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Biblical History Atlas

Historical event dossier · Religious

Desecration of the Temple: the "abomination of desolation" (15 Chislev 145 SE, 168/167 BC)

Researched — not human reviewedRevision 1Last reviewed: not reviewed

Human review pending. 1 item from this dossier is awaiting the project owner's review: “Disputed: desecration in Dec 168 or Dec 167 BC (Seleucid-era epoch)” (queued 2026-10-13, status open). All classifications on this page are machine-proposed unless marked otherwise. Review happens offline. This site has no review controls.

Biblical references

Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.

Daniel 11:31Reference
31 “Forces from him will profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and will take away the continual burnt offering. Then they will set up the abomination that makes desolate.

Proposed correlation only.

Matthew 24:15Reference
15 “When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

Jesus refers to "the abomination of desolation, spoken of through Daniel".

Biblical account

Layer: Biblical text

Forces from him profane the sanctuary, take away the continual burnt offering and set up the abomination that makes desolate. (Daniel names no king; 1 Maccabees narrates the event.)

Historical overview

Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: Reign of Antiochus IV (175–164 BC)

After his return from Egypt Antiochus IV plundered the Temple (1 Macc 1:20–24, year 143); later a royal decree banned Jewish practice, and on 15 Chislev 145 an "abomination of desolation" was built on the altar, with pagan sacrifice from 25 Chislev (1 Macc 1:54, 59). Josephus dates it to 145 SE in the 153rd Olympiad.[1, 2, 3]

Kingdoms: Seleucid empire

Date and chronology derivation

Ranges are computed by the project's deterministic chronology engine from the biblical statements and each model's reign anchors. They are reconstructions, not independent dates.

168 BC – 166 BC

Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: month

How this range was derived

Earliest bound

  1. Synchronism: Desecration: 15 Chislev 145 SE (1 Macc 1:54) = Dec 168 or Dec 167 BC — independently dated between 15 Nov 168 BC and 15 Jan 166 BC (Seleucid-era date; epoch of 1 Maccabees' reckoning disputed)[1, 2, 4]Assumption: Covers Chislev under both Seleucid-era epochs (mid-Nov 168 – mid-Jan 166 BC). Montgomery: "profanation Chislev 145 = 168". The window deliberately spans both Seleucid-era epochs, as for the rededication.

Latest bound

  1. Synchronism: Desecration: 15 Chislev 145 SE (1 Macc 1:54) = Dec 168 or Dec 167 BC — independently dated between 15 Nov 168 BC and 15 Jan 166 BC (Seleucid-era date; epoch of 1 Maccabees' reckoning disputed)[1, 2, 4]Assumption: Covers Chislev under both Seleucid-era epochs (mid-Nov 168 – mid-Jan 166 BC). Montgomery: "profanation Chislev 145 = 168". The window deliberately spans both Seleucid-era epochs, as for the rededication.

View on the timeline →

What else was happening? (model-independent)

  • Daniel's refusal of the king's food and the ten-day test (Dan 1:8–16): 606 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's golden image on the plain of Dura (Dan 3:1–7): 603 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's decree honouring the God of the three Judeans (Dan 3:28–30): 603 BC – ?
  • The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace (Dan 3:8–27): 603 BC – ?
  • The thirty-day decree and Daniel in the lions' den (Dan 6:4–23): 539 BC – ?
  • Darius appoints 120 satraps and three chief officials (Dan 6:1–3, 28): 539 BC – ?
  • The accusers punished; Darius's decree honouring the God of Daniel (Dan 6:24–27): 539 BC – ?
  • Popillius Laenas orders Antiochus IV out of Egypt at Eleusis (168 BC): 168 BC
  • Gedaliah governs from Mizpah and is assassinated (2 Kgs 25:22–26): 589 BC – ?
  • Accusations to Ahasuerus and the Rehum–Shimshai letter to Artaxerxes; the city's rebuilding stopped (Ezra 4:6–23): 537 BC – ?
  • Jerusalem guarded under Hanani and Hananiah; the registry of the first returnees found (Neh 7:1–5): 446 BC – ?
  • Jerusalem repopulated: one in ten by lot (Neh 11): 446 BC – ?
  • The priestly and Levitical registers to the days of Jaddua (Neh 12:1–26): 446 BC – ?
  • The first "burden" of Zechariah 9–11 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
  • The second "burden" of Zechariah 12–14 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
  • The institution of Purim; Mordecai second to the king (Esth 9:20–10:3): 474 BC – ?
  • Antiochus IV Epiphanes (reign): 175 BC – 164 BC

Claims, evidence and classifications

Each claim is classified on its own. A classification describes the evidence for that specific claim, not for the event as a whole.

On 15 Chislev 145 SE an "abomination of desolation" was set up on the Temple altar and the regular offerings ceased.

