The Role of 'Scripture' in the Eulog of Simon (lMacc 14:4-15) Tomas Hieke 1. Introduction 1.1 The Eulogy in the Context of lMaccabees le book of lMaccabees is not a "historical book" in the strictest sense of the word. Of course, it relates a history, the dramatic events of the Maccabean revolt in the 2nd century BCE including fierce battles, he r oic deeds and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem celebrated e ac h year in Jewish communites at the Chanukah festival. But 1 Macc abees teils this history-or, even better, tis story-not according t o T acitus' motto sine ira et studio, "witout anger and zealousness." 1 As Ta citus himself did several times (thus renouncing his own motto), the a u t hor(s) of lMaccabees take sides. The author and his party have a cr tain political (and, as this can never be separated entirely in Anti qUity, also a social and religious) agenda. This agenda is connected to te dy nasty which ruled Israel in the era when the text of lMaccabees 0 r ig in ated: the Hasmoneans. This term is taken from Josephus' account id denotes the ruling family who traces its origin back to an ancestor n a i e ct Hasmon. The dynasty, however, was established by the brother of Ju das Maccabaeus, the famous leader of te Jewish revolution : g ai nst the Seleucids during the second century BCE, Simon "Macca- ae u s" (ruled 143134 BCE) and his son John Hyrcanus (134-104). s· A s te text of lMaccabees itself does not stem from te time of llon but from a later generation, te term "Hasmoneans" is used in te f ollo wing study in order to denote the ruling group during te late s�ond and early first century BCE in Judaea who supported its agenda Wit h t he "historical book" lMaccabees. Tus, the book of 1Maccabees relates te history of the Maccabean love ment in a pro-Hasmonean manner. One major aspect of this ------ 1 S Tacts, Anals 1.1.