Editing Persecution of Jews (section)

=== Seleucid Empire ===
{{See also|Maccabees}}
When [[Judea]] fell under the authority of the [[Seleucid Empire]], the process of [[Hellenization]] was enforced by law.<ref>{{cite book|last1=VanderKam|first1=James C.|title=An Introduction to Early Judaism|date=2001|publisher=Eerdmans|location=Grand Rapids, Mich.|isbn=978-0-8028-4641-9|pages=18–24}}</ref> This effectively meant requiring pagan religious practice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.questia.com/read/101600767/an-introduction-to-early-judaism|title=An Introduction to Early Judaism - 2001, Page viii by James C. Vanderkam|access-date=2016-03-23|archive-date=2016-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185528/https://www.questia.com/read/101600767/an-introduction-to-early-judaism|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=567|title=missing}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 167 BC [[Korban|Jewish sacrifice]] was forbidden, sabbaths and feasts were banned and [[Circumcision in the Bible|circumcision]] was outlawed. Altars to Greek gods were set up and [[Shechita#Species|animals prohibited to Jews]] were sacrificed on them. The Olympian [[Zeus]] was placed on the altar of the Temple. Possession of [[Torah|Jewish scriptures]] was made a capital offense.