“Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his orders, every one of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our forefathers. Far be it from us to desert the Law and the ordinances! We will not obey the king’s words by turning aside from our faith in the slightest.” - Mattathias the Priest, of House Asmonaeus, father of Judas Maccabaeus
The Crest of House Asmonaeus is our tribute to the Asmonaeans ("Chashmonaim" in Hebrew), a family of kohanim (Levites of priestly descent) who led the Maccabean Rebellion of 167 BCE. Seleucid forces occupied the land of Judaea, and the Mad King, Antiochus IV, had declared the observance of Israelite religion to be a capital offense. A delegation sent by Antiochus to the home of Mattathias in the village of Modi'in in an effort to gain his endorsement. Encouraging his countrymen to assimilate, to submit to the dominant culture would, the officials explained, bring with it special privileges.
Mattathias and his sons were men of principle. They still kept the old ways, and they lived by the covenant that G-d had established with their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Asmoneans were a simple, rural family of priests, more acquainted with plowshares than swords. But when the time came to defend their people and their way of life, they did not hesitate to take up arms against a vastly superior foe. Defying all logic, the popular revolt instigated by Mattathias liberated the Holy Land in a series of events commemorated by the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
Celebrate the spirit of defiance, dedication to a high purpose, and the refusal to submit no matter the odds, with Maccabee Apparel's House Asmonaeus line of products.
Product specifications:
.: 50% Cotton 50% Polyester
.: Medium-heavy fabric (8.0 oz/yd² (271.25 g/m²))
.: Classic fit
.: Tear away label
.: Runs true to size