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after, revenged this unprovoked assault, by falling upon these Arabs, while they were walking in the marriage procession of one of their princesses.*

Jonathan, that he might the more effectually secure himself against the forces of the enemy, now withdrew into the marshes which were formed by the overflowing of the Jordan, where access to him was very difficult. But Bacchides, on the sabbath, made an attack on the pass which led to his camp, and carried it by storm. The Jews defended themselves with great bravery, but being overpowered by numbers, they leaped into the Jordan and swam to the other side, whither their enemies did not venture to follow them. Bacchides then returned and repaired the fortifications of the castle on mount Zion, in which he placed the sons of the principal Jewish families, to be kept as hostages. He also fortified several other cities, and provided them with garrisons, to hold the country in subjection.†

Alcimus was now established in the priesthood; but in the year 159 B. c., when he directed that the, or the lower wall which separated the court of the Gentiles from the court of the Israelites, should be thrown down, that the heathen might have free access to the temple, he was seized with the cramp, and died in great agony. Bacchides, having nothing to detain him in Judea after the death of the man on whose account his expedition was undertaken, now left the country, and the Jews had two years of rest.‡

It was probably about this time that Demetrius received the letter from the Roman senate commanding him to observe the Jews as the allies of the Romans; and this will explain the reason why he undertook nothing further against Judea; for he was then making every effort to gain the favour of the Romans, that he might be confirmed by them in the possession of his throne. For this purpose he sent Menochares as his ambassador to the court of Ariarathes, king of Cappadocia, to solicit the mediation of the three Roman ambassadors who were there at that time. But as they refused to listen to his representations, he followed them by a second embassy to Pamphylia, and again, by a third, to Rhodes; he promised every thing they could demand, and persevered in the most humiliating and earnest entreaties, till at last he induced them to espouse his cause, and, through their intervention, the Romans acknowledged him as king of Syria. As a testimonial of his gratitude, he sent to Rome, in the year 159 B. C., another crown, valued at ten thousand pieces of gold, and again delivered up to them Leptines, the murderer of Octavius, and also Isocrates, who had defended the cause of the assassin; but they were again set free by the senate, for the same reasons as before.§

During the same year, Demetrius very unnecessarily involved himself in another affair, which occasioned him incredible trouble, and became in the end a principal cause of his own ruin. He

1 Macc. ix. 35-42. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 1. 2, 4. + 1 Macc. ix. 43-53. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 1. 3.

1 Macc. ix. 54-57. Compare Jahn's Biblical Archæology, translated by Prof. Upham, s. 199, v.

Polybius, Legat. s. 122. Appian, Syriac. xlvii. 10-15. Diodor. Sic. xxxi. 29.

deposed Ariarathes, the lawful king of Cappadocia, and placed on the throne Holophernes, or Orophernes, a pretended older brother of Ariarathes. In the year 157 B.C. the dethroned 12onarch laid his complaints before the Roman senate, and though the ambassadors of Demetrius and Holophernes exerted themselves to the utmost to defend a bad cause, these kings were compelled to admit Ariarathes to a participation in the throne of Cappadocia. Holophernes, by his voluptuousness and gluttony, soon made himself contemptible to his subjects, and was expelled from his kingdom by Ariarathes with the assistance of Attalus, the successor of Eumenes in the throne of Pergamus. He fled to Demetrius, and maintained himself at the Syrian court by the immense sums of money which he had deposited at Priene in Ionia. He afterwards attached himself to the party opposed to Demetrius, and made himself a dangerous enemy to his greatest benefactor.*

