The events were obviously an affront on many levels to the more traditional Jews. In 333332 BCE, Alexander's Macedonian forces conquered the Levant and Palestine. The Ptolemies gave the Jewish people their civil rights, & they lived contently under their rule. The Results and Impacts of the Maccabean Rebellion, Price, Simon. [109], The Jewish victory at the Battle of Adasa led to an annual festival as well, albeit one less prominent and remembered than Hanukkah. [59][67] The book also acts as Hasmonean dynasty propaganda in its editorial slant on events. PDF The Tobiads and the Maccabees - KB Home See: What resulted from the Maccabean revolt?; What was one effect of [32] The hostages were also released. [88], A more uncertain work that has nevertheless attracted much interest is the Qumran Habakkuk Commentary, part of the Dead Sea Scrolls. While he agreed the new find was an important discovery for the understanding of the period, Benedikt Eckhardt, a senior lecturer in ancient history at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, said the Israeli interpretation of them belonging to a refugee fleeing the Maccabee revolt was just one possibility. Maccabean forces employed guerrilla tactics emphasizing speed and mobility. Ancient coins unearthed in desert cave from time of Maccabean revolt [17], Judas's campaign in the countryside became a full scale revolt. For the reprieve and donation, Antiochus VII was referred to as "Eusebes" ("Pious") by the grateful populace. The origin of Hanukkah is traced back to the Maccabean Revolt. The conflict ceased, and Hyrcanus and Antiochus VII joined themselves in an alliance, with Antiochus making a respectful donation of a sacrifice at the Temple. Thousands in Jerusalem were killed and thousands more were enslaved; the city was attacked twice; new Greek governors were sent; the government seized land and property from Jason's supporters; and the Temple in Jerusalem was made the site of a syncretic Greek-Jewish religious group, polluting it in the eyes of the devout Jews. [79][80], The final chapters of the book of Daniel include apocalyptic visions of the future. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. The Second Temple of Jerusalem was the most important structure to the entire Jewish community. The state understood this, and therefore, made it a legal requirement for anybody who could afford it to go at least once. The subsequent cleansing of the temple and rededication of the altar on 25 Kislev is the source of the festival of Hanukkah. Theocracy and politics were intertwined in the 2nd century BCE in Jerusalem. As the Seleucid Empire expanded, so too did their notion of Hellenism. After the death of Alexander the Great, his kingdom was divided into four during the Wars of the Diadochi; Egypt, the Seleucid Empire, the Kingdom of Pergamon, and Macedon (including Greece). The reason he did so is not entirely clear, but it seems to have been related to the King mistaking an internal conflict among the Jewish priesthood as a full-scale rebellion. While unable to directly strike Seleucid power at first, Judas's forces could maraud the countryside and attack Hellenized Jews, of whom there were many. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Greek authors in the third century BCE who wrote about Judaism did so mostly positively. [18] The Maccabees entered Jerusalem in triumph. Judith, the story's heroine, also bears the feminine form of the name "Judas". (and brother of Judas Maccabeus), succeeded his brother Jonathan as leader of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid dynasty. but the chief distinctions among them were religious and go back well before the Maccabean revolt. Nicanor was killed early in the fight, and the rest of his army fled afterward. [31], While the Maccabees had lost control of the cities, they seem to have built a rival government in the countryside from 160153 BCE. This feeling of the elect, the chosen ones, was crucial to the Jewish self-consciousness. [113], The persecution of the Jews under Antiochus, and the Maccabees response, would influence and create new trends in Jewish strains of thought with regard to divine rewards and punishments. Hellenism presented a unique challenged to the Jews of the Levant and their culture. One of the pitfalls of this subject is the emotional nature of the debate surrounding Hellenism and . The Maccabean revolt and the miracle of the oil. This turned out to be a very portentous meeting. "The Maccabean Revolt." [16][14] Judas's nickname "Maccabee", now used to describe the Jewish partisans as a whole, is taken from the Hebrew word for "hammer"; the term "Maccabee" or "Maccabeus" was also used as an honorific for Judas's brothers as well. But they did not belong to the family of those men through whom deliverance was given to Israel. . This experience would be vital in the history of the Jewish people, particularly in Jerusalem in the following century. This resulted in literature suggesting that those who suffered in their earthly life would be rewarded afterward, such as the Book of Daniel describing a future resurrection of the dead, or 2 Maccabees describing in detail the martyrdom of a woman and her seven sons under Antiochus, but who would be rewarded after their deaths.