ment of all Colosyria, on condition that he would pay a certain tribute. Herod, not satisfied with having set at defiance the supreme tribunal, now collected a small army and marched towards Jerusalem, in order to punish the sanhedrim and depose Hyrcanus; but he was persuaded by his father and his brother Phasael to relinquish his design.*

In the same year, 43 B. C., the sons of Antipater assisted the Roman general Antistius in a campaign against Cæcilius Bassus. Bassus was a general of Pompey, who, after the defeat at Pharsalia, had fled to Tyre. While he remained there, concealed among the merchants, he privately attached a party to his interests, and collected a body of soldiers. When Sextus Cæsar heard of the movements of Bassus he called him to an account; but Bassus pretended that he was going to the assistance of Mithridates, king of Pergamus, against Asander, king of Bosphorus. But he soon took possession of Tyre, and marched with his army against Sextus; and though he was repulsed and wounded, he yet found means to corrupt the soldiers of Sextus, so that they put their leader to death. Then most of the Roman soldiers, who had before been disgusted| with the effeminacy of Sextus, joined the party of Bassus, but the remainder retired to Cilicia, where they were collected by Antistius. Bassus now assumed the government of Syria. Antistius, after he had formed a junction with the forces of the sons of Antipater, drove Bassus to Apamea; but, being unable to reduce this fortress, he withdrew to levy more soldiers.†

This year, 43 B. C., was extended by the Romans to four hundred and forty-five days, to compensate for the errors of the ancient calendar; and the next year, 42 B. C., was fixed upon for the introduction of the new calendar, which Julius Cæsar had formed by the aid of the Alexandrian astronomer Sosigenes and the scribe Flavius. By the calendar of Cæsar the duration of a year was fixed at three hundred and sixtyfive days and six hours, and consequently, was eleven minutes too long.

This year Cæsar was chosen consul for the fourth time. He suppressed the party of Pompey in Spain, and then proclaimed a general amnesty, He was afterwards chosen perpetual dictator, and received so many other offices, and such demonstrations of honour, that nothing was wanting to satisfy his ambition but the title of absolute monarch.§

During this year, Cæcilius Bassus still maintained his ground in Syria. Statius Marcus, the prefect of the province, joined Antistius with three legions, and again besieged Bassus in Apamea. But Alcandon, an Arabic emir, whom both parties invited to their assistance, accepted the offers of Bassus, who had made him the most

Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 9. 1-5. Jewish War, i. 10. + Livy, Epitome of book lxiv. Dion Cassius, xlvii. Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 4-9; 11. 1. Jewish War, i. 11. 10. I Dion Cassius, xliii. Pliny, xviii. 25. Solinus, i. Macrobius, Saturnal. i. 12-14. Suetonius, Julius Cæsar, xl. Plutarch, Julius Caesar, lix.

§ Hirtius, Bell. Hispan. Plutarch, Julius Cæsar, lvi.Iviii. Dion Cassius, xliii. Lucan, Pharsal. Velleius Paterculus, ii. 36. Livy, Epitome of book cxvi. Appian, Bell. Civ. ii. 103-110.

liberal promises; and when Pacorus came from Parthia and united his forces with those of Alcandon. Marcus was forced to raise the siege of Apamea.* In the year 41 B. C. Julius Cæsar was elected consul the fifth time, and Mark Antony was his colleague in the office. During this consulship, the senate, in honour of Cæsar, changed the name of the month Quintilius to July. At this time Cæsar sanctioned the fortifying of Jerusalem by a special edict. He also restored to the Jews all that they had formerly possessed, and confirmed them in the enjoyment of all their privileges. These edicts are preserved in detail by Josephus.†

Cæsar determined to undertake a campaign against the Parthians, to revenge the defeat of the Romans at Carræ or Haran. He accordingly resigned his office of consul to Dolabella, who was then only twenty-five years old, and prepared for his expedition. He sent Caius Octavius, the son of his sister, to Apollonia, with orders to levy troops and await his arrival. But four days before the time fixed upon for his departure, in the month of March, he was assassinated in the senate house by Marcus Brutus, Caius Cassius, and some others, to whom he had shown great favours, a little more than four years from the death of Pompey, and after he had governed the Roman empire three years and six months.‡

