French School, circa 1800

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Description

Mattathias kills the jewish traitor who obeyed the Greek command to worship Zeus
oil on canvas

Catalogue Note

Mattathias ben Johanan led the revolt against the Greco-Syrian empire in 166 B.C. after Antiochus IV pillaged the Temple in Jerusalem and enforced Greek worship and culture on the Judeans. Although he died a year into the revolt, Mattathias' sons, Judah Maccabee, Jonothan and Simon, continued his fight and became de facto rulers of Judea.