an insurrection against him at a festival. For at those feasts seditions are generally begun; and it looked as if he should not be able to escape the plot they had laid for him; bad not his foreign auxiliaries, the Pisidians and Cilicians, assisted him. For as to the Syrians, he never admitted them among his mercenary troops; on account of their innate enmity against the Jewish nation. And when he had slain more than six thousand of the rebels, he made an incursion into Arabia. And when he had taken that country, together with the Gileadites and Moabites, he enjoined them to pay him tribute, and returned to Amathus; and as Theodorus was surprised at his great success, he took the fortress, and demolished it. However, when he fought with Obodas, king of the Arabians, who had laid an ambush for him near Golan, and a plot against him, he lost his entire army, which was crowded together in a deep valley, and broken to pieces by the multitude of camels. And when he had made his escape to Jerusalem, he provoked the multitude, which hated him before, to make an insurrection against him: and this on account of the greatness of the calamity that he was under. However, he was then too hard for them: and in the several battles that were fought on both sides, he slew not fewer than fifty thousand of the Jews, in the interval of six years. Yet had he no reason to rejoice in these victories; since he did but consume his own kingdom: till at length he left off fighting, and endeavored to come to a composition, by talking with his subjects. But this mutability and irregularity of his conduct made them hate him still more. And when he asked them, why they so hated him, and what he should do in order to appease them? they told him to kill himself; for that it would be then all they could do to be reconciled to him, who had done such tragical things to them, even when he was dead. At the same time they invited Demetrius, who was called Eucerus, to assist them. And as he readily complied with their request, in hopes of great advantages, and came with his army, the Jews joined with those auxiliaries about Shechem. Alexander met both these forces with one thousand horsemen, and eight thousand mercenaries, that were on foot. He had also with 7 him that part of the Jews which favored him, to the number of ten thousand. While the adverse party had three thousand horsemen, and fourteen thousand footmen. Now before they joined battle, the kings made proclamation, and endeavored to draw off each other's soldiers, and make them revolt. While Demetrius hoped to induce Alexander's mercenaries to leave him and Alexander hoped to induce the Jews that were with Demetrius to leave him. But since neither the Jews would leave off their rage, nor the Greeks prove unfaithful, they came to an engagement; in which Demetrius was the conqueror: although Alexander's mercenaries performed the greatest exploits, both in soul and body. Yet did the result of this battle prove different from what was expected, as to both of them. For those that invited Demetrius to come to them did not continue firm to him, though he were conqueror: and six thousand Jews, out of pity at the change of Alexander's condition, when he was fled to the mountains, came over to him. Demetrius could not bear this turn of affairs; but supposing that Alexander was already become a match for him again, and that all the nation would at length run in to him, he left the country. However, the rest of the Jewish multitude did not lay aside their quarrels with Alexander when the foreign auxiliaries were gone; but they had a perpetual war with him, until he had slain the greatest part of them, and driven the rest into the city Bemeselis: and when he had demolished that city, he carried the captives to Jerusalem. Nay, his rage was grown so extravagant, that his barbarity proceeded to the degree of impiety. For when he had ordered eight hundred to be hung upon crosses in the midst of the city, he had the throats of their wives and children cut before their eyes: and those executions he saw, as he was drinking, and lying down with his concubines. Upon which, so deep a surprise siezed on the people, that eight thousand of his opposers fled away, the very next night, out of all Judea: whose flight was only terminated by Alexander's death. So at last, though not till late, and with great difficulty, he, by such actions, procured quiet to his kingdom, and left off fighting any more. C Yet did that Antiochus, who was also called || Valley of Antiochus, besides which he took Dionysius, become an origin of troubles again. the strong fortress of Gamala; and stripped This man was the brother of Demetrius, Demetrius, who was governor therein, of what and the last of the race of the Seleucidæ. he had, on account of the many crimes laid to Alexander was afraid of him, when he was his charge; and then returned into Judea, marching against the Arabians. So he cut a after he had been three whole years in this deep trench between Antipatris, which was expedition. And now he was kindly received