| Battle of Adasa | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Maccabean Revolt | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Jewish rebels | Seleucid Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Judas Maccabeus | Nicanor † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown (See #Analysis) | Around 9,000 soldiers?[1] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Heavy | ||||||
The Battle of Adasa was fought during the Maccabean revolt on the 13th of the month Adar (late winter, equivalent to March), 161 BC at Adasa (Hebrew: חדשה), near Beth-horon. It was a battle between the rebel Maccabees of Judas Maccabeus (Judah Maccabee) and the Seleucid Empire, whose army was led by Nicanor. The Maccabees won the battle after killing Nicanor early in the fighting. The battle came after a period of political maneuvering over several months where the peace deal established a year earlier by Lysias was tested by the new High Priest Alcimus, the new military governor Nicanor, and the Maccabee leader Judas Maccabeus.
The date of the battle in the Hebrew calendar, 13 Adar, was celebrated as Yom Nicanor (Day of Nicanor) to commemorate the victory.