Battle of Ma'aleh Levona

The Battle of Ma'aleh Levona was the first hand-to-hand combat battle fought between the Maccabees and the Seleucid Empire in 167 BCE. The Jewish forces were led by Judah Maccabee and the Seleucid army force was under the command of Apollonius, described by Josephus as "the general of the Samaritan forces".[1]

Battle of Ma'aleh Levona
(Battle of Wadi Haramia)
Part of Maccabean Revolt

Presumed location of the battle, 1912
Date167 BCE
Location
Wadi Haramia, near modern day Ma'ale Levona, West Bank
Result Judean/Maccabean victory
Belligerents
Judean rebels Seleucid army
Commanders and leaders
Judah Maccabee Apollonius †
Strength
600 men 2,000 men
Casualties and losses
Minimal Heavy

After the Maccabean Revolt started, Judah relocated his guerrilla combat units at the northern part of Samaria. Apollonius was sent with the local Samarian armies to link up with Seleucid forces from Jerusalem.

Maccabaee gained the element of surprise by ambushing the enemy army at Wadi Haramia and successfully destroyed the much larger Syrian Greek army, personally killing its commander.[2][3] Another force was soon sent against Maccabaee, which led to the Battle of Beth Horon.[4]

References
  1. Flavius Josephus "Book XII, Chapter 7" in The Antiquities
  2. Brandon Marlon (2013-01-17). "What Judea & Samaria Mean to the Jewish People". The Jewish Press. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  3. 1 Maccabees 3:10–12
  4. 1 Maccabees 3:13–22


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