CALLISTHENES ( 2Ma 8:33 ). A Syrian, captured by the Jews in a small house, where he had taken refuge after the great victory over Nicanor and Gorgias, in b.c. 165 (cf. 1Ma 4:1-34 ). At a festival in celebration of the victory, the Jews burnt Callisthenes to death, because he had set fire to the portals of the Temple (cf. 1Ma 4:38 ).