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Lacedaemonians
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las-e-de-mo'-ni-anz
RELATED: Greece |
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Easton's Bible Dictionary
(no entry)
Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible Names
(no entry)
Smith's Bible Dictionary
In Greece the inhabitants of Sparta or Lacedaemon, with
whom the Jews claimed kindred. 1 Maccabees 12:2 , 5 , 6 , 20 ,21 ; 14:20 , 23
; 15:23 ; 2 Maccabees 5:9.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
las-e-de-mo'-ni-anz (Spartidtai; once only Lakedaimonioi,
2 Maccabees 5:9):
The inhabitants of Sparta or Lacedaemon with whom the Jews claimed some kinship
and formed alliances (1 Maccabees 12:2 , 5 , 6 , 20 , 21 ; 14:20 , 23 ; 15:23
; 2 Macc 5:9). The alliance mentioned in 1 Macc 12:5 - 23 is based, among other
grounds, on that of a common descent of Jews and Lacedaemonians from Abraham,
for which the only probable presumption--suggested by Ewald--is the similarity
of names, "Pelasgi" and Peleg son of Eber (Genesis 10:25 ; 11:16). This has been
reasonably objected to, and perhaps the most that can be said on this point is
that the belief in some relationship between the Jews and the Lacedaemonians seems
to have prevailed when 1 Macc was written. The alliance itself is said to have
been formed (1 Macc 12:20) between Areus, king of the Lacedaemonians and Onias
the high priest; but it is not easy to make out a consistent chronology for the
transaction. For the renewal of the alliance (circa 144 BC) by Jonathan (1 Macc
12:5 - 18) and again by Simon (1 Macc 14:16 - 23), something can be said, as the
Greeks had finally been deprived of independence in 146 BC, and Sparta was only
obliged to lend assistance to Rome and may be supposed to have been doing so in
helping the Jews against Syria. It is possible, too, that as against Syrian Hellenism
the Jews were anxious to show that they had the assistance of distinguished Greeks,
though the actual power of Sparta was much reduced from that of former times.
The facts, at least of the alliance and the correspondence, seem to be sufficiently
attested, though it is not easy to reconcile all the particulars. Josephus (Ant.,
XII, iv, 10; XIII, v, 8; XIV, xii, 2,3) gives the correspondence at greater length
than the writer of the Maccabees.
Tags:
alliance, bible commentary, bible history, bible reference, bible study, define, lacedaemon, lacedaemonians, sparta
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