Nikanor (friend of Demetrios)

Nicanor was one of the friends and officers of the Seleucid Demetrius I . He was a strategist in Iudaea and commanded an elephant troop. It is possible that he is identical with a friend and confidante of Demetrios with the name Nikanor, mentioned only in Polybios . If so, he brought Demetrios back from Rome to the Seleucid Empire to become the successor of Antiochus IV . In March 161 BC BC (or 160 BC ?) He lost the battle of Adasa and was killed in the process. The day of his defeat (the 13th Adar = March 27) has been celebrated by the Jews since then in memory of his defeat and the associated punishment of the blasphemer of the temple ( Nikanor day ).

He may be identical to another Nikanor , at least there may be overlaps or incorrect assignments in both biographies.

swell

1 Maccabees 7: 26-43; 7.48-50
2. Maccabees 14.11-15.28; 15.31-37
Polybios 31,14,4

literature

Abraham Schalit: Dictionary of names for Flavius Josephus . Brill. Leiden 1968, ( A complete concordance to Flavius Josephus Suppl. 1).

personal data
SURNAME	Nikanor
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Seleucid officer
DATE OF BIRTH	3rd century BC BC or 2nd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH	161 BC Chr.