[114][115][116]. The Significance of the Maccabean Period [43] John Hyrcanus and his children would go on to centralize power more than Simon had done. Toward the end of summer in 165 BCE, Antiochus IV departed for Babylonia in the eastern half of his empire, and left Lysias in charge of the western half as regent. Written after the revolt was complete, the books urged unity among the Jews; they describe little of the Hellenizing faction other than to call them lawless and corrupt, and downplay their relevance and power in the conflict. As Epiphanes looked at Alexander the Great of Macedon and aspired to have his name in the history books alongside him, he needed to distinguish himself above his predecessors. Jonathan was given official authority to build and maintain an army in exchange for his aid. Portier-Young 2011, p. 346352. His psychopathic tendency was exacerbated by resentment at what the siege had cost him, and he tried to force the Jews to violate their traditional codes of practice by leaving their infant sons uncircumcised and sacrificing pigs on the altar. 204 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MACCABEANPERIOD 295 efforts towards national unity. The main phase of the revolt lasted from 167160 BCE and ended with the Seleucids in control of Judea, but conflict between the Maccabees, Hellenized Jews, and the Seleucids continued until 134 BCE, with the Maccabees eventually attaining independence. Linda Zollschan, "Review of Sylvie Honigman, 'Tales of High Priests and Taxes'", in, expeditions to these regions outlying Judea, "History Crash Course #29: Revolt of the Maccabees", "Ancient Greek Inscription, Dating to 178 B.C.E., Goes on Display at Israel Museum", "Jerusalem Dig Uncovers Ancient Greek Citadel", Erran Baron Cohen Presents: Songs in the Key of Hanukkah, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maccabean_Revolt&oldid=1150573111, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, Seleucid authority in major cities reestablished from 160152 BCE, This page was last edited on 18 April 2023, at 22:12. A truce was briefly made between Nicanor and the Maccabees, but was soon broken. [81] Daniel's final vision refers to Antiochus Epiphanes as the "king of the north" and describes his earlier actions, such as being repelled and humiliated by the Romans in his second campaign in Egypt, but also that the king of the north would "meet his end". Antiochus used Jason's power as the High Priest over the Jewish people to build a gymnasium just outside the Temple, with that, strengthening the Greek culture in the heartland of the Jewish community. [89][90], In the First and Second Books of the Maccabees, the Maccabean Revolt is described as a collective response to cultural oppression and national resistance to a foreign power. 1 Maccabees - Wikipedia Factors Leading to the Maccabean Revolt (Part 1) - Reading Acts - Some The hopes of the Jewish monarchy were realised. [95][82] For example, Josephus's account directly blames Menelaus for convincing Antiochus IV to issue his anti-Jewish decrees. Many figures have been proposed as the identity of the people behind these titles; one theory goes that the Righteous Teacher was whoever held the High Priest position after Alcimus's death in 159 BCE, perhaps a Zadokite. Judah had gathered another 7000 Jewish rebels, but they were still outmanned by at least five to one. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. He soon became independent of the Seleucids as high priest, ruler . The Revolt of the Maccabees: The True Story Behind Hanukkah Egypt, governed by Ptolemy I Soter allowed for Judaism in Jerusalem to flourish with very little intervening in the 3rd century BCE. Rather than being able to retreat to the mountains, the rebels now had territory to defend; abandoning cities would leave their loyalists open to reprisals if the pro-Seleucid forces were allowed to take control again. [35] The Seleucids did send an army back into Judea during this period, but Jonathan evaded it and refused battle until it eventually returned to the Seleucid heartland. [122] The books of Maccabees were downplayed and relegated in the Jewish tradition and not included in the Jewish Tanakh (Hebrew Bible); it would be Christians who would produce more art and literature referencing the Maccabees during the medieval era, as the books of Maccabees were included in the Catholic