Meanwhile the apostate Jews grew uneasy at the peace which their nation enjoyed, and, in 158 B. C., they invited Bacchides to aid them in their malicious projects, by attacking Jonathan and his party. Bacchides, accordingly, advanced to Judea with his army; but Jonathan, having discovered the design of the malecontents to seize his person, put to death fifty of the principal conspirators, and thus deterred the rest from the execution of their purpose. But as his forces were not sufficient to oppose the invading army of Bacchides, he retired into the wilderness to Bethbasi, which was conveniently situated for a place of defence, though its fortifications had fallen to decay. He repaired the dilapidated fortress so thoroughly that Bacchides, whose army had been increased by levies in Judea, was unable to subdue it; especially, as Simon, the commander of the garrison, made frequent and successful sallies on the besiegers, and Jonathan, in his excursions, gave constant annoyance to their foraging parties. Bacchides broke up the siege, and, in his rage, put to death the apostate Jews who had induced him to undertake this ruinous campaign. Jonathan despatched after him a deputation with proposals of peace, and Bacchides acceded to the terms which were offered. The treaty was concluded and sworn to by both parties, and all who had been taken prisoners in the war were released.†

In the year 156 B. C. the quarrel between the kings of Egypt broke out anew. The gluttonous and cruel Ptolemy Physcon was attacked by a party of conspirators in Cyrene, severely wounded and left for dead; but he recovered, and as soon as his wounds were healed hastened to Rome, and complained before the senate of his brother Philometor as having been at the bottom of the conspiracy. The senate gave credit to his accusations, without regarding the defence which Philometor made by his ambassador, and sent five ambassadors to establish Physcon in the island of Cyprus, with the help of the neighbouring allies. In the year 155 B. C. Ptolemy Physcon landed on the island with the army he had

Polybius, Legat. s. 128. Appian, Syriac. xlvii. 15-20. Livy, Epitome of book xlvii. Polybius, iii. 5. and in Excerpt. Valesii de Virtutibus et Vitiis, xxxi. p. 171.

+1 Macc. ix. 58-73. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 1. 5, 6.

collected, but was defeated and taken prisoner. to gain him over to his party, offered to make Ptolemy Philometor, so far from revenging him-him commander-in-chief over Judea, with full self on his brother treated him with great respect, and sent him back to Cyrene, which he enlarged by adding to it some of his own territory; and, by this generous act, put the Roman senate to shame. But Philometor, soon after, came near losing Cyprus; for Archias, the governor of the island, had bargained to deliver it up to Demetrius, king of Syria, for five hundred talents of silver. The plot, however, was seasonably discovered, and the detected traitor hung himself.*

power to levy soldiers, and promised to release the Jewish hostages who were retained in the citadel of Jerusalem. Jonathan read the letter of Demetrius to the garrison of the citadel, and they immediately delivered up the hostages. The Syrian garrisons which Bacchides had left in the fortified towns of Judea then withdrew from the country, with the exception of the garrisons of Bethsura and of the castle of Jerusalem, which, consisting principally of apostate Jews, were afraid to leave their places of refuge. By these revolutions the power of Jonathan was greatly increased, he levied soldiers and provided them with arms, he repaired the dwellings of Jerusalem and rebuilt its walls. The city was once more strongly fortified, and Jonathan built there a house for his own residence.*

Alexander Balas now attempted to excel De

XCIX. ALEXANDER BALAS, 154-146 B. C. About the year 154 B. c. Demetrius Soter retired to the new palace which he had built near Antioch, and there gave himself up entirely to luxury and pleasure. As those who had business to transact could seldom get access to the indo-metrius in the liberality of his offers. In the lent king, discontents were excited that finally gave rise to a conspiracy in which his guest Holophernes joined. Holophernes was detected and imprisoned, but Demetrius spared his life, for he intended when an opportunity should occur to employ him against Ariarathes.†

Notwithstanding this check the conspiracy gained strength and was fostered by Ariarathes, king of Cappadocia, Attalus, king of Pergamus, and especially, by Ptolemy Philometor, king of Egypt, from whom Demetrius had taken the island of Cyprus. They availed themselves of

the services of Heraclides, whom Demetrius ex

pelled from Babylonia with Timarchus. Since

very commencement of the letter which he wrote to Jonathan he called him his brother, gave him the title and rank of a friend of the king,

appointed him to the high priesthood, and sent him a golden crown and purple robe. Jonathan accepted all that was offered him, without openly the high priest of the Jews. Thus this office joining the party of either king, and he became and from the family of Jozadak, in which it was transferred from the first class of priests, the family of the Hasmoneans or Asamoneans, had remained ever since the time of Cyrus, to Jehoiarib, in which it continued till the days of of the twenty-fourth class, denominated from

