There are many classic foods that we still love, but some of them are way older than you might think. The history and origins of popular foods may surprise you.

by George McClellan, America Outloud: What is indisputable now is that the Democrat Party’s move to full Left-wing Progressive Socialism, 180º out of phase with constitutional Americanism, is out in the open. The enemies of our Constitution are inside the gates. Is the unseen hand of Barack Obama responsible for adding the Progressive destroyer of […]

by Dr. David McGrogan, Daily Sceptic: We live in an age that is gesturing towards global government. This is not a conspiracy theory; it is something which perfectly respectable politicians, academics, policymakers and UN officials routinely talk about. What is crystallising is not exactly a single world Government, but rather a complicated mixture of aligned […]

from The People’s Voice: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

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  The 2nd century BCE saw the meteoric rise of a small Jewish family who were opposed to the tyranny of the Seleucid Empire and its king, Antiochus Epiphanes, a man who saw himself as a God and attempted to exterminate the religion of Judaism and its people. A Jewish man named Matthias and his five sons rebelled against this oppression and led what would become known as the Maccabean revolt, in which heroes would be born, tyrants would be overthrown, and a nation would rise again.   Mad King Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Maccabean Revolt Coin of Antiochus IV, 2nd-3rd century CE, via Wikimedia Commons   Antiochus IV, the King of Asia, wished to be known to his subjects as “Epiphanes,” meaning “God-Manifest.” However, after witnessing his erratic and unpredictable behavior, a new moniker stuck, “Epumanes,”—“The Mad.” Despite his potential madness, Antiochus Epiphanes was undoubtedly a powerful figure and one to be taken seriously.   In 170 BCE, when he had conquered Egypt, Antiochus turned his sights on Jerusalem once a rebellion had broken out there. While Judea was a vassal state to the sovereign Seleucid Empire, the Jewish people had long harbored resentment against the Greeks for their overbearing nature and due to a desire for independence—even though the Seleucid Empire allowed for the Jewish people to retain their cultures and religion. Interestingly, the supposed “rebellion” that Antiochus was so keen on repressing may not have even concerned him and was potentially merely infighting between the Jewish people themselves over their leadership.   Nevertheless, angered beyond measure at what he saw as disloyalty on behalf of the Jews, Antiochus marched to Jerusalem and had 10,000 of them deported before committing the unpardonable sin of entering the Holy of Holies in the Temple, a place where only the highest priests could enter. Beyond this, Antiochus then robbed the Temple and the Holy of Holies of all its gold and treasures and decreed that the rebellious Jews would now worship him as his namesake—like a God.   Unsurprisingly, the Jews reacted strongly against the decree to abandon their God to worship the madman Antiochus. The Seleucid King responded to this news even more strongly than he did to the rebellion; he decided to abandon the rules of tolerance that had long held his empire together and attempt to stamp out Judaism entirely.   Persecution and Rebellion: The Maccabees Strike Back The Maccabees go to war, Judas Maccabeus Pursues Timotheus, by Gustave Dore, 1866, via Wikimedia Commons   In 167 BCE, Antiochus IV Epiphanes’ true depravity and cruelty became known when he captured and sacked Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Not only did he have thousands of Jerusalemites put to the sword, but he also made the practice of Judaism illegal and punishable by death. Any who practiced the religion or followed its laws like the Sabbath or circumcision were to be killed—often horribly. Crucifixion became the norm for practicing Jews, and others were burned at the stake or thrown from the city’s walls—both adults and babies. Even owning the Torah was enough to merit a death sentence; the Holy book was illegal within the walls of Jerusalem, and its copies were destroyed, the owners of the book murdered.   Antiochus Epiphanes did not stop at the early torture of Jews. He desired to snuff out the faith entirely. He desecrated the famed Temple with swine and then rededicated it to the Greek God Zeus. Epiphanes, still convinced of his deity, had people sacrifice to him in the Temple as orgies occurred within. To add further insult, Antiochus IV had a fortress built within the walls of Jerusalem called the Acra. Convinced his persecution of the Jews was successful, Antiochus installed a Greek, Menelaos, to oversee the city as he returned to Antioch to celebrate what he saw as a massive victory.   