and Orthodox Biblical canon. Not all scholars agree on the coins' significance, however. Daniel predicts the king will go insane; Antiochus's title, "Epiphanes" ("Chosen of God"), was mocked by his enemies as "Epimanes" ("Madman"), and he was known to keep odd habits. The Maccabean Revolt: Anatomy of a Biblical Revolution. Maccabees - Wikipedia [4]. Soon after 167 BCE, the family of Mattathias became known as the Maccabees or the hammer. Discus Thrower (Discobolus Lancellotti)Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA). After Alexander the Great died in 323 BC, his generals divided his spoils and established kingdoms whereby Macedonian Greeks ruled over native peoples. Bar-Kochva 1989, p. 8589. Answer 11 people found it helpful Hazeltravasso Answer: [79][82], Other works appear to have at least been influenced by the Maccabean Revolt include the Book of Judith, the Testament of Moses, and parts of the Book of Enoch. It was originally led by a man named Mattathias and his sons, especially Judas Maccabeus, for whom the rebellion would later be named. [84][85] The Book of Enoch's early chapters were written around 300200 BCE, but new sections were appended over time invoking the authority of Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. The meaning of words is subject to change over time. Both kings allocated funds to rebuild the Second Solomonic Temple and allowed the Jews to practice their religion as they did before the Babylonian captivity. The social structure of Jerusalem was run by the Jewish aristocracy such as the priests and the high priests. [12] After Aristobulus II (ruled 66-63 BC) acted in a manner that the Roman general and consul Pompey thought was aggressive or perhaps Pompey just said he did to have a casus belli the Roman general sent his army to Judea. [109] Medieval Christians during the Carolingian era esteemed the Maccabees as early examples of chivalry and knighthood, and the Maccabees were invoked in the later Middle Ages as holy warriors to emulate during the Crusades. [11], The Maccabean Rebellion also marked the beginning of Roman influence and then ruled over the region and the end of Seleucid rule. After Mattathias' death about one year later in 166 BC, his son Judah Maccabee led an army of Jewish dissidents to victory over the Seleucid dynasty in guerrilla warfare, which at first was directed . [55] Most of the forces at that parade would be deployed on matters more important to the Seleucid leadership than suppressing the Judean rebellion, however, and as such only a portion of them likely participated in the battles of the rebellion. [14]. Regent Lysias, preoccupied with internal Seleucid affairs, agreed to a political compromise that revoked Antiochus IV's ban on Jewish practices. [19] In comparison, Josephus did not want to offend Greek pagan readers of his work, and is ambivalent toward the Maccabees. In 167 BCE, the Jewish people rose up, with Mattathias as their leader. The Seleucids were bereft of hope as Judah drove the enemy out of the Holy City. [68][69][70] The new rule of the Hasmoneans was not without its own internal enemies; the office of High Priest had been occupied for generations by a descendent of the High Priest Zadok. The Maccabean Revolt - Grace thru faith - The Bible made clear & simple. In the first century BC, the Greek historian Diodorus wrote a particularly pro-Antiochus account of the events. The already strained relations between the pious Jewish people that did not accept Hellenism and the Seleucid Empire were shattered when Antiochus Epiphanes adopted his father's policy of universal Hellenization but took it to new heights. The Kingdom of Judah gained its independence from Syria. Antiochus, buoyed by his success of the gymnasium, decided to push harder against the Jewish religion. While less trained and under-equipped for pitched battles, the Maccabees could control which battles they took and retreat into the wilderness when threatened. [29], The Seleucids had reasserted their authority in Jerusalem. During the era of the Hasmonean kingdom, Hanukkah was observed prominently; it acted as a "Hasmonean Independence Day" to commemorate the success of the revolt and the legitimacy of the Hasmonean rulers. Modern defenders of more direct readings of the sources cite that evidence of such an unrecorded popular rebellion is thin-to-nonexistent. Rhodes would become "permanent allies" of the Romans in 164 BCE. Greek Epigraphy Numismatics Archaeology Maccabean Revolt Dov Gera LAST REVIEWED: 19 April 2023 LAST MODIFIED: 30 July 2014 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780195393361-0031 Introduction In 167 BCE the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (reign from 175-164 BCE) ordered the religious persecution of the Jews living in the satrapy of Coele Syria and Phoenicia. The