Herod.t

When Demetrius heard of the offers of Balas, he wrote again to Jonathan, and endeavoured, if possible, to outdo Balas in the generosity of his promises. The letter of Demetrius is preserved 1 Macc. x. 21-47, and in Josephus, Antiquities, xiii. 2, 3. The following is a translation of it by Whiston :

66

that time he had lived at Rhodes, and now, at the instigation of the three kings, the abettors of the plot against Demetrius, he persuaded a young man of low birth, named Balas, to give himself out for a son of Antiochus Epiphanes and lay claim to the Syrian throne. As soon as Balas had been sufficiently instructed in the part he was to act, in the year 153 B. C., Ptolemy, Ariarathes, and Attalus, publicly acknowledged him King Demetrius to Jonathan, and to the as the son of Antiochus Epiphanes. Heraclides nation of the Jews, sendeth greeting:-Since then conducted him to Rome, together with Laodice, a genuine daughter of Antiochus, and you have preserved your friendship for us, and when you have been tempted by our enemies, presented them to the senate. The senators soon discovered the imposture, but out of hatred you have not joined yourselves to them, I both to Demetrius they promised Balas the kingdom commend you for this your fidelity, and exhort of Syria. He then, under the title of Alexander, you to continue in the same disposition, for which you shall be repaid and receive rewards from us; king of Syria, proceeded to levy troops, and sailed to Ptolemais, where his party was strength-tributes and taxes which you formerly paid to for I will free you from the greatest part of the ened by the accession of great numbers of the malecontents.

Demetrius, at length aroused from his lethargy, left his palace and collected a numerous army, but Balas was ready to meet him with nearly an equal force. In these circumstances both kings

were anxious to secure the friendship of Jonathan, who was able to render essential service to the cause he espoused. Demetrius, in order

* Diodor. Sic. Fragm. xxxi. 27. Polybius, Legat. s. 132. Polybius in Excerpt. Valesii de Virtutibus et Vitiis, xxxi. p. 170.

+ Diodor. Sic. Fragm. xxxii. 6. Athenæus, x. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 2. 1. Justin, xxxv. 1.

Justin, xxxv. 1. Athenæus, v. Livy, Epitome of book lii. Polybius, Legat. s. 140. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 2.1. 1 Macc. x. 1.

the kings my predecessors, and to myself; and I
do now set you free from those tributes which
you have ever paid; and, besides, I forgive you
the tax upon salt, and the value of the crowns
third part of the fruits of the field, and the half
which you used to offer me; and instead of the
of the fruits of the trees, I relinquish my part of
them from this day; and as to the poll-money
which ought to be given me for every head
of the inhabitants of Judea, and of the three
toparchies that adjoin to Judea, Samaria, and
Galilee, and Perea, that I relinquish to you for
this time, and for all time to come. I will also
1 Macc. x. 2--14. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 2. 1.
+Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 2. 2. 1 Macc. x. 15-21.