Map of the Seleucid Empire, created by Thomas Lessman, 2008, via Wikimedia Commons   However, the cruelty of Antiochus Epiphanes, as is so common in history, had the exact opposite effect of what he desired. Instead of cowing the Jews, he strengthened them. Instead of abandoning their faith, it was emboldened.   Antiochus’ supporters attempted to force its citizens to make sacrilegious offerings to Antiochus and other Greek deities in a small village near Jerusalem. Among the citizens was a priest named Matthias, along with his five sons.   Unwilling to abandon his faith and perform the sacrifice, Matthias grew angry when another Jewish man submitted and attempted to obey the Greeks. In a fit of rage at the desecration, Matthias drew a sword and killed the offending Jewish man before cutting down Antiochus’ agent and destroying the sacrificial site.   At this point, Matthias and his sons knew that the die had been cast. They had attacked and killed agents of the King, and their revolt would not go unpunished. Fleeing to the mountains with his sons, Matthias challenged those who desired to uphold the Laws and Covenant to join them in their upcoming war against Antiochus Epiphanes and the Seleucid Empire.   Judah Maccabee: The Hammer Matthias kills the apostate, Maccabees, by Wojciech Stattler, 1842, via Wikimedia Commons   While the old priest and father Matthias would soon perish, the leadership of the revolt would pass on to his third son Judah, who would quickly be given the name Judah (or Judas) “Maccabee,” (or Maccabeus). The term Maccabee would then become the moniker that came to be associated with every person who participated in the rebellion as it became more formally known as the Maccabean revolt.   The story behind the name Maccabee is unclear. Maccabee means “Hammer” and may have denoted either the weapon Judah chose to utilize to fight the Greeks or else it was simply a play on words that symbolized the way Judah smashed his enemies like a hammer in battle.   Regardless of the meaning, Judah Maccabee soon proved himself a formidable opponent. Handpicked by his father to be the leader after his death due to his courage, faith, and spirit despite being a third son, Judah wisely decided that the proper course of action would be to undertake missions of guerilla warfare against Antiochus and the Seleucid Empire as their strength increased.   Judas Maccabeus finds the hidden treasure of the heathen and prays for the souls of the slain sinners, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1635, via Wikimedia Commons   As supporters of the Maccabean revolt poured into the Judean hills to bolster their numbers, Matthias’ five sons effectively took the battle to the Greeks. Their first actual test came when the Maccabean forces, still in their infancy, came across a much larger army of Syrian Greeks bolstered by Seleucids from Jerusalem.   Using surprise to their advantage, Judah and his small army of 600 men fell upon the Syrian forces at night, defeating them soundly in the Battle of the Ascent of Lebonah. Perhaps in a premonition of what was to come, Judah challenged the leader of the Syrian army, Apollonius, to single combat. Judah took up Apollonius’ sword after the Hammer had dispatched the Greek. This was the sword that Judah would carry with him for the rest of his life in the campaigns against the Seleucid Empire in a show of defiance over what had been done to his people. The rise of the Maccabees had arrived.   The Ascent of the Maccabees The Maccabees at the Battle of Beth Zechariah, Death of Eleazer, by Gustave Dore, 1866, via Wikimedia Commons   Emboldened by these successes, the Maccabees, under the leadership of the Maccabee himself, quickly swept aside a much larger and more dangerous Seleucid army sent to waylay them. With two critical victories under their belt, the Maccabees grew in confidence but also in importance to the Seleucid Empire—no longer would they face token forces sent to brush away an inconsequential rebellion, they would now face large and well-equipped armies led by the canny Seleucid generals, Nicanor and Gorgias.   Gorgias and Nicanor had cunningly decided not to allow Judah and the Maccabees to face them in open combat. Instead, the Seleucids planned to fall on the unsuspecting Jews at night in their camp, routing them with a cavalry charge that would not even give them time to get under guard.   However, Judah Maccabee once again outsmarted his foes. Gorgias could not find them in the mountainous region, and Judah, sensing his plan, forced his own army to continue traveling throughout the night to evade them. Choosing an opportune moment, Judah reversed the situation on Gorgias. Judah’s forces attacked and routed the third army sent to face them as the Greeks rested in their camp.   