Jason of Cyrene

Jason of Cyrene was a Jewish historian of the Hellenistic period, active during the 2nd century BCE. His notable contribution to the field of history was a comprehensive five-volume work that chronicled the Maccabean Revolt and the events leading up to it. Although his original work has been lost over time, its contents were preserved through an abridgment by another author.

The abridged version of Jason's history was compiled by an unknown Egyptian Jew and is now known as 2 Maccabees. This book was later incorporated into the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures. 2 Maccabees eventually gained recognition as a deuterocanonical book and is included in the biblical canon of Catholic and Orthodox Christian traditions. Through this indirect preservation, Jason of Cyrene's historical account continues to be studied and valued for its insights into a significant period in Jewish history.