But whether Fofephus did by the Names of thefe M cedonian Months underftand them according to the Fulian Months, is a great queftion: Ruffinus, Folephus Scaliger, Calvifius, Archbishop her, and many others are of Opinion he did: But for my part, I am rather inclined to believe that by thefe Macedonian Names, Jofephus underflood the Jewish Months. For it is exprefly faid by Fofephus, that his Country men went out of Egypt on the fame 14th day of the Month Xanthicus on which Titus began to invest the City of Ferufalem, and it being unquestionable that this was the 14th of the Month Nifan, there is but little probability that Jofephus intended to make this day of the Month Nifan correfpondent with a certain day of the Julian Calendar: Nay the Characters of the Epocha of the Departure of the Fems out of Ægypt Thewing most evidently that the Fems departed out of Egypt not on the 14th but the 16th day of April, we may rationally conclude, that Fofephus did by the Month Xanthicus underftand the Month Nijan on the 14th day of which the Feaft of the Paffover was conflantly kept by the Jews. Secondly,it is not very probable that the fews thould refer the time of the firft deftruction of their Temple to any certain day of the Fulian Calendar, which was not fo much as thought of at that time. It being mentioned likewife by Fofephus, that on the 10th day of the Month Lous the firft Temple was deftroyed by Fire; I fee no reafon why by the Month Lous fhould not be undertood the Month AB by the Ancient Jews. For thus the Words of the Prophet feremiah 52. 12. may be econciled with the Relation of Jofephus: On the 10th lay, fays the Prophet, of the fifth Month (AB) which as the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babyang came Nabuzaradan Captain of the Guard, which ferved the King of Babylon, to Jerufalem, and burned the Houfe of the Lord, &c.. According to this Hypothefis the Months are as follows: How often . 6. It is commonly fuppofed, that ferusalem was Jerufalem taken but twice. Nevertheless Fofephus l. 8. c. 18, de was taken. Bell. Jud affirms that it was taken five feveral times before it was destroyed by Titus. Jerufalem, fays he, IMP. TITO. CESARI DIVI VESPASI- QUOD. PRECEPTIS. PATRIS. CONSILI- S. 7. The 5. 7. The Temple deftroyed by Titus, is generally The Temple called the fecond Temple: For tho', according to Jo- deftroy'dby fephus l. 15. c. 14. Ant. Herod demolished the Temple, Titus was and built a new one inftead of it; yet this being the iTem done only with an intention to render the Structure ple.. of the Temple the more magnificent; and having no relation to its interiour parts, it is therefore called not the 3d but the fecond Temple. S. 8. Fofephus affirms, that in the Siege, and taking How many of the City of Jerufalem there perished of the Jews of the Jews 1100000, which is confirmed by Eufebius in Chron. perifhed in Orofius 1.7.c.6. and Sulpitius Severus: But F. Lipfius the Siege & gives the following Computation of the whole number of the fews flain and taken Prifoners in their Civil and Foreign Wars within less than 7 years, At Ferufalem by the Command of Florus, At Cafarea by the Inhabitants, 630 20000 13000 the whole War. At Scythopolis, In Askalon, 2500 At Ptolemais, 2000 At Alexandria, At Damafcus, At the taking of Foppa On Mount Cabulon, In the Battle near Aftalon 50000 10000 8400 2,000 10000 80co By Surprise, At Aphac, 15000 On Mount Garizim, 11600 At Iotap, 30000 At the taking of Joppa a fecond time, 4200 Near Taricha, 0500 At Gamala, 9000 In their Flight from Gifcala, Slain 2000 Taken, 3000 Of thofe of Gadar. Slain, 13000 2200 Taken, Slain in Idumaas 10000 At Gera, 1000 At Macheron, 1700 In the Foreft of Fardes, deftruation of Jerufa lem. bether §. 9. According to the Latin Verfion of the Chronithe King con of Eufebius tranflated by St. Hierome, and the dom of the Chronicle of the before-mentioned Rabbi David Ganz, Jews ceaf the Royal Dignity was quite abolished among the Jews ed with the at the time of the laft Deftruction of the Temple; which is contradicted by Scaliger, who demonftrates by a certain Coin with this Infcription, Poft captam Judæam adhuc erat Basınd's Agias, that Agrippa did not die in the 3d year of the 212th Olympiad. We agree thus far with Scaliger; That Agrippa retained the Royal Title after the Destruction of Jerufalem, for Photius in uverßica Cod. 33. fays, his Reign ended with his Death in the 3d year of Trajan. But it is very evident out of feveral Paffages in Josephus, that Agrippa was neither King of the Jews nor of Jerufalem: For he allows him not the leaft Authority over Judæa, unless it be in what concerned the Temple, l. 20. c.8. Ant. but fays l. 20 c. 3. 5. that by the Favour of Claudius he was put in poffeffion of the Kingdom of Chalcis, and by Nero regaled with the Cities of Tiberias, Tarichaa, and Julias, with 4 other Towns of lefs note. In fine, that all Judea with the greatelt part of Galilee and Samaria, were then under the Jurifdiction of the Roman Præfects, is, according to the Teftimony of Fofephus, past all difpute СНАР. CHA P. XLIII. Of the Epocha of Dioclefian, which is com monly called by the Egyptians the ERA OF MARTYRS, by Eufebius the ÆRA Siwyμs, or of Perfecution, by the Ethiopians the ERA OF GRACE, and by the Mahometans the ERA ELKUP TI. RULES. I. In adjusting this Epocha we must mind the following Characters, 1. The Era of Dioclefian begins in the fame year that Dioclefian, after the Death of Carus and Numerianus, was declared Emperour. 2. The Emperour Dioclefian entred Nicomedia in Triumph on the 17th day of September, and the first of Janu ary following appeared in publick as Conful. 3. A bout that time Carinus for the 24 time, and Nume rianus mere Roman Confuls, who were fuccceded by Dioclefian (already declared Auguftus) and Ariftobulus. Chronic. Alexandrin. Ammian. Marcellin. lib. 23. 4. The 3d Indiction began in that year from the Month of September. Chronic. Alexandrin. 5. The first year of the Reign of Dioclefian is coincident with the 2301st year of the Epocha of Abraham; unto which if 2696 years be added, the Product hems the year of the Julian Period, as we demonstrated above. Eufeb. in Chron. 6. In the 89th year fince the beginning of the Reign of Dioclefian, fays St. Ambrofe 1. 10. Ep. 83. ad Epifc. the Full Moon falling then upon the 23d day of March, we celebrated Eafter upon the last day of March. Thofe of Alexandria and other places in Egypt, the Full Moon happening with them on the 28th day of the Month Phamenoth, did celebrate their Efter on the 5th day of the Month Pharmuth, which was likewife the laft day of March. Again; in the 934year from the beginning of the Reign of Doclefian, it Cc 3 being |