Marble head of Antiochus IV, photo by Jose Luiz, via Wikimedia Commons   The situation for Antiochus Epiphanes and the Seleucid Empire in Judea was now dire. Antiochus had been so confident in the weakness of the Jewish revolt that he had left to campaign in Persia, leaving a viceroy, Lysias, in charge.   However, when news reached him that the Maccabees were on the warpath and had smashed three Seleucid armies, his diplomacy policy changed drastically. Instead of being Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the God King who murdered Jews and desecrated the Holy of Holies and the Temple, he devolved into being contrite and repentant to stave off the fury of the Maccabees and save his empire. Antiochus promised the Jews the free practice of religion once again and would allow them to follow their laws.   While Hellenized Jews (those who took on Greek practices) supported this proclamation and viewed the battle as won, this was not the opinion of all. Unsurprisingly, Judah “The Hammer” and the Maccabees had little time for apologies or changes of heart. Even if they accepted the deal, their lives would simply revert to what they had been before the terror—freedom to worship but always living under the thumb and sovereignty of the Seleucids.   The Maccabees rejected the offer as the war drum beat on. As for Antiochus IV Epiphanes, he suffered a brief and painful illness and died suddenly in 164 BCE. While the “God-Manifest” had perished, the war for independence continued.   Victories and Defeats: The Maccabean Revolt Rages On Judas Maccabeus before the Army of Nicanor, by Gustave Dore, 1832-1883, via Wikimedia Commons   With Antiochus IV Epiphanes dead and the Seleucid Empire in Palestine knocked back on its heels, the Maccabees seemed poised to finish what they had started three years prior when the old priest Matthias struck down the apostate and the Greek to begin the rebellion.   As 164 BCE progressed, this is precisely what occurred. Judah the Hammer and his forces successfully wrested Judea away from the Seleucids. He even conquered Jerusalem once again- except for the Acra fortress which withheld him with help from a strong garrison.   The conquest of Jerusalem in 164 BCE was a momentous occasion—not only for the Maccabees but for history and for the Jewish people today. When Judah saw the sorry state the Temple had fallen into during Antiochus IV’s reign of terror, his sadness was tremendous, but his resolve was greater. Judah had the Temple rededicated and the candles lit—and they stayed lit despite an oil shortage in the city. The triumph of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Temple is thus still celebrated today in the Jewish tradition of Hanukkah.   The Story of Hanukkah, by Ori Sherman, 1985, via Berkeley University   Judah and his brothers continued campaigning across Palestine, winning many victories and destroying the shrines of false deities wherever they went. Even when the Maccabees suffered defeats, all seemed to be going in their favor, and the Seleucid Empire finally did allow the Jews freedom to follow their laws as their attention turned to dealing with revolts at home in Antioch itself.   However, the powerful Seleucids would not lightly abandon their outer territories. The reconquest of Jerusalem became of the utmost importance to them, and it was carried out successfully by Judah’s old nemesis, General Nicanor.   This monumental defeat set up a final showdown between Judah and Nicanor. To end the battle swiftly, the Hammer decided that the proper course of action would be to target Nicanor himself so that he could be killed and his army would surrender. Judah successfully finished the grisly task by cutting off Nicanor’s head and arm in a symbolic gesture.   The Fall of Maccabee Battle of Elasa, by Augustin Calmet, 1730, via Wikimedia Commons   However, the days of the Seleucids allowing the Maccabees to roam free and grow comfortable in Judea were over. In 160 BCE, While Judah was attempting to negotiate with the Roman Empire for aid against the Greeks, a massive Seleucid army of over 20,000 men was bearing down on him in a bid to wrest complete control of Judea from the Jews.   The battle was called the Battle of Elasa, and it pitted the might of the Maccabees against the Seleucid commander Bacchides. Like many historical conflicts, there are several possibilities for what actually occurred. In the Biblical Book of Maccabees, regarded as a very historically accurate book, it was said that after seeing the might of the Seleucid forces ranged against them, many of the Maccabees urged Judah to withdraw from the field to fight another day as a pitched battle against such a force was hopeless.   