always go through that gate; there it was that they tasted some food, and when they had put on their triumphal garments, and had offered sacrifices to the gods that were placed at the gate, they sent the triumph forward, and marched through the theatres that they might be the more easily seen by the multitudes. 5. Now, it is impossible to describe the multitude of the shows as they deserve, and the magnificence of them all; such indeed as a man could not easily think of, as performed either by the labour of workmen, or the variety of riches, or the rarities of nature for almost all such curiosities as the most happy men ever get by piece-meal, were here one heaped on another, and those both admirable and costly in their nature; and, as all brought together on that day, demonstrated the vastness of the dominions of the Romans; for there was here to be seen a mighty quantity of silver, and gold, and ivory, contrived into all sorts of things, and did not appear as carried along in pompous show only, but, as a man may say, running along like a river. Some parts were composed of the rarest purple bangings, and so carried along, and others accurately represented to the life what was embroidered by the art of the Babylonians. There were also precious stones that were transparent, some set in crowns of gold, and some in other ouches, as the workmen pleased : and of these such a vast number were brought, that we could not but thence learn how vainly we imagined any of them to be rarities. The images of the gods were also carried, being as well wonderful for their largeness, as made very artificially, and with great skill of the workmen nor were any of these images of any other than very costly materials; and many species of animals were brought every one in their own natural ornaments. The men also, who brought every one of these shows were great multiudes, and adorned with purple garments all over interwoven with gold; those that were chosen for carrying these pompous shows having also about them such magnificent ornaments as were both extraordinary and surprising. Besides these, one might see, that even the great number of the captives was not unadorned, while the variety that was in their garments, and their fine texture, concealed from the sight the deformity of their bo dies. But, what afforded the greatest surprise of all was, the structure of the pageants that were borne along; for, indeed, he that met them could not but be afraid that the bearers would not be able firmly enough to support them, such was their magnitude: for many of them were so made, that they were on three or even four stories one above another. The magnificence also of their structure afforded one both pleasure and surprise; for, upon many of them were laid carpets of gold. There was also wrought gold, and ivory fastened about them all; and many resemblances of the war, and those in several ways, and a variety of contrivances, affording a most lively portraiture of itself. For there was to be seen a happy country laid waste, and entire squadrons of enemies slain; while some of them ran away, and some were carried into captivity, with walls of great altitude and magnitude overthrown, and ruined by machines, with the strongest fortifications taken, and the walls of most populous cities upon the tops of hills seized on, and an army pouring itself within the walls; as also every place full of slaughter, and supplications of the enemies, when they were no longer able to lift up their hands in way of opposition. Fire also sent upon temples was here represented, and houses overthrown, and falling upon their owners: rivers also, after they came out of a large and melancholy desert, ran down, not into a land cultivated, nor as drink for men, or for cattle, but through a land still on fire upon every side; for the Jews related that such a thing they had undergone during this war. Now, the workmanship of these representations was so magnificent and lively in the construction of the things, that it exhibited what had been done to such as did not see it, as if they had been there really present. On the top of every one of these pageants was placed the commander of the city that was taken, and the manner wherein he was taken. Moreover, there followed those pageants a great number of ships; and, for the other spoils, they were carried in great plenty. But, for those that were taken in the temple of Jerusalem, they made the greatest figure of them all; that is the golden table, of the weight of many talents; the candlestick also, that was made of gold, though its construction were now changed from that which we made use of: for its middle shaft was fixed upon a basis, and the small branches * See the representations of these Jewish vessels, as they still stand on Titus' triumphal arch at Rome, in Reland's very curious book de Spoliis Templi, throughout. But what things are chiefly to be noted are these (1.) That Josephus says, the candlestick here carried in this triumph was not thoroughly like that which was used in the temple, which appears in the number of the little knops and flowers in that on the triumphal arch, not well agreeing with Moses' description. Exod. xxv. 31-36, (2.) The smallness of the branches in Josephus, compared with the thickness of those on that arch. (3.) That the Law or Pentateuch does not appear on that arch at all, though Josephus, an eye-witness, assures us it was carried in this procession. All which things deserve the consideration of the inquisitive reader. were produced out of it to a great length, having the likeness of a trident in their position, and had every one a socket made of brass for a lamp at the tops of them. These lamps were in number seven, and represented the dignity of the number seven among the Jews; and the last of all the spoils, was carried the law of the Jews. After these spoils passed by a great many men, carrying the images of victory, whose structure was entirely either of ivory, or of gold. After which, Vespasian marched in the first place, and Titus followed him; Domitian also rode along with them, and made a glorious appearance, and rode on an horse that was worthy of admiration. 