often drawn is that Daniel postdates, not only the canonization of the Prophets, but even the composition of Sirach, which appeared in Hebrew around 180 B.C. (d) The religious outlook of the author is said to fall within a range of Jewish theological opinions that had currency in the second century B.C. Certain scholars identify the writer as one of the Ḥasidim, or loyal observers of Torah (called “Hasideans” in 1 Mac 2:42 and 2 Mac 14:6), some of whom joined forces with the Maccabees in fighting