What does Daniel 8:11 mean?

Among the more traumatic events in Israel's history was their treatment under Antiochus IV Epiphanes, in the 2nd century BC. Antiochus's power increased so much so that he pitted himself against Israel's Prince: Yahweh Himself. Antiochus forcibly stopped Jews from making burnt offerings, drink offerings, and sacrifices in the temple. He hated the people of Israel and despised their religion.

According to I Maccabees 1:44–49, Antiochus wrote to the residents of Jerusalem, commanding them to follow foreign customs and to discontinue sacrifices and offerings in the temple. He ordered the Jews to build altars and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals. He ordered them to forget the law of Moses. Failure to obey Antiochus's orders carried the death penalty. In pure spite, he erected a pagan altar in the temple with a statue of Zeus. He poured the unclean blood of a pig on the furnishings in the temple. It was reported that Antiochus desecrated the temple so severely that it was hardly suitable for use.

This tragedy is predicted in Daniel's vision (Daniel 8:1–2), which depicts a godless tyrant rising from the four successors to Alexander the Great (Daniel 8:8–10; 23–26). This period of persecution is further explained in later verses (Daniel 8:12–14, 23–25).