The Battle of Ma'aleh Levona was the first hand-to-hand combat battle fought between the Maccabees and the Seleucid Empire in 167 BCE. The Jewish forces were led by Judah Maccabee and the Seleucid army force was under the command of Apollonius, described by Josephus as "the general of the Samaritan forces". After the Maccabean Revolt started, Judah relocated his guerrilla combat units at the northern part of Samaria. Apollonius was sent with the local Samarian armies to link up with Seleucid forces from Jerusalem.