What is Mattathias?
Matityahu [[son]] of Yochanan, also known by the [[Ancient Greek language|Greek]] [[name]] Mattathias was a [[Jew]]ish [[kohen]] who lived when [[Antiochus IV]] took over [[Judea]]. When the Greeks tried to [[assimilate]] the Jews they ordered him to offer a [[sacrifice]] to [[Zeus]] but Matityahu refused. Matityahu decided to lead a [[rebellion]] against Antiochus to defend [[Judaism]] but he died of [[old age]] so his sons and their followers, known as [[the Maccabees]] fought the [[war]] against the Greeks and beat them. {{bio-stub}} [[Category:Jewish people]] [[Category:Ancient Israeli people]] [[Category:160s BC deaths]]