1 Chron. ix. 10.

In

that the city of Jerusalem be holy and inviolable, and free from the tithe, and from the taxes, to its utmost bounds. And I so far recede from my title to the citadel as to permit Jonathan, your high priest, to possess it, that he may place such a garrison in it as he approves of for fidelity and good will to himself, that they may keep it for us. I also make free all those Jews who have been made captives and slaves in my kingdom. I also give order that the beasts of the Jews be not pressed for our service; and let their sabbaths and all their festivals, and three days before each of them, be free from any imposition. the same manner I set free the Jews that are inhabitants in my kingdom, and order that no injury be done them. I also give leave to such of them as are willing to enlist themselves in my army that they may do it, and those as far as thirty thousand; which Jewish soldiers, wheresoever they go, shall have the same pay as my own army hath; and some of them I will place in my garrisons, and some as guards about mine own body, and as rulers over those that are in my court. I give them leave also to use the laws of their forefathers and to observe them, and I will that they have power over the three toparchies that are added to Judea; and it shall be in the power of the high priest to take care that no one Jew shall have any other temple for worship, but only that at Jerusalem. bequeath also, out of my own revenues, yearly, for the expenses about the sacrifices, one hundred and fifty thousand drachmæ, and what money is to spare I will that it shall be your own. I also release to you those ten thousand drachmæ which the kings received from the temple, because they appertain to the priests that minister in that temple. And whosoever shall fly to the temple at Jerusalem, and to the places thereto belonging, or who owe the king money, or are there on any other account, let them be set free, and let their goods be in safety. I also give you leave to repair and rebuild your temple, and that all be done at my expenses. I also allow you to build the walls of your city, and to erect high towers, and that they be erected at my charge. And if there be any fortified town that would be convenient for the Jewish country to have very strong let it be so built at my expenses."

These promises of Demetrius were so extravagant that they defeated their own object. The Jews gave them no credit, especially when they recollected the sufferings which Demetrius had formerly occasioned them; and, accordingly, Jonathan and the whole nation espoused the cause of Alexander Balas.*

In the year 152 B. c. Alexander Balas lost his first battle with Demetrius; but he was immediately reinforced by Ptolemy Philometor, Ariarathes, Attalus, Jonathan, and even by the discontented Syrians themselves; for many soldiers from the army of Demetrius deserted to him. Demetrius was so dispirited by this unexpected termination of his victory, that he sent his two sons, Demetrius and Antiochus, with the most valuable of his treasures, to Cnidus. that, in case of the worst, they might be spared to avenge his ruin.† ⚫ 1 Macc. x. 21-47. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 2. 3, 4. Justin, xxxv. 1, 2. Livy, Epitome of book lii.

Demetrius had at this time an opportunity to retaliate on the Romans the part they had acted in the imposture of Balas; for Andriscus, who pretended to be a son of Perseus, king of Macedonia, and was endeavouring to establish his claims to that kingdom, had taken refuge at his court. But Demetrius, either fearing the power of the Romans, or designing to put them to shame for their dishonesty to him, delivered up the pretender to the Roman senate. senate, despising this dangerous man, dismissed him; and by this imprudent measure, brought upon themselves a very expensive and bloody

war.

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In the year 150 B. C. a decisive battle was fought between Demetrius and Alexander Balas. At the beginning of the engagement, Demetrius had the advantage, but at last his army was entirely routed, and he himself, becoming entangled in a morass with his horse, was slain by the darts of his enemies.t

Alexander Balas now ascended the throne of Syria, and married Cleopatra, a daughter of Ptolemy Philometor, who was conducted by her father to Ptolemais, where the nuptials were celebrated with great magnificence. At Ptolemais, Jonathan paid his respects to both kings, and was received by them with such marked distinction, that all the complaints which his discontented countrymen sought to lay against him, were rejected without a hearing. Alexander honoured him with a purple robe, placed him among his principal friends, made him military commandant of Judea, and raised him to the rank of a meridarch (ɛpidáρênç) or ruler of a part of the empire.‡

As soon as Balas saw that his throne was secure, he resigned himself entirely to voluptuousness and debauchery, and left the administration of affairs to his favourite Ammonius. This minister made himself odious by his cruelties. To ensure the safety of his royal master, he murdered a son and a sister of Demetrius Soter, and all the other members of that family whom he could get into his power. Demetrius, the oldest son of Demetrius Soter, was then at Cnidus; and hearing that the Syrians were disaffected towards their new sovereign, in the year 148 B. C. he collected a small body of Cretans by the aid of Lasthenes, his host, and landed with them in Cilicia, according to the testimony of Josephus, where he received considerable accessions to his numbers, and made himself master of that whole district.§

Alexander Balas now intrusted the concerns of his government at Antioch to Hierax and Diodotus, or Trypho, and with his army took the field against Demetrius. Meanwhile Apollonius, the governor of Cœlosyria, joined the party of the pretender, and collecting his forces at Jamnia, challenged Jonathan, who remained faithful to Alexander Balas, to meet him in arms. Jonathan advanced with ten thousand men; took possession

• Livy, Epitome of books xlviii. xlix. 1. Eutropius, iv. 15. Florus, Epit. Rer. Rom ii. 14.

