Difference between revisions of "Gorgias"

<p> ''''' gôr´ji ''''' - ''''' as ''''' ( Γοργίας , <i> ''''' Gorgı́as ''''' </i> ): A general in the service of [[Antiochus]] [[Epiphanes]] ( 1 [[Maccabees]] 3:38; 2 Maccabees 8:9 ). Lysias, who had been left as regent during the absence of Antiochus in Persia, appointed [[Gorgias]] to take the command against [[Judea]] in 166 bc. In 1 Maccabees 4:1-24 is recorded a night attack by Gorgias with 5,000 foot and 1,000 horse upon the camp of [[Judas]] Maccabeus in the neighborhood of Emmaus, in which Judas was completely victorious. The victory was all the more striking as the force of Judas was considerably smaller in number and had "not armor nor swords to their minds" ( 1 Maccabees 4:6 ). [[Later]] on (164 bc) he held a garrison in Jamnia, and gained a victory over the forces of [[Joseph]] and [[Azarias]] who, envying the glory of Judas and Jonathan, in direct disobedience to the orders of Judas, attacked Gorgias and were defeated. </p> <p> [[Jamnia]] as given in Josephus, <i> [[Ant]] </i> , Xii , viii, 6, is probably the correct reading for [[Idumaea]] in 2 Maccabees 12:32 . The doings of Gorgias in 2 Macc are recorded with some confusion. He was regarded with special hostility by the Jews. In 2 Maccabees 12:35 he is described as "the accursed man." </p>

<p> (Γοργίας, a frequent name among the Oriental Greeks), one of the generals of [[Antiochus]] Epiphanes, was chosen by Lyisias, the general and sinitester of Antiochus [[Epiphanes]] and at this time in sale command of the provinces from the [[Euphrates]] to the sea, to undertake an expedition in company with Ptolemy, the son of Dorymanan, and with Nicanor, against Judaea, B.C. 166 (1 [[Maccabees]] 3:38; Joseph. Ant. 12:7, 2, 3, where he is styled "a mighty man of the king's friends"). These generals were, however, totally defeated near Einmaus by [[Judas]] Maccabas in (1 Maccabees 4:1 sq.; Joseph. Ant. 1.c). In B.C. 165, Joseph, the son of Zacharias, and Azarias, two captains in the service of Judas Maccabaeus, anxious to get themselves a name, and acting without the orders of Judas, attacked the garrison of Jamnia. Gorgias, the governor of the forces at Jamnia, defeated them with great loss (1 Maccabees 5:56 sq. Joseph. Ant. 12:7, 6). </p> <p> The account of [[Gorgias]] in 2 Macc. is very confused. In one passage he is described simply as "a captain, who in matters of war had great experience, and therefore sent with Nicanor, the son of Patroclus, one of the special friends of Ptolomaeuss, the governor of [[Coele-Syria]] and [[Phoenice]] (comp. 1 Maccabees 3:38; Joseph. Ant. 12:7, 3), to root out the whole nation of the [[Jews]] (2 Maccabees 8:9). In another passage he is represented as "governor of the holds" (στρατηγὸς τῶντόπων [Alex. MS. τρόπων ], 2 Maccabees 10:14), and apparently of the holds of the Idumeans (?) (Acrabattene [?], comp. 1 Maccabees 5:3; Joseph. Ant. 12:8, 1; see Ewald, Geschichte, 4:91, 358). He is afterwards, according to the present text, described as "governor of Idumea" (2 Maccabees 12:32). </p>