Megillat Antiochus

Louis Ginzberg called it a "spurious work" based on "unhistorical sources," with the exception of its citations taken from passages from First Book of the Maccabees.

[4] It is unknown who composed it or why, although some authorities have suggested it was written to promote observance of Hanukkah in Lower Mesopotamia ("Babylonia") at a time when Karaite Judaism was rising.

Likely due to Saadia Gaon's influence, the Megillat Antiochus found widespread use by Jewish communities across Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Yemen and Persia.

[2] Many manuscripts and early printed editions of the Bible include this text indicating it was regarded almost as canonical by some Jewish communities, who had to be warned not to say a blessing before its reading on Chanukah.

[4] The scroll begins with a description of the greatness and power of Antiochus, who was mighty and victorious, and built Antioch, a city on the seacoast (a misunderstanding of Genesis Rabbah 23:1[a]).

Antiochus now sent his general Bagras (a distorted form of the name Bacchides), who at first killed Jews for observing their religious precepts.

There are marked differences between the events described in the Megillat Antiochus and other contemporary records, including the Books of Maccabees and the writings of Josephus.

The Jewish Encyclopedia commented in its entry: "That Antioch is mentioned as a coast city; that John, with the surname "Maccabee," is called a high priest; and that the reign of Antiochus is said to have lasted twenty-three years, all go to prove that the Megillah is a spurious work of fairly recent times.

[18] The Hebrew text with an English translation can be found in the Ha-Siddur Ha-Shalem of Philip Birnbaum, published in 1949 and still in widespread use in English-speaking Orthodox and Conservative synagogues.

[19] In 2013, sofer Marc Michaels published modern Hebrew tikkun suitable for public reading on Chanukah, with cantillation, English translation and critical commentary.