A Hellenistic king called Epiphanes meaning the “illustrious” or “god manifest.” He was the eighth in the Seleucid dynasty. The Seleucids ruled Syria and beyond. He lived from around 215 to 164 BC. He was the younger son of Antiochus III the Great.
Early Life and Rise to Power
In 189 BC, Antiochus IV was a prisoner in Rome after the Battle of Magnesia. He was educated there. Later, he took the Syrian throne in Antioch after the murder of his brother Seleucus IV. He ruled from 175 to 164 BC.
Antiochus Epiphanes is the most important of all the Seleucid rulers as far as the Bible is concerned. He is known as one of the cruelest tyrants of all time. Antiochus IV was an enthusiastic believer in the Greek god Zeus. He hoped to unify his territories by spreading Hellenistic culture, law, and religion. This brought him into violent conflict with the Jews in Judah.
Conflict with the Jews
At the beginning of his reign, Antiochus IV interfered in the appointment of Jewish high priests. From 171 to 168 BC, he fought against Egypt. He defeated Ptolemy VI and Ptolemy VII. He then captured Jerusalem. He restricted Judaism with cruel persecution. He looted the temple. He tried to establish the worship of Greek gods by building an altar to Zeus over the altar of burnt offering (1 Maccabees 1:10–62; 2 Maccabees 4:7–42). This altar is probably the “abomination of desolation” of Daniel 11:31. Antiochus IV plays a major role in the book of Daniel. He is probably the “little horn” of 7:8; 8:9–14, 23–25 and the oppressor of the “saints of the Most High” (7:25).
By Antiochus’s command, Judaism was made illegal under pain of death. The Jews were forced to participate in pagan festivals. Open rebellion broke out in 167 BC under the leadership of the Jewish priest Mattathias. This happened when a representative of the king was enforcing obedience in a village named Modein near Jerusalem. Mattathias killed the representative and then fled to the surrounding hills. Many of Mattathias's followers were killed. However, a group of devoted Jews called the Hasidim joined him. Together, they began to fight against the king's army using surprise attacks from hiding places.
The Maccabean Revolt and the Decline of Antiochus IV
After he died in 166 BC, Mattathias was succeeded by his son Judas Maccabeus who escalated the war. He was victorious over the Syrian generals. Antiochus was unable to personally lead the suppression of the Jewish revolt because of serious rebellions in Parthia and Armenia. He assigned this task to his regent Lysias who was give instructions to remove the people of Judah, enslave the Jews, and leave the land bare. This did not happen.
Judas defeated Gorgias at Emmaus. The Syrians fled from Judah. Then Lysias personally led a larger army against the Maccabees. Lysias badly lost at Beth-zur. In 164 BC, Judas rebuilt and cleaned the temple and returned the daily sacrifices. By 160 BC, every vestige of the power of Antiochus IV had been erased from Jerusalem.
Antiochus Epiphanes was known to be wild, unpredictable, and rash to the point of madness. Antiochus became more mad for two reasons:
Judas Maccabeus was successful.
Antiochus could not suppress the Jewish revolt.
After these events, he moved his army to Persia. He is said to have died in Persia insane.