[1] In the earliest stages of the Maccabean Revolt, Judas had a small band of guerrilla combat units in the hills of northern Judea and southern Samaria.

The precise details of the battle are not known either, but 2 Maccabees writes that the rebels fought using guerrilla warfare in the early stage of the revolt, by "coming unexpectedly" on their foes and at night.

Then they seized their spoils; and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and used it in battle for the rest of his life.2 Maccabees does not comment on the battle specifically, but describes in general terms the conduct of the early phase of the revolt: "Coming without warning, he [Judas] would set fire to towns and villages.

"[4] It is possible that the original five-volume work written by Jason of Cyrene covered the battle, but was compressed into the above sentence by the epitomist who abridged 2 Maccabees.

[2] The historian Josephus mentions the battle briefly in Jewish Antiquities Book 12, Chapter 7, but seems to largely paraphrase the 1 Maccabees version.

Mattathias's death is recorded as happening in the 146th year of the Seleucid era (SE) of the count used in Babylon & Judea, the equivalent to between Spring 166 BC to Spring 165 BC of the Gregorian calendar, so if the battle happened after Mattathias's death, then 166 BCE is a likely date.

The ascent there is steep and winding, with multiple places difficult to scout and thus useful for a raiding force to hide and prepare for an ambush from.

According to Josephus, the Samaritans were exempted from the anti-Jewish decree after they petitioned Antiochus IV, so the harsh measures seem to have been confined to Judea.