powerful empire. The Greek mercenaries that fought in the Syrian ranks
were armed with coats of mail and the best weapons known to the ancient
world. They were also thoroughly trained in the art of war and under the
direction of experienced generals. On every battle-field the Syrians
outnumbered the Jews almost six to one. Pitted against Judas and his
followers were apostates of his own race, who knew the land, were able to
spy out the movements of the Jews, and were inspired by the bitterest
hatred. The few advantages on the side of Judas were: first, his followers
were aroused to heroic deeds by the peril of the situation. In the second
place they were inspired by an intense religious zeal. The one force
throughout Semitic history that has bound together tribes and nations and
made the Semite an almost invincible fighting power has been religion.
The familiar illustrations are the Mohammedan conquests that swept
victoriously across the Bosporus and conquered Constantinople, also across
northern Africa, and surged into southern Europe over the Straits of
Gibraltar and threatened for a time completely to engulf the Western
civilization. Familiar modern illustrations are the Mahdist insurrections
that have from time to time taxed the resources of the English in northern
Africa. In the third place the land of Judea, with its narrow western
passes rapidly ascending to the heights above, enabled Judas to choose his
battle-field at a point where only a few of the enemy could be brought
into action and where a handful of valiant men could keep an army at bay.

III. Defeat of Apollonius and Seron. At first Judas wisely confined
himself to guerilla warfare. This enabled him in time to clothe and arm
his followers with the garments and weapons taken from the enemy. The most
important of these smaller engagements took place north of Jerusalem. As
Apollonius, the Syrian governor of Samaria, was advancing into Judea,
Judas suddenly fell upon the Syrians and slew their leader. Henceforth the
sword of the Syrian governor was effectively wielded by Judas in behalf of