6. Now, the last part of this pompous show was at the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, whither, when they were come, they stood still; for it was the Romans' ancient cus tom, to stay till somebody brought the news, that the general of the enemy was slain. This general was Simon, the son of Gioras, who had then been led in this triumph among the cap. tives a rope had also been put upon his head, and he had been drawn unto a proper place in the forum, and had withal been tormented by those that drew him along; and the law of the Romans required that malefactors condemned to die should be slain there. Accordingly, when it was related that there was an end of him, and all the people had set up a shout for joy, they then began to offer those sacrifices which they had consecrated, in the prayers used in such solemnities, which when they had finished, they went away to the palace. And, as for some of the spectators, the emperors entertained them at their own feast; and, for all the rest, there were noble preparations made for their feasting at home; for this was a festival day to the city of Rome, as celebrated for the victory obtained by their army over their enemies, for the end that was now put to their civil miseries, and for the commencement of their hopes of future prosperity and happiness. 7. After these triumphs were over, and after the affairs of the Romans were settled on the surest foundations, Vespasian resolved to build a temple to Peace, which was finished in so short a time, and so glorious a manner, as was beyond all human expectation and opinion: for, he having now by Providence a vast quantity of wealth, besides what he had formerly gained in his other exploits, he had this temple adorned with pictures, and statues; for, in this temple was collected and reposited, all such rarities as men aforetime used to wander all over the habitable world to see, when they had a desire to see one of them after another he also laid : up therein those golden vessels and instruments, that were taken out of the Jewish temple, as ensigns of his glory. But still he gave order that they should lay up their law, and the purple veils of the holy place, in the royal palace itself, and kept them there. CHAP. VI. Concerning Macherus, and how Lucilius Bassus took that citadel, and other places. § 1. Now, Lucilius Bassus was sent as legate into Judea, and there he received the army from Cerealis Vitellianus, and took that citadel which was in Herodium, together with the garrison that was in it: after which, he got together all the soldiery that was there, (which was a large body, but dispersed into several parties,) with the tenth legion, and resolved to make war upon Macherus; for it was highly necessary that this citadel should be demolished, lest it might be a means of drawing away many into a rebellion, by reacon of its strength for the nature of the place was very capable of affording the surest hopes of safety to those that possessed it, as well as delay and fear to those that should attack it; for what was walled in was itself a very rocky hill, elevated to a very great height, which circumstance alone made it very hard to be subdued. It was also so contrived hy nature, that it could not be easily ascended; for it is, as it were, ditched about with such valleys on all sides, and to such a depth, that the eye cannot reach their bottoms, and such as are not easily to be passed over, and even such as it is impossible to fill up with earth. For that valley which cuts it on the west, extends to threescore furlongs, and did not end till it came to the lake Asphaltitis; on the same side it was also, that Macherus had the tallest top of its hill elevated above the rest. But then, for the valleys that lay on the north and south sides, although they be not so large as that ulready described, yet is it, in like manner, an impracticable thing to think of getting over them; and for the valley that lies on the east side, its depth is found to be not less than an hundred cubits. It extends as far as a mountain that lies over against Macherus, with which it is bounded. 2. Now, when Alexander [Janneus,] the king of the Jews, observed the nature of this place, he was the first who built a citadel here, which was afterwards demolished by Gabinius, when he made war against Aristobulus. But, when Herod came to be king, he thought the place to be worthy of the utmost regard, and of being built upon the firmest manner, and this especially because it lay so near to Arabia; for it is seated in a convenient place on that account, and hath a prospect toward that country: he, therefore, surrounded a large space of ground with walls, and towers, and built a city there, out of which city there was a way that led up to the very citadel itself on the top of the mountain: nay, more than this, he built a wall round that top of the hill, and erected towers at the corners, of an hundred and sixty cubits high; in the middle of which place he built a palace, after a magnificent manner, wherein were large and beautiful edifices. He also made a great many reservoirs for reception of water, that there might be plenty of it ready for all uses, and those in the properest places that were afforded him there. Thus did he, as it were, contend with the nature of the place, that he might exceed its natural strength and security, which yet itself rendered it hard to be taken, by those fortifications which were made by the hands of men. Moreover, he put a large quantity of darts, and other machines of war into it, and contrived to get every thing thither, that might any way contribute to its inhabitants' security, under the longest siege possible. T 3. Now, within this place there grew a sort of rue, * that deserves our wonder on account of its largeness, for it was no way inferior to any figtree whatsoever, either in height, or in thickness; and the report is, that it had lasted ever since the times of Herod, and would probably have lasted much longer, had it not been cut down by those Jews who took possession of the place afterward. But still in that valley, which encompasses the city on the north side, there is a certain place called Baaras, which produces a root of the same name with itself: its colour is like to that of flame, and toward the evenings it sends out a certain ray like lightning; it is not easily taken by such as would do it, but recedes from their hands, nor will yield itself to be taken quietly, until Spanheim observes here, that in Græcia Major, and Sicily, they had rue prodigiously great and durable, like this rue at Macherus. + This strange account of the place and root Baaras, seems to have been taken from the magicians, and the root to have been made use of in the days of Josephus, in that superstitious way of casting out demons, supposed by him to have been derived from King Solomon; of which we have already seen he had a great opinion; Antiq. b. viii. ch. ii. § 5. vol. ii. We also may hence learn the true notion Josephus had of demons and demoniacs, exactly like that of the Jews and Christians in the New Testament, and the first four centuries. See Antiq. b. vi. ch. viii> 4.2. b. xi. ch. ii. 3. vol. |