Temple Rededicated: Hanukkah's Freedom After Oppression
Judas Maccabeus and his followers rededicated the Jerusalem Temple in 164 BCE after driving out Seleucid forces that had desecrated the sanctuary with a statue of Zeus and pig sacrifices. This act of reclaiming their holy site launched the Hanukkah festival, which Jews continue to celebrate today as a evidence of religious freedom against forced Hellenization.
November 21, 164 BC
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on November 21
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