CXIV. HYRCANUS II., PRINCE OF THE JEWS, 41-37 B. C.

After the death of Cæsar, the Roman empire was rent by new dissensions. Brutus and his party found it necessary to escape from the city; and when at last after some resistance from An

tony, a general pardon and amnesty was proclaimed, Antony still acted, in many respects, in an arbitrary manner. Caius Octavius also, Cæsar's nephew, came from Apollonia on the Ionian Sea to Brundusium, and declared himself

the adopted son of Cæsar. He gained many

adherents among the soldiers, and entered Rome, attended by a great multitude of people, who had gone out to meet him, and there, before the prætor of the city, asserted his claims, as the heir of Cæsar.§

Mark Antony, to whom Cæsar, by his will, had assigned the fourth part of his inheritance, was dissatisfied with so small a share; he refused to second the views of Octavius, who claimed the succession to the highest office in the state, and demanded the punishment of his uncle's murderers. Consequently, a violent quarrel ensued between the two leaders; and as the people, the

• Velleius Paterculus, ii. 69. Dion Cassius, xlvii. Cicero ad Attic. xiv. 9. Strabo, p. 752.

Macrobius, Saturnal. i. 12. Appian, Bell. Civ. ii. 106. Dion Cassius, xliv. Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 10. 5-8.

Appian, Bell. Civ. ii. 107-118, 150. Dion Cassius, xiv. Velleius Paterculus, ii. 58. Plutarch, Julius Cæsar, lviii., Ix.-lxvii., Ixix. Brutus, xii. Suetonius, Julius Cæsar, lxxix.-lxxxv. Florus, iv. 2. Livy, Epitome of book exvi. Pliny, vii. 25. Eutropius, vi. 25.

army, and the senate inclined more and more to the party of Octavius, Antony with his adherents retired to Cisalpine Gaul, whence he attempted to expel Decimus Brutus, whom the senate had sent thither. Octavius pursued his rival with an army; and then Antony, in order to strengthen himself, united with Brutus, against whom he had just before threatened hostilities.*

During the next year, 40 B. C., at the request of Octavius, Antony was declared an enemy to the commonwealth, on account of his connexion with Decimus Brutus. Antony was then besieging the city of Mutina or Modena, whither Octavius and the two Roman consuls led an army against him. In the battle which followed, the two consuls were slain; but the siege of the city was raised, and Antony again retired to Cisalpine Gaul. Octavius then, being disappointed in his expectations of attaining the consulship, entered into a secret negotiation with Lepidus, the confederate of Antony, and, by means of this new ally, formed a connexion with his rival, in order to strengthen himself against the senate and the party of Cæsar's murderers. After this, Octavius marched to Rome and was chosen consul with Pedius. He now regulated the affairs of the empire according to his own pleasure, prosecuted some of the murderers of Cæsar, and assumed the name of Caius Julius Cæsar Octavianus. As his connexion with Antony was not suspected, he received a commission to prosecute the war against this public enemy. But he accomplished nothing, and indeed he would have been unable to do any thing against the united power of Antony and Lepidus; and he had the sagacity to persuade his colleague Pedius to obtain an act of pardon and oblivion for those two confederates. Thus these three men, Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus, who were mortal enemies to each other, became united, because neither of them was able to subdue the others. They now marched together to Rome, and deluged the city with blood; for they put to death many of those who had opposed them, and, among the rest, Marcus Tullius Cicero.t

Immediately after the death of Cæsar, during the consulship of Antony and Dolabella, Jewish ambassadors were sent to Rome by Hyrcanus; and they obtained a decree of the senate confirming all the privileges and immunities which had been granted to the Jews by Julius Cæsar. Afterwards, while Dolabella was proconsul of Asia, Hyrcanus sent an embassy to him with the request, that he would allow the Jews in his province the free exercise of their religion and grant them exemption from military duty. Dolabella complied with this request, and wrote accordingly to all the Asiatic cities. The letter of the proconsul, and the decrees of the several cities respecting the Jews, are preserved by Josephus.‡ While the triumvirate were proscribing and • Plutarch, Mark Antony. xiv. Cicero, xliii. Dion Cassius, xlv. xlvi. Appian, Bell. Civ. iii. 14—49._Livy, Epitome of book cxvii. Suetonius, Augustus, x. Florus, iv. 3.

