Battle of Emmaus | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Maccabean Revolt | |||||||
Mina of Antiochus IV. | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Maccabees | Seleucid Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Judas Maccabeus | Gorgias, Nicanor, and Ptolemy son of Dorymenes | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
3,000 | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown (see #Analysis) |
The Battle of Emmaus took place around September 165 BC during the Maccabean Revolt between Judean rebels, led by Judas Maccabeus (Judah Maccabee), and an expedition of Seleucid Empire forces under generals Gorgias, Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor near Emmaus. The battle was won by the Maccabee rebels, who marched by night and surprised the Seleucid camp while many soldiers were absent. The victorious Maccabees looted the Greek camp for valuables and likely weapons to help further their cause.