GORGIA. - General at the court of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (I Mach. 3, 38). In the third campaign against Judas (166 B.C.), Ptolemy held supreme command; G., together with the commander-in-chief Nicanor, was at the head of the army: 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry.
They encamped at Emmaus ('Amwās): since an approach from the north proved impossible, the Syrian generals planned to conquer Jerusalem by attacking directly from the west. With 5,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry, G. attempted to surprise Judas’s 6,000 warriors by a night attack. Judas, having avoided him, attacked and captured the main Syrian camp, defeating Nicanor. On his return, G. did not dare to give battle and withdrew to Iamnia, remaining in command of that district (I Mach. 3, 38-4, 25). G. defeated Joseph and Azariah in their rash attack on Iamnia (I Mach. 5, 55-62); but shortly afterwards he was routed by Judas and narrowly escaped capture (II Mach. 12, 32-37).