Decree by King Antiochus IV Epiphanes [Present-day Turkey / Seleucid Empire / Asia Minor] [Unconfirmed]
Commentary from other sources:
1) “According to II Macc. 6:1, Antiochus sent a special emissary to Judaea to carry out the decree ‘in order to force the Jews to transgress the laws of their fathers and not to live according to God’s commandments.’…The persecution not only involved a complete abomination of the Temple and the altar, but copies of Torah were burned, and Sabbath keeping and circumcision were forbidden. The religious persecutions of Antiochus IV in 167 BC can be attributed to many factors…The conservative religious community of Jerusalem posed too great a threat to his hand on Jerusalem and he resorted to measures he felt would put an end to this threat…he would try to eliminate their faith.”
Dr. J. Paul Tanner: “The rise of Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his Assault Against Judaea.” Online Paper at paultanner.org (June 11, 2001) pp. 12 & 14
2) “He also compelled them to forsake the worship which they paid their own God, and to adore those whom he took to be gods; and made them build temples, and raise idol altars, in every city and village, and offer swine upon them every day. He also commanded them not to circumcise their sons…”
Josephus: Antiquitates Judaicae, 12.5.4