Battle of Emmaus
−165
Hebrew year: 3596 (ג׳תקצ״ו)
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The Battle of Emmaus was a major victory of the Jewish rebels led by Judas Maccabeus against Seleucid forces near Emmaus, west of Jerusalem, around −165.
According to 1 Maccabees 3–4, the Seleucid commander Gorgias attempted a surprise night attack on the Jewish camp, but Judas anticipated the maneuver and attacked the main Seleucid encampment while its forces were divided.
The victory strengthened the Maccabean resistance and weakened Seleucid military control over Judea, helping prepare the way for the recapture and purification of the Jerusalem Temple in −164.
The battle is documented primarily through 1 Maccabees and later historical accounts, rather than contemporary archaeological evidence.
- Hebrew year
- 3596 (ג׳תקצ״ו)
- Place
- Emmaus
- Category
- Wars & battles
- Part of
- Hellenistic Period
