BACCHIDE ('Son of Bacchus'). - A Syrian general of the Seleucid kingdom, who took part three times in the struggle against the Maccabees in Palestine. Sent by Demetrius I Soter to Jerusalem to install the high priest Alcimus (v.) and to support the Hellenizing party (161 B.C.), he killed many faithful Jews and partly succeeded, by cunning, in breaking up the party of Judas Maccabeus (I Mach. 7:8-25). Having returned to Judea with an army to avenge the defeat of Nicanor, at Elasa (perhaps near el-Bireh) he defeated the few (800) soldiers of Judas, who was killed in the fighting (I Mach. 9:1-18). Having reestablished Syrian rule, B. had long to sustain an exhausting guerrilla war against the nationalists gathered in the southern mountains around Jonathan Maccabeus. On the death of Alcimus he returned to Antioch, leaving many garrisons in fortified strongholds; but in 157 B.C. he was again in Judea, where, being unable to get the better of Jonathan, who always eluded him, he came to a settlement (I Mach. 9:37-73).

Perhaps distinct from this man is the B., general of Antiochus IV, mentioned in II Mach. 8:30.

Angelo Penna

@incollection{ec2_bacchide_figlio_di_bacco, author = {Penna, Angelo}, title = {Bacchide («Figlio di Bacco»)}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {II}, pages = {647--648}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1949}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/bacchide-figlio-di-bacco} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

Bacchide ('Son of Bacchus')

About this entry