near the mountains, and the shores of Joppa. of the nation; because of the good success be He also erected a high wall before the trench, had had. and built wooden towers, in order to hinder any sudden approaches. But still he was not able to exclude Antiochus: for he burnt the towers, and filled up the trenches, and marched on with his army. And as he looked upon taking his revenge on Alexander, for endeavoring to stop him, as a thing of less consequence, he marched directly against the Arabians; whose king retired into such parts of the country as were fittest for engaging the enemy and then on the sudden made his cavalry turn back: which were in number ten thousand; and fell upon Antiochus's army, while they were in disorder. A terrible battle now ensued: Antiochus's troops, so long as he was alive, fought it out, although a mighty slaughter was made among them by the Arabians but when he fell, (for he was in the fore-front, in the utmost danger, in rallying his troops,) they all gave ground and the greatest part of his army were destroyed, either in the action or in the flight. And the rest, who fled to the village of Cana, were all consumed by want of necessaries, a few only excepted. About this time the people of Damascus, out of their hatred to Ptolemy, the son of Menueus, invited Aretas to take the government; and made him king of Colesyria. This man also made an expedition against Judea, and beat Alexander in battle, but afterward retired by mutual agreement. But Alexander, when he had taken Pella, marched to Gerasa again, out of the covetous desire he had of Theodorus's possessions. And when he had built a triple wall about the garrison, he took the place by force. He also demolished Golan, and Seleucia, and what was called the So when he was at rest from war, he fell into a distemper: for he was afflicted with a quartan ague: and supposed that, by exercising himself again in martial affairs, he should get rid of his distemper. But by making such expeditions at unseasonable times, and forcing his body to undergo greater hardships than it was able to bear, he brought himself to his end. He died, therefore, in the midst of his troubles, after he had reigned seven-and-twenty years.† CHAP. V. OF THE REIGN OF ALEXANDRA, DURING WHICH THE PHA- to ALEXANDER left the kingdom to Alex- pey turned him out; as Dean Aldrich here notes, from And But when Alexandra sent out her army to Damascus, under pretence that Ptolemy was always oppressing that city, she got possession of it. Nor did it make any considerable resistance. She also prevailed with Tigranes, king of Armenia, who lay with his troops about Ptolemais, and besieged ‡ Cleopatra, by agreements and presents to go away. Accordingly, Tigranes soon arose from the siege, by reason of those domestic tumults which happened upon Lucullus's expedition into Armenia. And now the Pharisees joined themselves | to go unpunished; and were dispersed all over to her, to assist her in the government. the country. These are a certain sect of Jews, that appear more religious than others; and seem to interpret the laws more accurately. Now Alexandra hearkened to them to an extraordinary degree as being herself a woman of great piety towards God. But these Pharisees artfully insinuated themselves into her favor by little and little; and became themselves the real administrators of the public affairs; they banished and reduced whom they pleased; they bound and loosed men at their pleasure; and, to say all at once, they had the enjoyment of the royal authority; while the expenses and the difficulties of it belonged to Alexandra. She was a sagacious woman in the management of great affairs; and intent always upon gathering soldiers together; so that she increased the army one half; and procured a great body of foreign troops: till her own nation became not only very powerful at home, but terrible also to foreign potentates. While she governed other people, however, the Pharisees governed her. Accordingly they slew Diogenes, a person of figure, and one that had been a friend to Alexander; and accused him as having assisted the king with his advice, for crucifying|| the eight bundred men † before mentioned. They also prevailed with Alexandra to put to death the rest of those who had irritated him against them. Now she was so superstitious as to comply with their desires: and accordingly they slew whom they pleased: but the principal of those that were in danger fled to Aristobulus; who persuaded his mother to spare the men on account of their dignity; but to expel them out of the city, unless she took them to be innocent. So they were suffered In the mean time Alexandra fell sick and Aristobulus, her younger son, took hold of this opportunity, with his domestics, of which he had a great many, who were all of them his friends, on account of the warmth of their youth, and got possession of all the fortresses. He also used the sums of money he found in them to get together a number of mercenary soldiers, and made himself king. And besides this, upon Hyrcanus's complaint to his mother, she compassionated his case; and put Aristobulus's wife and sons under restraint in Antonia: which was a fortress that adjoined to the north part of the temple. It was, as I have § already said, formerly called the citadel but afterward got the name of Antonia, when Antony was lord of the East: just as the other cities Sebaste, and Agrippias, had their names changed, and these given them, from | Sebastus and Agrippa. But Alexandra died before she could punish Aristobulus, for disinheriting his brother, after she had reigned nine years.