Difference between revisions of "Category:Alcimus (subject)"
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
==Alcimus in ancient sources== | ==Alcimus in ancient sources== | ||
* [[Alcimus (sources)]] -- survey of ancient sources | Alcimus is mentioned in 1 & 2 Maccabees and in Josephus' Jewish Antiquities. All sources are hostile to him. They all agree that Alcimus was appointed by [[Antiochus V]] and [[Lysias]] after Menelaus was removed from office and executed. According to the Books of Maccabees Judas Maccabeus was killed in battle before the death of Alcimus. In Ant XII Josephus puts the death of Alcimus first, and claims that Judas Maccabeus became the new High Priest before dying in battle, a notion that however he himself later contradicts in Ant XX. Josephus also maintains that [[Menelaus]] was a member of the House of Zadok and [[Onias IV]] fled to Egypt only when [[Alcimus]] took the High Priesthood. | ||
* See [[Alcimus (sources)]] -- survey of ancient sources | |||
==Alcimus in scholarship== | ==Alcimus in scholarship== | ||
Revision as of 07:50, 25 August 2012
Alcimus (2nd century BCE) was the Jewish High Priest, 162-159 BCE.
Overview
Alcimus was appointed High Priest by Antiochus V Eupator and Lysias to succeed Menelaus, who was blamed by the Seleucids for all trouble in Jerusalem and executed as a traitor. Alcimus somehow managed to be reconfirmed under Demetrius I Soter.
Both 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees are hostile toward Alcimus, but he does not seem to have been a leader of the Hellenistic party. He was an Aaronite (though not a member of the House of Zadok), was pro-Seleucid and anti-Hasmonean. During his tenure, Judas Maccabeus after his victory over Nicanor, was defeated and killed by Bacchides. Alcimus himself however suddenly died shortly afterward. After his sudden death, the high priesthood remained apparently vacant for some years.
The possibility that the writing of 1 Baruch be connected to Alcimus' appointment, would shed more light on an otherwise obscure figure.
Alcimus in ancient sources
Alcimus is mentioned in 1 & 2 Maccabees and in Josephus' Jewish Antiquities. All sources are hostile to him. They all agree that Alcimus was appointed by Antiochus V and Lysias after Menelaus was removed from office and executed. According to the Books of Maccabees Judas Maccabeus was killed in battle before the death of Alcimus. In Ant XII Josephus puts the death of Alcimus first, and claims that Judas Maccabeus became the new High Priest before dying in battle, a notion that however he himself later contradicts in Ant XX. Josephus also maintains that Menelaus was a member of the House of Zadok and Onias IV fled to Egypt only when Alcimus took the High Priesthood.
- See Alcimus (sources) -- survey of ancient sources
Alcimus in scholarship
- Alcimus (research) -- survey of scholarly works
References
- Alcimus / Uriel Rappaport / In: The Anchor Bible Dictionary (1992 Freedman), dictionary, 1:145
Related categories
External links
Pages in category "Alcimus (subject)"
This category contains only the following page.