Justin, xxxv. 1. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 2. 4. 1 Macc. x. 43-50.

1 Josephus, Antiq xiii. 4. 1, 2. 1 Macc. x. 51–66. Livy, Epitome of book 1. Justin, xxxv. 2. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 4. 3. 1 Macc. x. 67-69.

C. DEMETRIUS NICATOR, 146-144 B. C.

of Joppa before the eyes of Apollonius, overcame | viously made, that such should be the fate of the this governor in a pitched battle, subdued Ashdod, losing party.* ("AZ@ros,) to which the enemy had retired after his defeat, and laid the city in ashes. Askelon ('AoкáAwv) opened her gates to the conqueror, and gave him a magnificent reception; and he then returned to Jerusalem, enriched by the spoils of his enemies. When Alexander Balas heard of these victories of Jonathan, he presented this faithful vassal with a golden chain, such as was worn by none but princes, and gave him possession of Ekron, ('Akkαρwv.) This city was peopled by Jews, or the original inhabitants had submitted to circumcision and adopted the Jewish religion, and had thus become one people with the Hebrews; as the Jebusites of Jerusalem had done in ancient times. In Zech. ix. 7, there is an allusion to this occurrence.'

During this period, Onias, the son of the high priest Onias III. who escaped to Egypt in the year 153 B. C., had acquired great favour with the king Ptolemy Philometor and the queen Cleopatra, by his skill in political and military affairs; and in the year 149 B. c. he was raised to the office of commander in chief of the Egyptian army. The next to him in command was Dositheus, who was also a Jew. During the reign of Ptolemy Philometor, these two Hebrews had the government of all Egypt in their own hands. Onias represented to the king and queen, that it would be productive of great advantage to their kingdom, if the numerous Jewish inhabitants of Egypt and Cyrene could have a temple of their own, which would supersede the necessity of their repairing to Jerusalem, in the dominions of a foreign monarch, to perform their religious services; and that if such a temple was built, many more Jews would be induced to settle in the country, as Judea was continually exposed to the evils of war. By such representations, he at last obtained permission to erect a temple for the Jews, on the site of an ancient temple of Bubastis or Isis, at the city of Leontopolis in the Heliopolitan nomos, over which he was governor. To the Jews he justified his undertaking by the passage in Isa. xix. 18, 19, and the temple was soon completed on the model

of that at Jerusalem. Onias himself was invested

with the high priesthood, the subordinate priests were furnished from the descendants of Aaron, Levites were employed in the sacred services, and the whole routine of religious worship was performed in the same manner as at Jerusalem. This continued for two hundred and twenty years, when the temple was shut up and finally demolished by the emperor Vespasian, on account

of the rebellions of the Jews.t

Josephus tells us that, at this time, there was a famous controversy in Egypt between the Jews and Samaritans; the former contending that mount Moriah in Jerusalem, and the latter, that mount Gerizim, was the proper place for the worship of God. The Samaritans lost their cause, which was argued before the king, and the advocates they employed were punished with death, in accordance with an agreement, pre

• Diodor. Sic. Fragm. xxxii. 16. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. iv. 4. Macc. x. 69-89. Zech. ix. 6, 7.

↑ Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 3. 1—3; xx. 10. 1; and against Apion, ii. 5.