Strongly supportedMachine-proposedExternal evidence

1 Maccabees and Josephus agree on the year and act (Josephus partly depends on 1 Maccabees).

Supporting

  • 15 Chislev 145: an abomination of desolation built on the altar; sacrifice on the idol altar from the 25th.[1]Strength: direct·1 Macc 1:54–59·Claim checked
  • Desolation in 145 SE, 153rd Olympiad; "according to the prophecy of Daniel".[2]Strength: direct·Ant. 12.5.4; 12.7.6·Claim checked
  • The sanctuary in Jerusalem was polluted and called by the name of Olympian Zeus.[5]Strength: direct·2 Macc 6:2·Claim checked

Limitations of this classification: Josephus partly dependent on 1 Maccabees.

Research date 2026-10-13

The desecration took place in December 167 BC (rather than 168 BC).

DisputedOwner review pendingHistorical reconstructionIn owner review queue

Same Seleucid-era epoch question as the rededication; the synchronism window spans both years.

Supporting

  • 153rd Olympiad (168–164 BC) — consistent with either year (operator note).[2]Strength: indirect·Ant. 12.5.4·Claim checked

Challenging

  • Profanation Chislev 145 = 168.[4]Strength: indirect·on 8:14 and 12:11·Claim checked

Context

  • The era was reckoned in a Babylonian (spring, Nisannu) and a Macedonian (autumn) calendar; year 1 SE = 312/311 BCE. Does not say which 1 Maccabees uses.[6]Strength: indirect·Seleucid Era·Claim checked

Research date 2026-10-13

Evidence by type

The same evidence regrouped by kind of source. Each item names the claims it bears on.

Archaeological evidence

None recorded for this event.

Scientific findings

None recorded for this event.

Ancient documents

Modern news and announcements

None recorded for this event.

Reference works and summaries

Historical disputes and competing reconstructions

Disputed claims: The desecration took place in December 167 BC (rather than 168 BC).

  • December 168 BC

    J. A. Montgomery (1927); S. R. Driver (Macedonian epoch)

    Seleucid era from autumn 312.[3, 4]

  • December 167 BC

    Spring-311 epoch (operator conversion; many modern works, not verified directly)

    Seleucid era from spring 311.[1]

Related passages and events

FromRelationshipToBasis
this eventFollowed byhigh · External evidenceRededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabaeus (25 Chislev 148 SE, 165/164 BC)Three years and ten days later the altar was rededicated (1 Macc 4:52–54).[1]
this eventThematic parallelhigh · Biblical textMatthew 24:15Jesus cites Daniel's "abomination of desolation" for a coming desolation.
this eventThematic parallelmedium · Biblical textMark 13:14Mark's parallel to Matt 24:15: "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet".

Prophetic relationships

No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.

Synchronisms with external chronology

  • Desecration: 15 Chislev 145 SE (1 Macc 1:54) = Dec 168 or Dec 167 BC

    Documentary correlation · direct · evidence strength: moderate · independent date: 168 BC – 167 BC (Seleucid-era date; epoch of 1 Maccabees' reckoning disputed)

    Chislev 145 SE is December 168 BC on the Macedonian (autumn 312) epoch used by Driver and Montgomery, or December 167 BC on a spring-311 epoch.[1, 2, 4]

    Assumptions: The window deliberately spans both Seleucid-era epochs, as for the rededication.

Unanswered questions and research gaps

  • No accessible study states which Seleucid-era epoch 1 Maccabees uses; the question remains open (Iranica read; specialist literature not accessible).

Research process

2 logged searches
DateQueryWhereUseful
2026-10-13WEB 1 Maccabees 1 (local USFM)local text1
2026-10-13Josephus Ant. 12 (local text)local text1

Sources

  1. 1.
    World English Bible. World English Bible — Apocrypha/Deuterocanon (1 Maccabees; 2 Esdras). eBible.org (eng-web USFM). ebible.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textWEB footnotes giving "circa B.C." dates are editorial and were not used as chronological evidence.Verification log
  2. 2.
    Josephus, Whiston, William (trans.). Josephus, Antiquities 12.7.6–7 (trans. W. Whiston). Project Gutenberg #2848. www.gutenberg.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log
  3. 3.
    Driver, S. R.. The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges). Cambridge University Press. archive.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryRead through the Internet Archive OCR text (Google scan).Verification log
  4. 4.
    Montgomery, James A.. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel (ICC). T. & T. Clark. archive.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryRead through the Internet Archive OCR text (University of Toronto copy).Verification log
  5. 5.
    World English Bible contributors. World English Bible — Apocrypha/Deuterocanon (2 Maccabees 3, 6, 7, 9–11). eBible.org (eng-web USFM). ebible.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log
  6. 6.
    Strootman, Rolf. Seleucid Era — Encyclopaedia Iranica. Encyclopaedia Iranica (online), 2015. www.iranicaonline.orgClaim checkedHistorical referencePublished 25 Mar 2015; does not say which calendar 1 or 2 Maccabees uses.Verification log
  7. 7.
    Jerome, Archer, Gleason L. (trans.). Jerome, Commentary on Daniel (trans. Gleason L. Archer, 1958) — chapter 11. tertullian.org (transcribed by Roger Pearse). www.tertullian.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log