Battle of the Ascent of Lebonah

Battle of the Ascent of Lebonah
Part of Maccabean Revolt
Presumed location of the battle, 1912
Date 167 or 166 BCE Location Possibly near Lebonah (modern day Ma'ale Levona, West Bank); possibly near Wadi Haramiya Result Rebel victory
Belligerents
Judean rebels	Seleucid army
Commanders and leaders
Judas Maccabeus	Apollonius  †
Strength
600 men	"A large force"
Casualties and losses
Unknown	"Many"

The Battle of the Ascent of Lebonah (Hebrew: קרב מעלה לבונה) or Battle with Apollonius (Hebrew: קרב אפולוניוס) was the first battle fought between the Maccabees and the Seleucid Empire in 167 or 166 BCE. The Jewish forces were led by Judas Maccabeus (Judah Maccabee) and the Seleucid army force was under the command of Apollonius, described by Josephus as "the strategos (general) of the Samaritan forces".^[1]

In the earliest stages of the Maccabean Revolt, Judas had a small band of guerrilla combat units in the hills of northern Judea and southern Samaria. Apollonius was sent with the local Samaritan armies to link up with Seleucid forces from Jerusalem. The exact location of the battle is not known, but presumably it was along a road between Samaria and Jerusalem. The date of the battle is not precisely known either, but occurred early in the revolt. It is the first battle discussed in the book of 1 Maccabees, hence generally being dated to 167–166 BCE.

The precise details of the battle are not known either, but 2 Maccabees writes that the rebels fought using guerrilla warfare in the early stage of the revolt, by "coming unexpectedly" on their foes and at night. It is reasonably possible that this battle was similar, with a surprise attack while the enemy was unaware. The larger Syrian Greek army was defeated, and Judas defeated Apollonius in personal combat.^[2] Another force was soon sent against Maccabees, which led to the Battle of Beth Horon.