Pharisees, on the . During this period, the legitimized armies of Jonathan fought in these civil wars and border struggles to maintain the favor of allied Seleucid leaders. Although Antiochus IVs successor, Antiochus V (reigned 164-161 BC), reversed many of his predecessors policies regarding Judea and the Jews in 162 BC, the Maccabean Rebellion had by that time transformed into an independence movement. [19][20], With the rebels now in control of most of Jerusalem and its environs, a second phase of the revolt began. However, after the Maccabees conquered the whole of Judea and enforced the collapse of the Seleucid Kingdom in Palestine, the Jewish people imposed themselves as an autonomous group. Still, Antiochus IV accepted a bribe from a Hellenized Jew named Jason to be given the position sometime before 169 BC. What was one effect of the Maccabean Revolt? - Brainly.in After Antiochus VII's death in 129 BCE, the Hasmoneans ceased offering aid or tribute to the remnants of the declining Seleucid Empire. Just before Antiochus IV died in 164 BC, Judas and his men retook the Temple on Kislev's twenty-fifth day. Today we refer to these events as the Maccabean Revolt, named after the Jewish leader, Judah Maccabee. [25] Alcimus was accepted into Jerusalem, and proved more effective at rallying moderate Hellenists to the pro-Seleucid faction than Menelaus had been. Among other effects, . Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! [37][34] Both Jonathan and now Simon had maintained diplomatic contact with the Roman Republic; official recognition by Rome came in 139 BCE, as the Romans were eager to weaken and divide the Greek states. [6][7] Three years later, a newcomer named Menelaus offered an even larger bribe to Antiochus IV for the position of high priest. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. While the parallels are not as stark as Daniel, some of its depictions of oppression seem influenced by Antiochus's persecution, such as General Holofernes demolishing shrines, cutting down sacred groves, and attempting to destroy all worship other than of the king. World History Encyclopedia. A civil struggle of low-level violence, reprisals, and murders arose in the countryside, especially in more distant areas where Jewish people were in the minority. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. [125] Proponents of Jewish nationalism of that era saw past events, such as the Maccabees, as a hopeful suggestion to what was possible, influencing the nascent Zionist movement. From 168 to 140 BC, Judaea, now known as Israel, was in full revolt against the Greek-Seleucid Dynasty that ruled over the region. What happened in the Maccabean Revolt? | GotQuestions.org Antiochus IV accepted Menelaus bribe because he needed to fund his army during the Sixth Syrian War against Ptolemaic Egypt. For example, it dismisses a defeat suffered by other commanders named Joseph and Azariah as because "they did not listen to Judas and his brothers. Generally speaking, the Seleucid kings allowed the Jews to pick their own high-priests. Greek HopliteJohnny Shumate (Public Domain). Simon was appointed High Priest around 141 BCE, but he did so by acclamation from the Jewish people rather than appointment by the Seleucid king. The Romanized Jewish historian, Josephus, wrote about the event. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock. The nature of Chapters 16 of Daniel is contested; some scholars believe that these chapters existed prior to the Revolt and were lightly modified at most, while others suggest that such reliance on pre-existing legends of Daniel was minor. [14] Afterwards, he and his five sons fled to the nearby mountains, which sat directly next to Modein. Both sides were influenced by Hellenistic army composition and tactics. the passage in 2 Maccabees that is the most telling about what its author identified as the major causes of the revolt is the one describing Jason's . Hearing of this, Antiochus, who was not dead, apparently interpreted this factional infighting as a revolt against his personal authority, and sent an army to crush Jason's plotters. [7] Determined to see no more unrest in Judea, Antiochus IV decided to strike back by essentially outlawing the Jewish religion by establishing an altar to the Greek gods in the Temple. Because of the benefits of the Greek culture, which included economic integration between all of the Greek states, and the pressure of regime, many Jewish people accepted Hellenism. When Judah and his brothers went to the Temple, he saw the destruction and defilement that Antiochus caused upon it and was overwhelmed by grief (I Maccabees 4:36-40). The Seleucid Empire was too riven with internal unrest to stop this, and Ptolemaic Egypt maintained largely friendly relations. On 25 December 165 BCE, after months of work clearing and cleaning, the Temple was finally rededicated to God. The Testament is usually considered to have been written in the first century CE, but it is at least possible it was written much earlier, in the Maccabean or Hasmonean era, and then appended onto with first century CE updates. Instead of crushing them with the full force of his armies, he set his less effective generals on them. [56], The Maccabees started as a guerrilla force that likely used the traditional weapons effective in small unit combat in mountainous terrain: archers, slingers, and light infantry peltasts armed with sword and shield. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. [58] It is speculated that diaspora Jews in countries hostile to the Seleucids, such as Ptolemaic Egypt and Pergamon, may have joined the cause as volunteers, bringing their own local talents to the rebel army. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. The Jewish people were forced to worship in secret or be exiled. [59][note 3] After Jonathan was legitimized as high priest and governor by the Seleucid rulers, the Hasmoneans had easier access to recruitment; 20,000 soldiers are reported as repulsing Cendebeus in 139 BCE. Antiochus sent for his most glorified general, Lysias, and around 60,000 Seleucid soldiers to try and do just that. They likely used simple leather armor due to a paucity of metals and craftsmen capable of making Greek-style metal armor. Antiochus VII sent an army to Judea at some point between 139 and 138 BCE under command of a general named Cendebeus, but it was repulsed. Login . Although Hellenism, which had spread in the 3rd century BCE after Alexander's conquests, was the dominant culture around Judea and the Greek way of life pervaded the area, the Jewish community remained steadfast to their own practices. The most common infantry weapon used was the sarissa, the Macedonian pike. We know the details of the Jewish fight against the Greeks and Hellenism from the two Books of the Maccabees as well as the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus. [103][104], The Jewish festival of Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple following Judas Maccabeus's victory over the Seleucids. [29], In 160 BCE, Seleucid King Demetrius I went on campaign in the east to fight the rebellious Timarchus. [27] Jonathan's forces fought against Demetrius I, who would die in battle in 150 BCE. The Seleucid rival claimants to the throne needed all their troops elsewhere, and also wished to deny possible allies to other claimants, thus giving the Maccabees leverage. We want people all over the world to learn about history. The company of Greek officers who arrived at Modi'in intending to enforce the king's ordinances addressed Mattathias first, for he was held in high esteem by the villagers. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/827/the-maccabean-revolt/. A British Zionist organization formed in 1896 is named the Order of Ancient Maccabeans, and the Jewish sporting organization Maccabi World Union names itself after them. Hasmonean dynasty | History, Map, Importance, Revolt, & Facts - Britannica Their celebrations continued for eight days as is known to this day as the celebration of Hanukkah. The rebellion started as a guerrilla movement in the Judean countryside, raiding towns and terrorizing Greek officials far from direct Seleucid control, but it eventually developed a proper army capable of attacking the fortified Seleucid cities. By 167 BCE, the start of the revolt, the Antigonid Kingdom of Macedonia (independent in 188 BCE) had been shattered and mostly conquered by the Roman Republic. Oates, Harry. Oates, Harry. These changes did not immediately appear to rouse any particular complaint from the majority of the citizenry in Jerusalem, and presumably he still kept the basic Jewish laws and tenets. They tore down the altars of idols and killed those who worshipped them, even many Hellenistic Jews. Regent Lysias, having dealt with rivals back in Antioch, returned to Judea with an army to aid the Seleucid forces. The family of Mattathias became known as the Maccabees, . Although many of the Jewish community were at this point Hellenized, the persecution of the Jewish people and the destruction of practicing Judaism united the Jewish people in Judea. [69][91] While many scholars still accept this basic framework, that the Hellenists were weak and dependent on Seleucid aid to hold influence, this view has since been challenged. The early rebellion was quite confusing, though, as just as much violence took place between the Maccabees and the Hellenized Jews as happened between the Maccabees and Seleucids. The history of the Maccabean Revolt is found in 1 and 2 Maccabees and in the writings of Josephus. With support from the Romans, the Maccabees finally gained independence