+ Plutarch, Mark Antony, xvii.-xxi. Cicero, xlv.xlix. Appian, Bell. Civ. iii. 50-98; iv. 1-56. Dion Cassius, xivi. Florus, iv. 4-6. Eutropius, vii. i 2. Livy, Epitome of book cxx. Suetonius, Augustus, x.—

xij

Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 10. 9-26.

murdering many of the best men of Rome, who had opposed their designs, party wars were raging in Spain, Africa, and Asia. In Syria, Bassus, who has already been mentioned, still remained unsubdued before Apamea; although Murcus or Marcus had received from Bithynia a reinforcement of three legions under the command of Martius Crispus. Cassius Longinus, one of the murderers of Cæsar, who had been compelled with others to leave Italy on account of the predominant influence of Antony and Octavius, maintained himself against Dolabella, the proconsul of Asia after Caesar's death, and united himself with Murcus and Martius Crispus, who were besieging Bassus at Apamea. Bassus himself was finally compelled by his soldiers to join the same party; and in this manner, Longinus at last obtained the command of eight legions. Besides these, Longinus induced the four legions which Allienus was leading from Egypt to the assistance of Dolabella, to unite under his standard.*

For the support of such an army, which consisted of more than seventy-two thousand men besides a large fleet, a heavy tribute was demanded; and Palestine alone was required to pay seven hundred talents. Herod paid the share which fell to his district before any of the others; and this was the greater recommendation to him, because Malichus could not pay his part. He would have been put to death for his neglect, had not Hyrcanus paid one hundred talents for him, and Antipater interceded in his behalf. But the ungrateful wretch, during this very year, destroyed his benefactor Antipater by poison. The citizens of Gophna, Emmaus, Lydda, Thamma, and some other cities, for refusing to pay the portion of the tribute assigned to them, were sold for slaves.†

In the meantime, Dolabella levied equally heavy contributions in Asia Minor, for the support of his army. He then marched to Cilicia, took possession of Tarsus, and after having been repulsed from Antioch, proceeded to Laodicea. Cassius Longinus and Murcus marched against him from Palestine, besieged Laodicea by land and water, and at length conquered the city; not, however, before Dolabella and his officers had destroyed themselves with their own hands. Upon this, all the neighbouring princes came to Laodicea to offer their congratulations to the victorious Longinus. Herod and Malichus waited upon the Roman general at the same time; and Herod, who had hitherto concealed his purpose of revenging the murder of his father Antipater, now made such a representation of the affair to Cassius Longinus, that Malichus, as soon as he had arrived at Tyre, was put to death by the Roman soldiers.‡

In the year 39 B. C. Cassius Longinus took the field against Egypt, because Cleopatra, who, during the preceding year, had poisoned her brother that she might reign alone, had refused to send him any auxiliaries, though he had repeatedly

Appian, Bell. Civ. iv. 58, 59. Dion Cassius, xlvii. Strabo, p. 752. Cicero, ad Fam. xii. 11. Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 11. 2. Jewish War, i. 11. 1.

+ Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 11. 2. Jewish War, i. 11. 2, 3. Cicero, ad Fam. xii. 13-15. Dion Cassius, xl. Appian, Bell. Civ. iv. 60-72. Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 11. 4Jewish War, i. 11. 3—8. K

6.

