Jason of Cyrene

Jason of Cyrene (Greek: Ἰάσων κυρήναιος ) was a - probably Jewish - historian of the Hellenistic period, who lived around 100 BC. He wrote a history of the Maccabees and IV via their wars against Antiochus, Antiochus V and Demetrius I up to their victory over Nicanor in 161 BC

Jason's five books comprehensive work is lost, but was the second book of the Maccabees as a basis, which is thus recognized as Epitome. Jason himself and his work there are only mentioned in the preface, but are otherwise unknown, which led to discussions about the historicity of Jason.

Has been to what extent and under what interventions or transformations on Jason's work for the 2nd Maccabees resorted will not open up.

Swell

• Felix Jacoby: The fragments of the Greek historians. Part 2 B. Weidmann, Berlin 1929, pp. 910 182 fragment