
620:
611:
600:
591:
582:
573:
564:
555:
546:
526:
495:
482:
471:
439:
430:
421:
413:the original
402:
385:
376:
315:
302:
297:Apostle Paul
278:
275:
247:
238:
217:
212:Robert Doran
193:
189:
153:
118:
98:
72:
44:
36:
23:
22:
1143:Hyrcanus II
947:Jehoshaphat
605:Middott 2:3
87:2 Maccabees
75:1 Maccabees
1345:Categories
1281:(restored)
1225:(restored)
1189:(restored)
1128:Hyrcanus I
994:Azariah IV
846:Tabernacle
536:0521323525
356:References
295:, and the
109:Jewish law
1163:Herodians
1153:Antigonus
1108:Hasmonean
1078:Onias III
942:Jehoiarib
932:Azariah I
899:Ahimelech
628:(2009) .
312:Successor
196:midrashes
164:Hasideans
160:Jerusalem
156:Bacchides
149:Maccabees
115:Biography
1295:Jonathan
1249:Caiaphas
1187:Ananelus
1177:Ananelus
1093:Onias IV
1088:Menelaus
1073:Simon II
1068:Onias II
1063:Manasseh
1028:Eliashib
980:Hoshaiah
962:Zedekiah
952:Jehoiada
904:Abiathar
864:Phinehas
767:Menelaus
688:(2004).
525:(1989).
490:(2012).
393:(1867).
338:Zadokite
264:(citing
250:Psalm 79
203:Tehillim
137:Seleucid
121:Menelaus
95:Josephus
50:Ἰάκειμος
1110:dynasty
1098:Alcimus
1058:Eleazar
1053:Simon I
1048:Onias I
1038:Johanan
1023:Joiakim
999:Seraiah
989:Hilkiah
984:Shallum
927:Ahimaaz
869:Abishua
859:Eleazar
784:unknown
733::
715:Alcimus
494:(ed.).
401:(ed.).
350:Essenes
289:gospels
226:in the
220:ossuary
172:Nicanor
133:Antioch
93:); and
53:), was
45:Elyaqum
43:אליקום
37:Alkimos
33:Ἄλκιμος
24:Alcimus
1166:to the
1043:Jaddua
1033:Joiada
1018:Joshua
1010:exilic
969:Jotham
957:Pediah
894:Ahijah
889:Ahitub
831:Israel
696:
664:
636:
533:
502:
460:
346:Qumran
228:Gophna
125:Lysias
41:Hebrew
26:(from
1229:Annas
1083:Jason
1008:Post-
977:Neria
973:Uriah
937:Joash
922:Zadok
874:Bukki
854:Aaron
739:. In
466:. In
397:. In
180:Sivan
139:king
129:Aaron
28:Greek
966:Joel
879:Uzzi
836:List
694:ISBN
662:ISBN
634:ISBN
531:ISBN
500:ISBN
201:and
194:The
884:Eli
829:of
218:An
97:'s
85:);
1347::
717:.
514:^
448:^
364:^
256:,
111:.
81:,
30::
838:)
834:(
819:e
812:t
805:v
702:.
670:.
642:.
539:.
508:.
89:(
77:(
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.