under Simon Maccabeus in 140 BC. [110][111], The traumatic time period helped define the genre of the apocalypse and heightened Jewish apocalypticism. [1][3], In 170168 BCE, the Sixth Syrian War between the Seleucids and the Ptolemaic Egyptians arose, for unclear reasons. The Kingdom of Judah gained its independence from Syria. [53] The Seleucids also had access to trained war elephants imported from India, who sported natural armor in their thick hides and could terrify opposing soldiers and their horses. As Judah stood there looking at the masses, so the story goes, he prayed to God for victory. [32] According to 1 Maccabees, "Thus the sword ceased from Israel. It was the social and religious centre of the Jewish people, not to mention the economic benefits of trading in the Temple. [99] John Ma argues that the Temple was restored in 164 BCE upon petition by Menelaus to Antiochus, not liberated and rededicated by the Maccabees. Last modified October 29, 2015. [65][66], The book of 1 Maccabees is considered mostly reliable, as it was seemingly written by an eyewitness early in the reign of the Hasmoneans, most likely during John Hyrcanus's reign. The Seleucids eventually relented and unbanned Judaism, but the more radical Maccabees, not content with merely reestablishing Jewish practices under Seleucid rule, continued to fight, pushing for a more direct break with the Seleucids. Antiochus IV led an army to attack Egypt. [82] She also argues that the moralistic slant of the sources means that their depictions of impious acts by Hellenists cannot be trusted as historical. on the one hand, refused to accept any precept as binding unless it was based directly on the Torahi.e., the Written Law. In return, the Jews of the region generally supported the Seleucids against the Ptolemies, and many adopted aspects of Hellenism into their lives. Judea was now free from the Seleucid rule, and the death of Antiochus VII in 129 BCE confirmed this. In earlier Jewish works, devotion to God and adherence to the law led to rewards and punishments in life: the observant would prosper, and disobedience would result in disaster. The revolt was led by a country priest called Mattathias, and his military followers became known as Maccabees. Judas Maccabeus died in 160 BCE at the Battle of Elasa against the Greek general Bacchides, and the Seleucids reestablished direct control for a time, but remnants of the Maccabees under Judas's brother Jonathan Apphus continued to resist from the countryside. [34] The land was de jure part of the Seleucid Empire, but continuing civil wars gave the Maccabees considerable autonomy. The Hasmoneans, while of the priestly line (Kohens), were seen by some as usurpers, did not descend from Zadok, and had taken the office originally only via a deal with a Seleucid king. One section, the "Apocalypse of Weeks", is hypothesized to have been written around 167 BCE, just after Antiochus's persecution began. [64] The authors were not disinterested parties; the authors of the books of Maccabees were favorable to the Maccabees, portraying the conflict as a divinely sanctioned holy war and elevating the stature of Judas and his brothers to heroic levels. Soon after 167 BCE, the family of Mattathias became known as the Maccabees or the hammer. License. Maccabean Revolt | My Jewish Learning The Seleucids besieged Beth-Zur and took it without a fight, as it was a fallow year and food supplies were meager. It was centered in Egypt, where Alexandria was the capital. The persecution of Antiochus IV directly contradicted this teaching: for the first time, Jews were suffering precisely because they refused to violate Jewish law, and thus the most devout and observant Jews were the ones suffering the most. After the defeat, Antiochus' armies were devastated. The STANDS4 Network. Josephuss passage noted two of the most immediate impacts the Maccabean Rebellion had: the celebration of the Temple's rededication, which became known as Hanukkah, and the increasing Roman presence in the region. Josephus appears to have used 1 Maccabees as one of his main sources for his histories, but supplements it with knowledge of events of the Seleucid Empire from Greek histories as well as unknown other sources. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Article by Harry Oates published on 29 October 2015 Listen to this article Available in other languages: French The Maccabean Revolt of 167-160 BCE was a Jewish uprising in Judea against the repression of the Seleucid Empire. This era of Greek cultural expansion became known as the Hellenistic Period, and the idea of spreading Greek culture in these ways is referred to as Hellenism. [1], Seleucus I and the descendants of his dynasty were ardent proponents of Hellenism, promoting its tenets throughout Mesopotamia and the Levant/Syria in various ways.