Bible Dictionary
CALLISTHENES
Callisthenes was an officer under Nicanor who helped burn the sacred gates of the Jerusalem temple during its desecration under Antiochus Epiphanes. After Nicanor’s defeat, Callisthenes was captured and burned by the Jews.
Definition
Callisthenes was an officer under Nicanor who was charged with burning the sacred gates of the Jerusalem temple during its desecration under Antiochus Epiphanes.
Biblical Usage
Callisthenes is mentioned in the account of the Maccabean conflict in 2 Maccabees. After Nicanor’s defeat at Emmaus, Jews captured and burned him with others who had set the sacred gates on fire.
Historical Background
The temple desecration occurred in 168 BC. Callisthenes fled into an outhouse, but was captured after Nicanor’s army was decisively defeated in 165 BC.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>ka-lis'-the-nez (Kallisthenes): An officer of Nicanor who was charged with the burning of the sacred portals of the temple at the time of the desecration under Antiochus Epiphanes (168 BC). After the decisive defeat of Nicanor's army at Emmaus (165 BC) the Jews celebrated the victory in the city of their fathers and burned C. who had fled into an outhouse with others who had set the sacred gates on fire, "the meet reward of their impiety" (2 Macc 8:33).</p>