requested it. But while on his march, he received a very pressing letter from Brutus, entreating him to come to his assistance against the triumvirate. He accordingly returned; and leaving one legion in Syria under the command of his sister's son, hastened with the remainder of his army to Smyrna, where he joined the standard of Brutus. Brutus and Longinus had in their power all the country from the Euphrates to Macedonia; and now they led their army across the Hellespont, where Octavianus and Antony came to meet them with a superior force, while Lepidus remained at Rome to manage the affairs of Italy. The battle at Philippi was severe and bloody; Cassius Longinus and Brutus were defeated, and in despair, laid violent hands on themselves. Octavianus then returned to Rome, while Antony proceeded to Asia Minor and Syria, to settle the affairs of those provinces. On his march, he extorted heavy contributions on all sides from the already exhausted inhabitants, and intended to plunder Palmyra, but was prevented.* Cleopatra, who had been so much celebrated by Caesar, was summoned to Tarsus by Antony; and she appeared before him to defend herself against the accusation, that she had offered assistance to Cassius Longinus. She proved her entire innocence of the charge, and at the same time so gained the affections of Antony, that he could never, to the end of his life, free himself from her snares. She immediately after attended him to Tyre, and then returned to Egypt. Antony during his march, expelled all the petty princes, who had purchased cities and districts of Cassius Longinus or had seized the governments by force. Of this class was Marion the king of Tyre.t

After the departure of Cassius Longinus from Palestine, the adherents of Malichus excited great disturbances in Jerusalem, by their attempts to avenge the death of their leader on Herod and Phasael. They brought Hyrcanus over to their party, and also the commander of the Roman troops, who had been left in Palestine by Longinus. A brother of Malichus, by the connivance of Hyrcanus, took possession of Massada and some other fortified towns. Herod at this time lay sick at Damascus; but his brother Phasael expelled the insurgents and their leader Felix from Jerusalem; and when Herod at last arrived, the whole party was soon suppressed. Phasael and Herod made heavy complaints against Hyrcanus, on account of the encouragement which he had given to the authors of these disturbances; but they soon effected a reconciliation with him, because Herod designed to marry Mariamne, a daughter of Hyrcanus.‡

The party of Malichus, however, was soon revived; and they finally called Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus, from Chalcis to Palestine, with the intention of placing him on his father's throne. The undertaking was favoured by Marion, the king of Tyre, out of hatred to Herod; by Ptolemy Menneus, the prince of Chalcis, who

Appian, Bell. Civ. iv. 62-138; v. 1. 3-6, 9. Dion Cassius, xlvii. xlviii. Plutarch, Brutus, xxiii-lii. Eutropius, vii. 3. Velleius Paterculus, ii. 70. Florus, iv. 7. Plutarch, Mark Antony, xxv.-xxix. Dion Cissius, xlviii. Appian. Bell. Civ. v. 1. 8-10.

Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 11. 7. Jewish War, i. 12. 1, 2.

had married the sister of Antigonus; and even by Fabius, the Roman præfect of Damascus, who had been gained over by money. But when Antigonus arrived in Judea with his army, he was entirely defeated by Herod, and compelled for a while to relinquish his purpose. The discontented party, however, were not yet satisfied; and in the year 41 B. C. they sent an embassy to Antony, who had then arrived in Syria, and made complaint against Phasael and Herod, that they were undermining the authority of Hyrcanus. But Antony having received gifts from Herod, who was then with him, and having been reminded by him of the services which his father Antipater had formerly rendered to Gabinius in the expedition to Egypt, disregarded all their complaints.*

At this time Hyrcanus also sent an embassy to Antony, for the purpose of regaining those districts which Cassius Longinus had sold, and of obtaining the emancipation of those Jews who had at the same time gone into slavery. Antony readily granted the petition of Hyrcanus, and made known his determination to the Tyrians, who had probably purchased most of the enslaved Jews.t

Although the complaints of the discontented Jews against Phasael and Herod had been once rejected, yet nearly a hundred of the principal men of the nation repaired to Antony, while he was at Daphne near Antioch, to renew their accusations. Antony in their hearing asked Hyrcanus, who was then present, whom he esteemed most capable of administering the affairs of government under him; and when he named Phasael and Herod, Antony immediately appointed these two brothers tetrarchs of Palestine, and would have executed fifteen of their accusers, had not Hyrcanus interceded in their behalf. Notwithstanding this, while Antony_was Tyre a short time after, a thousand Jews appeared before him with the same complaints; but the Roman general, viewing so numerous a deputation as little short of rebellion, sent his soldiers among them, who put several to death, and wounded many others.

