Simon gave support to Demetrius II Nicator, the Seleucid king, and in return Demetrius exempted the Maccabees from tribute.
According to 2 Maccabees 15, Judas inspired his troops by relating to them a dream-vision he had experienced, wherein the Prophet Jeremiah presented a gold sword to him and said, "Accept this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you shall crush your adversaries." (2 Maccabees 15:15-16, NAB).
The Books of the Maccabees are books concerned with the Maccabees, the leaders of the Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid dynasty, or related subjects.
Even after the Miracle of Purim, the Jews remained subjects of the Persian Empire, whereas on Hanukkah, as a result of the victory of the Maccabees, the Jews gained their independence from the Seleucid kings.
After this last feat of arms, which has perhaps been exaggerated by the Latin chroniclers, who compare him to Hector, Roland and the Maccabees, John died in the habit of a Franciscan friar.
Qatra, thought to be the biblical site of Kidron mentioned in the first Book of Maccabees
The festival headliners were The Maccabees, SWAY, Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard, Radioclit presents The Very Best, Tayo, Radio 1’s Nihal, Fabric’s Ali B, Ross Allen and Dekker & Johan, with many African acts including The Black Missionaries, Lucius Banda and Tay Grin.
In the church there are also the Martyrdom of the Maccabees (1863) by Antonio Ciseri in the 3rd chapel on the right, the Meeting of St. Anne and St. Joachim, attributed to Michele Tosini, at the end of the right transept, the Assumption of the Virgin with Saints (1677), attributed to Baldassare Franceschini, at the end of the left transept.