¶ *Here we have the oldest and most authentic Jewish supposes here that Strabo contradicts Josephus: which exposition of binding and loosing, for punishing or ab- does not appear to me. For although Josephus says both solving men, not for declaring actions lawful or unlaw-here, and in the Antiquities, XIII. 16, that Tigranes beful, as some more modern Jews and Christians vainly pretend. sieged her now in Ptolemais; and that he took the city: yet does he no where intimate that he now took the queen herself. So that both the narrations of Strabo and Jose + Chap. 4. Strabo, XVI. pag. 740, relates, that this Selene Cleo-phus may still be true notwithstanding. patra was besieged by Tigranes; not in Ptolemais, as here; but after she had left Syria, in Seleucia, a citadel in Mesopotamia: and adds, that when he had kept her. a while in prison, he put her to death. Dean Aldrich § Chap. 3. || Augustus. ¶ Antiq. XIII. 16. CHAP. VI. OF THE QUARREL WHICH ROSE BETWEEN HYRCANUS AND ARISTOBULUS, RESPECTING THE KINGDOM; THEIR SUBSEQUENT CONDUCT, AND THE ARBITRATION OF THEIR DISPUTE BY POMPEY. Now TOW Hyrcanus was heir to the kingdom; and to him did his mother commit it before she died. But Aristobulus was superior to him in power and magnanimity. And when there was a battle between them, near Jericho, to decide the dispute about the kingdom, the greatest part deserted Hyrcanus, and went over to Aristobulus. But Hyrcanus, with those of his party who staid with him, fled to Antonia; and got into his power the hostages that might be for his preservation: which were Aristobulus's wife, with her children. But they came to an agreement, before things should come to extremities, that Aristobulus should be king, and Hyrcanus should resign that, but retain all the rest of his dignities, as being the king's brother. Hereupon they were reconciled in the temple; and embraced one another in a very kind manner: while the people stood round about them. They also changed their houses; while Aristobulus went to the royal palace; and Hyrcanus retired to the house of Aristobulus. Now those other people which were at variance with Aristobulus were afraid, upon his unexpected obtaining the government: and especially Antipater, whom Aristobulus hated of old. He was by birth an Idumean; and one of the principal of that nation, on account of his ancestors, and riches, and other authority to him belonging. He also persuaded Hyrcanus to fly to Aretas, the king of Arabia; and to lay claim to the kingdom: and persuaded Aretas to receive Hyrcanus, and to reinstate him in his authority. He also cast great reproaches upon Aristobulus, as to his morals; and gave great commendations to Hyrcanus and exhorted Aretas to receive him, and told him how becoming a thing it would be for him, who ruled so great a kingdom, to afford his assistance to such as were injured alleging that Hyrcanus was treated That this Antipater, the father of Herod the Great, unjustly, by being deprived of that dominion. which belonged to him by the prerogative of his birth. And when he had predisposed them both to do what he would have them, he took Hyrcanus by night, and ran away from the city; and continuing his flight with great swiftness, he escaped to the place called Petra; which is the royal seat of the king of Arabia: where he put Hyrcanus into Aretas's hand : and by discoursing much with him, and gaining upon him with many presents, he prevailed with him to give him an army, that might restore him to his kingdom. This army consisted of fifty thousand footmen and horsemen : against which Aristobulus was not able to make any resistance: but was deserted on his first onset, and was driven to Jerusalem. He also had been taken at first by force, if Scaurus, the Roman general, had not come, and seasonably interposed, and raised the siege. This Scaurus was sent into Syria, from Armenia, by Pompey the Great, when he fought against Tigranes. So Scaurus came to Damascus, which had been lately taken by Metellus and Lollius; and caused them to leave the place. And upon his hearing how the affairs of Judea stood, he hastened thither, as to a certain booty. As soon, therefore, as he was come into the country, there came ambassadors from both the brothers, each of them desiring his assistance. But Aristobulus's three hundred talents had more weight with him than the justice of the cause Which sum when Scaurus had received, he sent a herald to Hyrcanus, and the Arabians; and threatened them with the resentment of the Romans, and of Pompey, unless they would raise the siege. So Aretas was terrified, and retired out of Judea to Philadelphia; and Scaurus returned to Damascus. Nor was Aristobulus satisfied with escaping out of his brother's hands, but gathered all his forces together, and pursued his enemies, and fought them, at a place called Papyron; and slew above six thousand of them; and, together with them, Antipater's brother, Phalion. When Hyrcanus and Antipater were thus deprived of their hopes from the Arabians, they transferred the same to their adversaries. was an Idumean, as Josephus affirms here, see the note on Antiq. XIV. 15. And vernment, he returned to the fortress. And when his brother invited him again to plead his cause, he came down, and spake about the justice of it, and then went away, without any hindrance from Pompey. So he was between hope and fear. And when he came down, it was to prevail with Pompey to allow him the government entirely: and when he went up to the citadel it was that he might not appear to debase himself too low. However, Pompey commanded him to give up his fortified places, and forced him to write to every one of their governors to yield them up; they having had this charge given them, to obey no letters but what were of his own hand-writing. And because Pompey had passed through Syria, and was come to Damascus, they fled to him for assistance. And, † without any bribes, they made the same equitable pleas that they had used to Aretas; and besought him to hate the violent behaviour of Aristobulus; and to bestow the kingdom on him to whom it justly belonged; both on account of his good character, and his superiority in age. However, neither was Aristobulus wanting to himself in this case: as relying on the bribes that Scaurus had received. He was also there, and adorned himself after a manner the most agreeable to royalty that he was able. But he soon thought it beneath him to come in such a servile manner; and could not en-Accordingly he did what he was ordered, but dure to serve his own ends in a way so much more abject than he was used to: so he departed from Diospolis. had still an indignation at what was done, and retired to Jerusalem, and prepared for battle. At this his behaviour Pompey had great in- Pompey, however, did not give him time to dignation. Hyrcanus also and his friends make any preparations for a siege; but folmade great intercession to Pompey. So hellowed him at his heels. He was also obliged took not only his Roman forces, but many of to make haste in his attempt, by the death of his Syrian auxiliaries, and marched against Mithridates: of which he was informed about Aristobulus. But when he had passed by Pella, Jericho. Now here is the most fruitful counand Scythopolis, and was come to Corea; try of Judea, which bears a vast number of § where you enter into the country of Judea, palm trees; besides the balsam tree: whose when you go up to it through the Mediterra-sprouts they cut with sharp stones, and at the nan parts; he heard that Aristobulus was fled to Alexandrium; which is a strong hold, fortified with the utmost magnificence; and situate upon a high mountain: and he sent to him, and commanded him to come down. Now his inclination was to try his fortune in a battle, since he was called in such an imperious manner, rather than to comply with that call. However, he saw the multitude were in great fear; and his friends exhorted him to consider that the power of the Romans was irresistible. So he complied with their advice, and came down to Pompey and when he had made a long apology for himself, and for the justness of his cause in taking the go Here Dean Aldrich refers us to the many writers of the affairs of Pompey, concerning this expedition into Syria, It is somewhat probable, as Havercamp supposes, and partly Spanheim also, that the Latin copy is here the truest: that Pompey did take the many presents offered him by Hyrcanus: as he would have done the others, from Aristobulus. Although his remarkable abstinence from the 2000 talents that were in the Jewish temple, incisions they gather the juice, which drops down like tears. So Pompey pitched his camp in that place one night, and then hastened away the next morning to Jerusalem. But Aristobulus was so affrighted at his approach, that he came and met him, by way of supplication. He also promised him money; and that he would deliver up both himself and the city into his disposal; and thereby mitigated the anger of Pompey. Yet did not he perform any of the conditions he had agreed to: for Aristobulus's party would not so much as admit Gabinius into the city, who was sent to receive the money that he had promised. when he took it a little afterward, chap. 7. and Antiq. XIV. 4. will hardly permit us to desert the Greek copies: all which agree that he did not take them. Or to the city Dios. See Antiq. XIV. 3. § Of the famous palm trees and balsam about Jericho and Engaddi, see the notes in Havercamp's edition, both here, and II. 9. They are somewhat too long to be transcribed in this place. |