at

Antony then left the government of Asia Minor to Plaucus, and that of Syria to Saxas, and hastened to Alexandria, where he trifled away the whole winter with his beloved Cleopatra. He would scarcely have torn himself from her in the spring, had he not heard of adverse occurrences in Syria and Italy. For Syria and Palestine having been so much oppressed by Cassius Longinus, and afterwards by Antony, could endure these extortions no longer; and the citizens of Aradus first began to offer open resistance to the collectors of tribute. Their example was soon followed by others. They united with the Palmyrenes and the princes whom Antony had deposed, and invited the Parthians to their aid. The Parthians entered the country in great numbers, under the command of their prince Pacorus and the Roman

general Labienus, who belonged to the party of Pompey, and drove Saxas from Syria to Cilicia. While Pacorus was securing possession of all Syria, Labienus, with one division of the army, pursued Saxas, slew him, and took possession of all Asia Minor. Plancus, the prefect of this district, made his escape to the islands of the Ægean Sea *

In Italy, meanwhile, Fulvia, the wife of Mark Antony, and his brother Lucius, who was consul in the year 38 B. C., were waging war against Octavianus; but they were defeated, and after the conquest of Perusia expelled from Italy.t

When Antony heard of these transactions in Italy and Syria, he sailed from Alexandria to Tyre; and having there learned the particulars of the success of the Parthians, and of the defeat of his wife Fulvia, he set sail for Italy with two hundred ships. While on his way, he met with Fulvia at Athens. On his arrival in Italy, he laid siege to Brundusium, which had been garrisoned by Octavianus. But Fulvia died soon after, and peace was restored. Antony married Octavia, the sister of Octavianus; Lepidus, immediately after the death of Cæsar, had married a daughter of Antony; and Octavianus now married the daughter of Fulvia. Some interpreters have supposed that these marriages are referred to in Dan. ii. 33, 41-43. The triumvirate now divided the empire among themselves. Lepidus received Africa; Octavianus, all the West as far as Scodra in Illyria; and Antony, all the East, from Scodra to the Euphrates; while Italy was to be held in common.‡

CXV. ANTIGONUS KING OF THE Jews,
37-34 B. C.

After the Parthians had made themselves mas

ters of Syria, in the manner which has already been related, Lysanias, who had succeeded his father Ptolemy Menneus in the principality of Chalcis during the preceding year, persuaded the Parthian prince Pancorus, by means of his general Barzapharnes, to place Antigonus on the throne of Judea for one thousand talents in money, and five hundred female slaves. Accordingly, when Pacorus had subdued Zidon and Ptolemais, Antigonus led an army into Judea, and at the same time the Parthian prince sent his cupbearer, who also was called Pacorus, with a division of the Parthian army, to act in concert with Antigonus. Judea was not able to resist such a force. Antigonus proceeded towards Jerusalem; but there he was repulsed in a skirmish with Herod and Phasael, and obliged to take refuge in the temple. Herod and Phasael then garrisoned the royal castle of Baris, which was situated close to the temple.

The two parties now exerted all their power to annoy each other, but neither could gain any considerable advantage; and when the strength

Appian, Bell. Civ. v. 52. 65. Plutarch, Mark Anony, xxviii.-xxx. Dion Cassius, lxviii. Livy, Epitome of book cxxvii. Florus, vi. 9. Velleius Paterculus, ii. 73. Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 13. 3. Jewish War, i. 13. 1. + Appian, Bell. Civ. v. 12-51. Dion Cassius, xlviii. Plutarch, Mark Antony, xxx. Eutropius, vii. 3. Velleius Paterculus, ii. 74.

I Dion Cassius, xliv. xlvi. xlviii. Appian Bell. Civ. v. 51-65. Plutarch, Mark Antony, xxx. xxxi.

of both was increased by those Jews who came to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, their conflicts, though more obstinate and bloody, were equally undecisive. At length they came to an agreement; and the Parthian cupbearer Pacorus, who was encamped before Jerusalem with his army, was admitted into the city with five hundred cavalry, at the request of Antigonus, to act as umpire between the parties. Hyrcanus invited him to his house, and imprudently suffered himself to be persuaded to go with the prince Hyrcanus to Barzapharnes, the Parthian governor of Syria, and lay the matter before that officer. The cupbearer Pacorus attended Hyrcanus and Phasael to Galilee with his cavalry, and then, after he had committed them to the care of another body of Parthian cavalry, returned to Jerusalem.

