Just as the mistaken notions about the national origin and military ability of the phalangites were employed to explain the failures of the Seleucid troops, so the victories of Judas Maccabaeus were explained on the premise that the phalanx combat method was antiquated and rigid, and prevented satisfactory performance in terrain that was hard to traverse. In this chapter we shall examine the available information on the number and weight of the light infantry contingents in the Seleucid army, the tactical composition of the units that operated in Judaea, as well as the ability to operate in mountainous areas of the light warriors separately and the army as a whole, including the phalanx troops.

The Seleucid army had no lack of units fit and well trained to fight in mountainous terrain. The various surveys of Seleucid manpower list soldiers from mountainous countries in the Aegean area, Asia Minor and the eastern satrapies making up the light and semi-heavy forces. These contingents comprised about half the total infantry, and sometimes even more. They were assuredly not inferior to Judas Maccabaeus’ men in fitness for mountain combat. Among the units mentioned as operating in Judaea at the time of the crisis the only nationals specifically noted in the Books of the Maccabees are the Cypriots, Mysians and Thracians.