Thus Antiochus the king died there in the one hundred and forty-ninth year: There refers to Persia (see verse 5). The one hundred and forty-ninth year corresponds to 163 b.c. (see the comments on 1Macc 1.10).

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.