The Parthian governor Barzapharnes treated Hyrcanus and Phasael with great respect, till he supposed the cupbearer Pacorus had time to secure Herod at Jerusalem, and then he immediately put his guests in chains, and retained them as prisoners. But Herod, suspecting the treachery of the Parthians, departed from Jerusalem in the night with his family and soldiers, and made his escape to Masada, a fortress situated on a mountain on the western side of the Dead Sea. During his flight, he once determined to put an end to his own life, but was persuaded by his friends to desist from his purpose. His enemies pursued him, and he was obliged to maintain a constant conflict with them during his whole retreat; but as his forces were superior to theirs, he succeeded in repelling their attacks. At Ressa he was joined by his brother Joseph, with the remainder of his soldiers. He placed his family and treasures in the castle of Masada, and leaving there a garrison of eight hundred men, under the command of his brother Joseph, he dismissed about nine thousand of his soldiers, because there was no room for them in the castle. He then retired with a small body of troops to Petra, to seek the protection of Malchus, the successor of king Aretas. But as Malchus refused to receive him, he was compelled to disband the remainder of his troops. He now, with a small retinue, went by the way of Rhinocolura and Pelusium to Alexandria, where he took ship and sailed to Rome.*

After the escape of Herod the Parthians plundered Jerusalem and all the adjacent places, raised Antigonus to the throne, and delivered into his power the prince Hyrcanus and Phasael, the brother of Herod. Phasael, that he might not suffer death from the hands of his enemies, dashed his head against the walls of his prison, and in this manner destroyed his own life. Hyrcanus for ever incapable of holding the office Antigonus, that he might render the prince of high priest, cut off his ears, and sent him back, thus mutilated, to the Parthians, by whom he was carried to Seleucia on the Tigris.†

At Rome, Herod requested that Aristobulus, a grandson of Hyrcanus and brother of his espoused

Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 13. 3-9: 14. 1-3. Jewish War, i. 13. 1-8; 14. 1-13. Compare Dion Cassius, xlviii. +Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 13. 9, 10. Jewish War, i. 13.

9-11.

bride Mariamne, might be appointed king of Judea, and that he himself might be made governor under him, as he had been under Hyrcanus. He renewed his friendship with Antony, to whom he promised a sum of money; and by him he was so highly recommended to Octavianus, as the son of Antipater who had formerly rendered such important services to Cæsar in Egypt, that, by the intervention of Octavianus, Herod was appointed king of Judea. Accordingly, during the consulship of Domitius Calvinus and Asinias Pollio, in the 184th Olympiad, in the year 37 B. C., Herod was conducted to the capitol by Antony and Octavianus, and there consecrated king with idolatrous sacrifices. All this was done so soon, that in seven days Herod departed from Rome, and landed again at Ptolemais in three months after his precipitate flight from Jerusalem.*

The Parthians had left Syria before the arrival of Herod, for Ventidius, whom Antony, after his contract with Octavianus, had sent to take the command of the forces in the East, succeeded in driving Labienus back to mount Taurus. He then defeated the Parthians who held the passes of Syria, and took possession of the country without further resistance. Labienus was deserted by his soldiers, and, sometime after, while attempting to make his escape in disguise, was taken prisoner and put to death. Pacorus then retired with his troops across the Euphrates. In this manner the Romans had again become masters of Syria when Herod arrived in Palestine.†

It was Herod's first care to collect an army; and after he had received some auxiliaries from Ventidius and his general Silo, he took possession of all Galilee, with the exception of a few inconsiderable places, conquered Joppa, and then hastened to the relief of his family in the fortress of Masada, which was closely blockaded and violently assaulted by Antigonus. After he had raised the siege of this place, and thus delivered his own family from danger, he took possession of Ressa, a strong fortress in Idumea, and then returned and united himself with Silo, whom Ventidius had sent to his aid, and encamped before Jerusalem. But neither Ventidius nor Silo had any sincere intention of assisting Herod in the execution of his plans. The former indeed had threatened Antigonus, but he was induced by money to withdraw his forces; and Silo received large sums from both leaders, and was ready to afford assistance to the one who would pay most liberally for his services. Under pretence of a want of provisions, he permitted his soldiers to pillage the country, and finally, to plunder the city of Jericho. Herod was at length relieved from his troublesome auxiliaries, when Silo drew off his troops to the winter quarters which had been assigned them in Samaria, Galilee, and Idumea.

