Hanukkah Discovery Evidence of Judah Maccabee’s 163 BCE Battle Uncovered Near Jerusalem

Just in time for Hanukkah, Israeli archaeologists believe they have uncovered the first material evidence from a battlefield led by Judah Maccabee, the Jewish hero of the Hanukkah story.

Dr. Dvir Raviv of Bar-Ilan University revealed that a survey at Horbat Bet Zecharia, about 7 km southwest of Bethlehem, yielded rare artifacts consistent with the fifth Maccabean battle in 163 BCE, as described in the Book of Maccabees and by Josephus.

The Seleucid army, equipped with war elephants, is believed to have clashed with Maccabee forces along the ancient Jerusalem-Hebron road. Judah's brother, Eleazar, famously died in the battle by striking down an elephant before being crushed under it.

Among the key finds were:

• Three Hellenistic lead sling bullets, one bearing the thunderbolt of Zeus

• A bronze coin from Side, a Seleucid-aligned city in modern-day Turkey, linked to mercenary forces

“This is the first time we may be holding objects that came from one of Judah Maccabee’s battlefields,” Raviv told TPS-IL. “These artifacts align with historical accounts and were found exactly where sources say the Seleucids advanced.”

The coin, depicting Athena and the pomegranate symbol of Side, has never before been linked to a known Hasmonean battlefield. The sling bullets, typical of Hellenistic warfare, reinforce the site's military significance.

Although scholars continue to debate elements of the Maccabean narrative, Raviv emphasized that this discovery provides independent archaeological support for the historicity of the battle a powerful moment where “history, text, and ground finally begin to meet.” Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates.