Battle of Beth Zechariah

Battle of Beth Zechariah
Part of the Maccabean Revolt
1698 illustration of Eleazar fighting an elephant at the battle by Jan Luyken
Date May 162 BC Location Beth-Zechariah, near modern day Alon Shvut, West Bank 31°39′50.40″N 35°07′23.70″E / 31.6640000°N 35.1232500°E / 31.6640000; 35.1232500 Result Seleucid victory
Belligerents
Maccabean army	Seleucid Empire
Commanders and leaders
Judas Maccabeus Eleazar Avaran  †	Lysias
Strength
Est. 10,000–20,000	Est. 50,000 infantry, 30 war elephants, 5,000 cavalry

The Battle of Beth Zechariah took place around May 162 BC during the Maccabean revolt fought between Jewish rebels under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus (Judah Maccabee) against an army of the Seleucid Empire, the Greek successor state (diadochi) to the Macedonian conquests that controlled Syria and Babylonia. The battle was fought at Beth Zechariah (modern Khirbet Beit Zakariyyah) and was a Seleucid victory, with the rebels driven from the field in retreat. Judas's brother Eleazar Avaran died in combat with a war elephant. The defeat allowed the Seleucids to continue their campaign and besiege the Jewish holy city of Jerusalem.