In the year 146 B. C., Ptolemy Philometor, who had been invited the year before by Alexander Balas to assist him against Demetrius, proceeded along the coasts of Palestine to Syria, attended by a fleet and a numerous army. In compliance with the orders of Alexander, all the cities opened their gates to Ptolemy, who brought them entirely under his own power, by placing a body of soldiers in each as a garrison. At Joppa he was met by Jonathan, whom he received in the most friendly manner, and paid no regard to the accusations that were made against him, for he then needed the alliance of that potent warrior. They marched together in great harmony as far as the river Eleutherus, when Jonathan returned to Jerusalem. Ptolemy, having now secured to his own interests all the cities as far as Seleucia on the Orontes, by means of the garrisons he had left in them, appeared openly as the enemy of the Syrian king. He sent an embassy to Demetrius, the pretender to the crown, promising to give him in marriage his daughter, the wife of Alexander Balas, and to place him on the throne of Syria. He alleged as a reason for his treachery in a design against his life, an accusation which to Alexander, that he had detected that monarch author of the first Book of Maccabees represents Josephus supposes to be well grounded, but the it as a mere pretence.†

As Ptolemy Philopator drew near to Antioch, the discontented citizens of that metropolis ex

cited an insurrection, murdered the hated minister Ammonius, while he was attempting to make his escape in a female dress, opened their gates to Ptolemy, and made him an offer of the crown. This Ptolemy declined, and recommended to them Demetrius as the lawful heir to the kingdom. Alexander Balas was at that time in Cilicia, where he had taken the field against Demetrius ; but on hearing of the proceedings of Ptolemy, he In the returned to Syria with his whole army. battle which ensued, he was defeated, and fled with five hundred cavalry to Abae in Arabia, where he took refuge with the emir Zabdiel, or (according to Diodorus Siculus) Diocles, under whose protection he had placed his children at the commencement of the war. There Zabdiel

murdered him, in the fifth year of his reign over Syria, and sent his head to Ptolemy. But Ptolemy did not long enjoy his triumph; for having been wounded on the head by a fall from his horse during the battle, he soon after died in the hands of his surgeons, in the thirty-fifth year of his reign over Egypt. Demetrius then ascended the throne of Syria, and assumed the surname of Nicator, (Nikάrwp, "the conqueror.")

Ptolemy Philometor and Alexander Balas died in the same year, 145 B. c., in which Lucius Memmius took and destroyed Corinth, and Sci

• Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 3. 4.

+1 Macc. xi. 13-18. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 4. 7. Diodor. Sic. Fragm. xxxii. 17. Polybius in Excerpta Valesii de Virtutibus et Vitiis, xxxi.

1 Macc. xi. 1-12. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 4. 5—7; comp. Livy, Epitome of book li.

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pio Africanus the Younger conquered Carthage, at the termination of the third Punic war, which had continued three years. In the burning of Corinth the numerous statues in the city were melted and run together, and this mixture of different sorts of metal produced the celebrated æs Corinthiacum," or Corinthian brass. In this year also, Polybius of Megalopolis, in Arcadia, completed the fortieth and last book of his history. He was then at Rome, whither the Romans had transferred him with many other Grecian noblemen, for the purpose of breaking up the Achæan league.*

Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, the wife and sister of Ptolemy Philometor, endeavoured to secure the crown to her son; but as he was then very young, there was a strong party in favour of recalling from Cyrene Ptolemy Physcon, the turbulent and quarrelsome brother of Philometor. Onias and Dositheus, the two Jews at the head of the Egyptian army, espoused the cause of the queen and the young king; but Thermus, the Roman ambassador, who was then at Alexandria, reconciled the two factions by proposing that Physcon should marry his sister Cleopatra, and take the guardianship of her son. But on the very day of the nuptials, the unfeeling guardian murdered the young king in the arms of his mother. He then ascended the throne, and assumed the surname of Euergetes, ("the benefactor;") though he was called by all his subjects Cakergetes, ("the Evildoer,") a name which he well deserved by his odious character, for, as Justin fully testifies, he was the basest and most tyrannical of all the Ptolemies.†

In Syria, the change of rulers was productive of little benefit to the country; for Demetrius Nicator, a young and inexperienced prince, committed the government entirely to the hands of Lasthenes, whose efforts had essentially contributed to his advancement to the throne. But this minister, a man of furious temper, massacred the garrisons which Ptolemy Philometor had left in the cities of Syria, and put to death all those who had taken part in the wars against Demetrius, or against his father. As if these odious measures had made the king no enemies, from whose vengeance there was anything to be dread

ed, Lasthenes then dismissed all his soldiers, and even the auxiliaries he had brought from the Grecian islands, who were hated equally by the Syrians and by the ancient Greek inhabitants of the country.

