The Maccabee Warriors

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Scroll down to read about Amelia and the armor costumes and helmets that Pearl helped to make for her so she could feel like she was visiting The Ancient Times.

Amelia felt that if The Maccabees were going to have armor, they likely would need a shield for protection to go with it that was decorated with symbols that held strong meaning. She used a hammer to represent their strength and resilience, and a dove to represent their enduring spirit and quest for peace.

The Maccabees were a priestly family who led a successful rebellion against the Seleucid Empire, particularly against King Antiochus IV, who imposed Greek practices on the Jewish people. This included the worship of Hellenistic gods and forbidding Jewish religious practices which could be punished by death.

The Maccabean Revolt began in 167 BCE when Mattathias, a priest, refused to worship Greek gods and sparked a rebellion. His son, Judah Maccabee, became a prominent leader of the revolt. The story of The Maccabees happened between the stories found in the Old Ancient Words and those in the New Ancient Words.

Judah was one of seven sons of Mattathias who died in 166 BCE. His dying request was for Judah to take command of the warriors of the revolt. The name Maccabee is thought to be an acronym made from key Hebrew letters found in “Who among the gods is like you, O Adonai?” The letters may form a word meaning “hammer.”

The Maccabees engaged in a curious type of warfare. Rather than amassing the entire army against the Seleucid invaders, they broke up into smaller fighting units that attached unexpectedly. After more than two decades of fighting like this, they successfully forced the Seleucids to retreat from Judea.

With the Seleucids out of the land of Judea, the recapture of Jerusalem soon followed in 164 BCE. The Maccabees rededicated the defiled Temple, and this event is celebrated during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The rededication was a fresh and clean start as the people reunited with their God.

The Maccabees established an 80-year period of Jewish independence in Judea, marking a significant moment in Jewish history. The Maccabees are celebrated in Jewish tradition as symbols of resistance against oppression, and their legacy continues to influence Jewish identity and culture.

The Maccabees' struggle against the Seleucids came at a time that allowed it to reinforce Jewish resolve to maintain their faith and traditions. This influenced the future generations still to come.

There was only enough oil for The Temple candelabrum to be lit for one day, and yet by the power of God, the oil lasted for eight days while the priests purified new oil to be used. Thus the worship of God using the divine written commandments was restored through the miraculous hand of God.

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J.R. Spiers writes and illustrates magical realism books based on the adventures of his six backyard chickens. Gracie, Bessie, Blanche, Pearl, Emily, and Amelia. Some people believe he is also behind the reference books compiled by Nate Elliot. Whoever he is, that is a most curious mystery known only by a small flock of the most amazing chickens anywhere in the world!

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