Even though the army opposite him was far superior in number, the Hammer refused to surrender to the Greeks. Many of his followers left his side and planned to re-engage in guerilla warfare while Judah himself and his remaining soldiers—1,000 men against 20,000, were crushed. Judah himself was struck down and killed, and the leadership of the Maccabees went on to his brother Jonathan.   Other historical sources speak of a much more even battle, one in which the Maccabees were able to match the Seleucid’s man for man and were also able to field 20,000 men, along with cavalry. In this tale, Judah and the Maccabees were caught in a trap by a feigned retreat by Bacchides and suffered heavy losses. In both accounts, however, Judah the Hammer, the great savior of the Jewish people, was killed.   The Maccabean Revolt: Independence Won Judas Besieging Acra fortress, from the Alba Bible, 1430, via Wikimedia Commons   Despite the loss of the larger-than-life figure of the original Maccabee, the Jewish people were undaunted. The fight against the Greeks would continue under the leadership of Judah’s brothers, Jonathan and Simon.   Jonathan was known as a great negotiator, and while able to win military victories against the Seleucids, he also worked diplomatically with the kings of Syria and Egypt and was successful in gaining control over Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple once again in 153 BCE. However, the Greeks eventually captured and killed Jonathan, leaving his brother Simon in charge of the Maccabees.   “Simon the Great,” as he was known, was able to rally the Maccabean army to its full strength once again. In 141 BCE, the Maccabees could finally throw down the gates of the Acra, the fortress built by Antiochus IV Epiphanes as an insult to the Jewish people almost 30 years prior.   Simon’s autonomy grew considerably, and the Hasmonean Dynasty was born—a dynasty born from the bedrock of the Maccabean revolt. In the 130s BCE, the grandson of Simon the Great declared himself King of Judea. The Seleucids had long been diminished and were powerless to stop them. The Maccabean revolt had ended in triumph after nearly 40 years, and the dynasty would last for a century until the rise of a new scourge on the Jewish people—Herod and the Romans.

  The Parthians, a major Iranian political and military power, emerged as a significant force in 247 BCE. After defeating the Seleucids, they built a mighty empire. At its height, the Parthian Arsacid dynasty ruled over a vast territory stretching from the Euphrates to the Himalayas. The control of the Silk Road made the Parthians immensely wealthy, allowing their rulers to revive the greatness of the Achaemenid Empire and emulate its multiculturalism.   The enormous wealth funded a state-of-the-art army, renowned for its mounted archers and heavy cavalry. No wonder the Parthian Empire quickly turned into a superpower, the only ancient state that could rival Rome. Then, in a unique twist, this powerful and wealthy empire, an insurmountable obstacle for the Roman legions, was almost completely erased from history by the emerging Sassanian Empire.   Parthia Emerged Out From a Nomadic Tribe A silver coin of the Parthian shahanshah (king of kings) Mithridates I, the ruler’s head wearing Hellenistic diadem (obverse), nude Hercules standing (reverse), ca. 165–132 BCE. Source: The British Museum   The story of the Parthian Empire began in 247 BCE, when Arsaces I, ruler of the small nomadic group called the Parni, invaded the Seleucid Empire. Exploiting the revolt of the local governor, Arsaces conquered the region of Parthia, which became a core region of the new Parthian Empire. The Arsacid rulers exploited the ongoing Seleucid conflict with Ptolemaic Egypt, pushing towards both east and west. The war with the Seleucids continued for several decades as the Parthian rulers successfully expanded their territory from the Euphrates to Bactria, from India to Central Asia, to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.    By the mid-second century BCE, the Parthians controlled all the core territories of the old Achaemenid Empire, including the fertile plains of Mesopotamia. There, King Mithridates I established Ctesiphon, a major royal residence, which in the following decades became the capital of the mighty Parthian Empire. The Pathian rulers adopted the title shahanshah or “King of Kings,” emphasizing their connection with the Achaemenid legacy.    Parthia Was Famous for Its Military, Culture and Trade Gilded Silver Plate, Late Parthian 2nd-3rd Century CE. Source: The British Museum   The optimal position at the crossroads between China, India, and the Eastern Mediterranean, made the Parthian Empire a dominant power in the Near East. This was largely due to the Parthian control of the Silk Road. The key role in ancient trade boosted the Parthian economy and allowed for cultural exchanges, creating a vibrant, multicultural, and wealthy society. The Parthians also developed elaborate and distinctive style in art and architecture, blending Hellenistic, Persian, and local elements.    