How Antiochus “the Great” Won Jewish Support

In 202 BCE, the Land of Israel changed rulers for the second time since the construction of the Second Temple. After initially coming under the rule of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, it passed to his successor, Ptolemy, king of Egypt. Following many years of conflict, the region ultimately fell under the control of Antiochus III—known as “the Great”—the Seleucid ruler whose empire stretched from the Mediterranean shores of Israel to distant India.

During these turbulent years, as described by Josephus, the Jewish population suffered greatly from the devastation inflicted upon their land. As Antiochus waged war against Ptolemy, the Jews were forced to endure the consequences, caught like a ship tossed violently by waves crashing from every direction.

The High Priest Onias made a grave miscalculation by prematurely siding with the Seleucid king, leading to the appointment of Joseph, son of Tobiah. However, once Antiochus’s victory became certain, Joseph was dismissed in disgrace, and the Jews actively assisted the Seleucids in capturing the land.

In a letter from Antiochus, preserved by Josephus, the king praised the Jews for their loyalty:
“Since the Jews welcomed us with open arms when we approached their city, and the elders greeted us with honor—providing abundant supplies for our soldiers and elephants and assisting in the expulsion of the Egyptian garrison—we have decided to reward their devotion. We shall restore their war-torn city and repopulate it by gathering their scattered people. Because of their faith in Hashem, we have resolved to provide them with kosher animals for sacrifices, as well as wine, oil, and wheat, valued at twenty thousand silver coins. The Temple service shall continue, materials shall be imported from Lebanon without taxation, and all Jews shall live according to the laws of their ancestors. The elders, priests, and Temple scribes shall be exempt from the head tax. Every resident of Jerusalem shall be tax-free for three years, and any Jew who was enslaved is hereby freed.”

Once again, the standing of the Jewish people rose within the Seleucid Empire, which they now joined. Their reputation for loyalty and dedication spread throughout the realm. When rebellions broke out in Lydia and Phrygia, Antiochus instructed his general Zeuxis to relocate two thousand Jewish families from Babylon to frontier fortresses. He explained his decision by saying, “I trust they will be reliable guardians because of their reverence for Hashem, and I know that my ancestors attested to their loyalty and willingness to carry out any task requested of them, while faithfully observing their unique laws.”

Everything appeared to be improving—but what could possibly go wrong?

What unfolded during this period was a growing cultural convergence between the Greeks and the Jews. Until then, no nation that had fought the Jews—or even entered into treaties with them—had engaged meaningfully with Jewish culture or sought to understand Jewish faith and law. The Bible offers several examples of this misunderstanding, such as the Arameans who believed the God of Israel was merely “a god of the mountains.”

However, following the translation of the Torah into Greek, the Greeks began to value the Jewish people, collaborate with them, and study and interpret their laws and customs. A bond slowly formed between the two cultures. Yet despite their many admirable qualities, the Greeks remained a pagan society, fundamentally distant from Jewish ethics and values.

This cultural closeness planted the seeds of future calamities for the Jewish people. While for several generations the Jews appeared to benefit from this exchange, history would show that the losses it eventually brought far outweighed its gains.