Herod was now obliged to decamp from Jerusalem, but he still kept his soldiers in action. He sent his brother Joseph, with one division of his army, to Idumea, to secure that province;

Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 14. 3-5; 15. 1. Jewish War, i. 14. 3, 4; 15. 3. Appian, Bell. Civ. v. 75.

+ Dion Cassius, xlviii. Appian, Bell. Civ. v. 65. Plutarch, Mark Antony, xxxiii., xxxiv. Florus, iv. 9. Livy, Epitome of book cxxvii. Joseph. Antiq. xiv. 14. 6. Jewish War, i. 15. 2.

Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 15. 1-3. Jewish War, i. 15. 1-6.

while, with the other, he marched himself to Galilee, conquered Sepphoris and some other fortified places, and cleared the country of robbers, who were so numerous, especially about Arbela, that they formed a regular army and engaged in pitched battles. They fought so obstinately that Herod came near being defeated; he, however, finally succeeded in driving them over the Jordan, though many still remained concealed in caves. Herod then distributed his soldiers into winter quarters, and committed to his brother Pheroras the care of supplying them with provisions.*

In the spring of the year 36 B. C. Herod renewed his exertions to subdue the robbers in

their caves. He was obliged to let his soldiers down in chests by ropes over the steep rocky mountains of Arbela; and when they had thus come to the entrance of the caverns, they had severe conflicts with the banditti who were concealed within; but notwithstanding all his efforts to destroy them he had no sooner turned his back than the country was again infested with their depredations; for those who had fled beyond the Jordan immediately returned to Galilee. Herod, accordingly, was compelied once more to take arms against them, and he now adopted the severest measures with these outlaws. He everywhere put them to the sword, destroyed the caves, which were their hiding places, and banished all who had in any manner favoured them. By these means he at length restored quiet to Galilee.t

Venti

In the mean time intelligence of the victories of Ventidius over the Parthians was brought to Antony at Athens, where he was amusing himself with his newly-married wife in no very reputable manner. Lest Ventidius should acquire all the glory to be obtained by this war, Antony left his wife, in order to lead an army against the Parthians; but, before he arrived in the east, Ventidius allured the Parthians into an ambush which he had prepared for them, and defeated them. Twenty thousand Parthians with their leader, the prince Pacorus, were slain in the battle; and king Orodes was inconsolable when he heard of the death of his son. dius would not follow up the advantages which this victory gave him, lest he should leave nothing to satisfy the ambition of Antony. He accordingly besieged Antiochus, the last king of Comagene, in Samosata. When Antony arrived he sent the brave Ventidius to Rome, for the pretended purpose of obtaining a triumph, but, in reality, out of envy for the fame which he had acquired. The soldiers were so much dissatisfied with this dismission of their general that they could no longer be persuaded to press on the siege with any vigour; and Antony, despairing of success, agreed to depart for the sum of three hundred talents, although Antiochus had in vain solicited Ventidius to accept one thousand talents for the same purpose.‡

Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 15. 4. Jewish War, i. 16. 1—3. Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 15. 5. Jewish War, i. 15. 4. 5. ↑ Plutarch, Mark Antony, xxxiii., xxxiv. Dion Cassius, xlvii, xlix. Appian, Bell. Civ. v. 75, 78, 79. Justin, xlii. 4. Livy. Epitome of book cxxviii. Eutropius, vii. 5. Velleius Paterculus, ii. 65, 78. Strabo, p. 751. Orosius, vi. 18. Aulus Gellius, xv. 4. Pliny, vii. 43. Valerius Maximus, vi. 9.