Battle of Wadi Haramia

Battle of Wadi Haramia (Battle of Ma'ale Levonah)
Part of Maccabean Revolt
Presumed location of the battle, 1912
Date 167 BCE Location Wadi Haramia, near modern day Ma'ale Levona, West Bank Result Decisive Judean/Maccabean victory
Belligerents
Judean rebels	Seleucid army
Commanders and leaders
Judas Maccabeus	Apollonius †
Strength
600 men	2,000 men
Casualties and losses
Minimal	Heavy

The Battle of Wadi Haramia was the first hand-to-hand combat battle fought between the Maccabees and the Seleucid Empire in 167 BCE. The Jewish forces were led by Judas Maccabeus and the Seleucid army force was under the command of Apollonius.^[1]

After the Maccabean Revolt started, Judas relocated his guerrilla combat units at the northern part of Samaria. Apollonius, governor of Samaria, was sent with the local Samarian armies to link up with Seleucid forces from Jerusalem.

Maccabaeus gained the element of surprise by ambushing the enemy army at Wadi Haramia and successfully destroyed the much larger Syrian Greek army, personally killing its commander.^[2][3] Another force was soon sent against Maccabaeus, which led to the Battle of Beth Horon.^[4]

References

1. Flavius Josephus "Book XII, Ch.7" in The Antiquities
2. Brandon Marlon (2013-01-17). "What Judea & Samaria Mean to the Jewish People". The Jewish Press. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
3. 1 Maccabees 3:10-12
4. 1 Maccabees 3:13-22

Coordinates: 32°03′16″N 35°14′27″E / 32.05444°N 35.24083°E