During these transactions in the kingdom of Syria, Jonathan had laid siege to the Syrian garrison of the castle on mount Zion. Notice of the siege was sent to Demetrius Nicator, and he accordingly summoned Jonathan to appear before him at Ptolemais. The Jewish leader, on his arrival at that city, so represented the affair to the king, that he not only dismissed him without rebuke and confirmed him in the high priesthood,

• Livy, Epitome of book lii. Justin, xxxiv. 2. Pausanias, Achaic. vii. 16. Pliny, xxxiv. 3. Florus, ii. 16. Appian, Punic. exxvii.-exxxv. Velleius Paterculus, i.

Justin, xxxviii. 8, comp. Josephus against Apion, ii. Diodor. Sic. Fragm. xxxii. 24, 36, 37. Athenæus, iv. 25; x. Valerius Maximus, IX. i. 5; ii. 5.

5.

Diodor. Sic. xxxii. 22, 26. Josephus, Antiq. xiii, 4.9. 1 Macc. xi. 38.

but added to his government the principalities of Apherima, Lydda, and Ramatha, which had before appertained to Samaria, and for the sum of three hundred talents remitted to him all the tribute of the whole country. Jonathan then returned to Jerusalem with his wealth and power greatly increased. The siege of the castle, which had not been interrupted by his absence, was now urged forward with new energy; but the place was so strongly fortified, and the garrison made so obstinate a resistance, that nothing could be effected towards its reduction. Jonathan then sent ambassadors to the king, with a petition that the garrison might be withdrawn. Demetrius was then in great distress, for the citizens of Antioch, weary of his tyranny, had rebelled against him; and the humbled monarch promised the Jewish ambassadors that he would comply with all their demands on condition that Jonathan would immediately afford him some assistance. Jonathan accordingly despatched to Antioch three thousand well armed Jews, who summoned the rebellious citizens to lay down their arms, and on their refusal, they fell upon them, put one hundred thousand to the sword, and set fire to the city. After Demetrius Nicator had, in this manner, been rescued from the dangers which threatened him, he not only refused to withdraw the garrison from the castle at Jerusalem, but made a demand on the Jews for the full amount of the tribute, which he had remitted to Jonathan for three hundred talents. By such perfidy he alienated the affections of all his Jewish subjects.*

CI. ANTIOCHUS THEOS II., 144-143 B. C.

Demetrius had scarcely escaped from these perils, before another and still more dreadful storm was ready to burst on his head. Diodotus, or Trypho, who, in conjunction with Hierax, had formerly administered the affairs of government at Antioch under Alexander Balas, repaired to Zabdiel, the emir of the Arabs to whom Alexander Balas had intrusted the care of his son Antiochus. By earnest entreaties and false representations he at length induced the Arab chief to give to him the custody of the young prince. Trypho then, in the year 144 B. C., conducted Antiochus to Syria, with the intention of placing him on his father's throne. This was no sooner known, than all the soldiers dismissed by Las. thenes, who were out of pay, extremely necessitous and enraged against Demetrius, eagerly pressed into the service of the pretender. Demetrius was defeated and driven into Seleucia. All the elephants, many of the most important cities, and the metropolis itself, fell into the power of Antiochus, who now ascended the throne, and assumed the surname of Ocòc, (" the God.")†

Antiochus Theos then applied to Jonathan, and on condition that he would join his party, the young king confirmed him in his rank of the first of the king's friends, established him in the office of high priest of the Jews, conferred on

Diodor. Sic. Fragm. xxxii. 22. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 4.9; 5.2, 3. 1 Macc. xi. 20-53.

+ Diodor. Sic. xxxii. 16. 1 Macc. xi. 39, 54-56. Josephus, Antiq. xiii. 5. 3. Livy, Epitome of book lii. Strabo, p. 752.

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