Lacedaemonians
Peopleâš¡ IN BRIEF (SUMMARY)
The Lacedaemonians were the inhabitants of Sparta, who, according to the First Book of Maccabees, claimed kinship with the Jews through common descent from Abraham and established a formal alliance with the Judean state.
What is the meaning of Lacedaemonians in the Bible?
The Lacedaemonians were the inhabitants of Sparta, who, according to the First Book of Maccabees, claimed kinship with the Jews through common descent from Abraham and established a formal alliance with the Judean state.
SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing the Lacedaemonians as Spartans illuminates the diplomatic efforts of the Hasmonean dynasty to secure alliances with distant Greek powers, highlighting the political isolation of Judea and its strategic outreach beyond the immediate Hellenistic sphere during the second century BCE.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
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Source Attribution & Provenance
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been editorially modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and formatted for fast contextual reference.