8. Judas Maccabeus – Historical Records and Coins
Two thousand years ago, a Jewish priest led his people in a desperate fight for religious freedom. Judas Maccabeus’s story survived through the detailed writings of historian Josephus in “Antiquities of the Jews.” Small pieces of evidence support these accounts: coins and pottery fragments bear symbols of the Maccabean uprising. The writings reveal he defeated four major Syrian armies between 166-160 BCE. Archaeologists have uncovered these items throughout Israel, backing up written records of how Judas fought to restore Jewish worship and independence.