The ruling dynasty – the Arsacids – reflected the inclusivity of their empire, initially adopting Greek as an official language, supplanting it with Parthian only after the outbreak of hostilities with the Romans. Parthia could rival Rome for centuries, partly due to its immense wealth, and partly due to its powerful military, famous for its mounted warriors and “Parthian shot,” a tactic later emulated by their successors, the Sassanids, but also other nomads of the Eurasian steppe, including the Huns, Scythians, Mongols and Magyars.    Parthia Controlled the Silk Road A map showing the trade between the four ancient empires of Eurasia, in the second century CE. Source: Princeton University   For centuries, the Parthian Empire played a pivotal role in the development of the Silk Road trade, serving as a central hub between East and West. The Parthians controlled key segments of this ancient trade network, facilitating the exchange of silk, spices, and precious gems, which in turn boosted the Empire’s economy. The exchange of luxury goods was complemented by the flow of religious and philosophical ideas, including Buddhism, which influenced Parthian culture – Indian art and iconography blended with Parthian and Hellenistic traditions, creating a unique cultural synthesis.   Parthians facilitated commerce and cultural exchanges between major ancient empires, China and India in the East and Rome in the West. However, the Parthian political and military might have prevented the Romans from establishing closer connections with the oriental empires, most notably China. To break the Parthian Silk Road monopoly, the Romans kickstarted the Indian Ocean trade, using the Egyptian Red Sea ports as a starting point for a lucrative maritime trade. Yet, Rome and China never managed to establish a direct relationship.    Parthia and Rome Were the Greatest Rivals Ceramic relief plaque of a Parthian mounted archer, 1st – 3rd century CE. Source: The British Museum   The first encounter between Rome and the Parthian Empire occurred in the early first century BCE, during the Roman war against the Pontic king, Mithritades VI Eupator. In 92 BCE, Rome and Parthia made a diplomatic agreement, recognizing the Euphrates as a boundary between the two states. The fragile peace was shattered in 54 BCE, when the Roman legions, led by Marcus Licinius Crassus, invaded Mesopotamia. Unfortunately for the Romans, Parthia proved to be a formidable opponent, and they suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BCE. The devastating “Parthian shot,” a hit-and-run tactic executed by mounted archers, and their powerful cataphract cavalry charge posed significant challenges for the Roman forces.   Crassus, too, perished in the battle, becoming first of many Roman leaders who would meet their end in the East rather than achieve military glory. While the Romans managed to score some successes, most notably under Augustus and Trajan, Parthia remained Rome’s greatest rival until its very end in the early third century.    Fall of Parthia Led to the Sassanid Empire Parthian gold belt adornment depicting an eagle and its prey, ca. 1st – 2nd century CE. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art   While Rome and Parthia waged wars, they also exchanged embassies, conducted trade, and even formed temporary alliances, demonstrating mutual recognition of each other’s power. This uneasy existence lasted until the early third century, when the Parthians, weakened by internal strife and wars with Romans, fell to a new power. In 224 CE, Ardashir I successfully rebelled against the Parthian ruler, Artabanus IV, leading to the downfall of Parthia and the rise of the Sasanian Empire.    Unlike the Parthians, the Sassanians maintained constant hostilities with the Roman Empire. During the so-called Crisis of the Third Century, the Parthians scored a major victory when they defeated the Roman army at the battle of Edessa, capturing emperor Valerian alive. The warfare in the East continued for four hundred years, with both rivals scoring victories and defeats, until in the early seventh century, when Rome and Persia engaged in a war to death – the “Last Great War of Antiquity.”   Door lintel with lions-griffin and vase with lotus leaf, Parthian, 2nd to early 3rd century CE. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art   In the end, the Romans would emerge triumphant, only to be forced to fight a new emerging power – the Arabs – for their very survival, while the Sassanids would be erased from the map, as the last major Iranian ancient power.

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