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