assistance they had joined battle with those who attacked them, and had beaten them; after that victory, they forgot the assurances they had given these their fellow citizens, and confederates, and slew them all, being in number many thousands.* The like miseries were undergone by those Jews that were the inhabitants of Damascus. But a more accurate account of these things has been given in the books of the Jewish War. I only mention them now, because I would demonstrate to my readers, that the Jews' war with the Romans was not voluntary; but that, for the main, they were forced by necessity to enter into it. So when Gessius had been beaten, as we have said already; the principal men of Jerusalem, seeing that the robbers, and innovators had arms in great plenty, and fearing lest they, while they were unprovided of arms, should be in subjection to their enemies: which also came to be the case afterward; and being informed that all Galilee had not yet revolted from the Romans, but that some part of it was still quiet; and sent me, and two other priests, who were men of excellent characters, Jorzar, and Judas, in order to persuade the ill men there to lay down their arms and to teach them this lesson, that it were better to have those arms reserved for the most courageous men that the nation had, than to be kept there. For that it had been resolved that our best men should always have their arms ready against futurity: but still so, that they should wait to see what the Romans would do. When I had received these instructions, I came into Galilee ; and found the people of Sepphoris in no small agony about their country by reason that the Galileans bad resolved to plunder it on account of the friendship they had with the Romans: and because they had given their right hand, and made a league with Cestius Gallus, the president of Syria. But I delivered them all out of the fear they were in: and persuaded the multitude to deal kindly with them: and permitted them to send to those that were of thy neighbour;" and that verse 17, "Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge, against the children of thy people: but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself:" as well as from many other places in the Pentateuch and Prophets. Antiq. VIII. 8. Thirteen thousand. their own hostages with Gessius to Dora, which is a city of Pho-nicia, as often as they pleased. Though I still found the inhabitants of Tiberias ready to take arms, and that on the following occasion : There were three factions in the city. The first was composed of men of worth and gravity. Of these Julias Capellus was the head. Now he, as well as all his companions, Herod, the son of Miarus, Herod, the son of Gamalus, and Compsus, the son of Compsus, (for as to Compsus's brother Crispus, who had once been governor of the city under the *great king Agrippa, he was beyond Jordan, in his own possessions,) gave their advice that the city should then continue in their allegiance to the Romans, and to the king. But Pistus, who was guided by his son Justus, did not acquiesce in that resolution. Otherwise he was himself uaturally of a good and virtuous character. But the second faction was composed of the most ignoble persons, and was determined for war. But as for Justus, the son of Pistus, who was the head of the third faction, although he pretended to be doubtful about going to war, yet was he really desirous of innovation: as supposing that he should gain power to himself by the change of affairs. He therefore came into the midst of them, and endeavoured to inform the multitude, that the city Tiberias had ever been a city of Galilee, and that in the days of Herod the tetrarch who had fbuilt it, it had obtained the principal place and that he had ordered that the city Sepphoris should be subordinate to Tiberias that they had not lost this pre-eminence even uuder Agrippa, the father: but had retained it until Felix was procurator of Judea. But he told them that now they had been so unfortunate, as to be made a present by Nero to Agrippa junior. And that upon Sepphoris's submission to the Romans, that was become the capital city of Galilee: and that the royal treasury and the archives were now removed from them. When he had spoken these things and a great many more, against king Agrippa, in order to provoke the people to revolt, he added, that this : *This Herod Agrippa, the father, was of old called a great king, as here appearsby his coins still remaining: to which Havercamp refers us. war. was the time for them to take arms and join with the Galileans as their confederates: (whom they might command, and who would now willingly assist them, out of the hatred they bare to the people of Sepphoris, because they preserved their fidelity to the Romans) and to gather a great number of forces, in order to punish them. And as he said this, he exhorted the multitude to go to For his abilities consisted in making harangues to the people, and in being too hard in his speeches for such as opposed him, though they advised what was more to their advantage: and this by his craftiness, and his fallacies. For he was not unskilful in the learning of the Greeks. And in dependence on that skill it was that he undertook to write a history of the affairs: as aiming by this way of haranguing to disguise the truth. But as to this man, and how ill were his character and conduct of life, and how he and his brother were, in great measure, the authors of our destruction, I shall give the reader an account in the progress of my narration. So when Justus had, by his persuasions, prevailed with the citizens of Tiberias to take arms; nay, and had forced a great many so to do against their wills; he went out and set the villages that belonged to Gadara and Hippos on fire: which villages were situate on the borders of Tiberias, and of the region Scythopolis. But as for Gischala, of Levi, saw some of This was the state Tiberias was now in. its affairs were thus. When John, the son the citizens much elevated upon their revolt from the Romans, he laboured to restrain them and entreated them that they would keep their allegiance to them. But he could not gain his purpose; although he did his endeavours to the utmost. For the neighbouring people of Gadara, Gabara, and Sogana, with the Tyrians, assembled a great army, and took Gischala by force, and set it on fire and when they had entirely demolished it, they returned home. Upon which John was so enraged, that he armed all his men and joined battle with the aforementioned people, and rebuilt Gischala, after a manner better than before; and fortified it with walls, for its future security. But Gamala persevered in its allegiance to the Romans, for the following reason: Philip the son of Jacimus, who was their governor under king Agrippa, had been unexpectedly preserved when the *royal palace at Jerusalem had been besieged; but as he fled away had fallen into danger of being killed by Manahem', and the robbers that were with him. But certain Babylonians, who were of his kindred, and were then in Jerusalem, prevented the robbers from executing their design. So Philip staid there four days, and fled away on the fifth having disguised bimself with false hair that he might not be discovered. And when he was come to one of his villages, that was situate at the borders of the citadel of Gamala, he sent to some of those that were under him, and commanded them to come to him. But God himself frustrated his intention; and this for his own advantage. For had it not so happened, he had certainly perished. For a fever having seized upon him immediately, he wrote letters to Agrippa and Bernice; and gave them to one of his freedmen to carry them to Varus; who at this time was procurator of the kingdom which the king and his sister had intrusted him with; while they were gone to Berytus, with an intention of meeting Gessius. When Varus had received these letters of Philip's, and had learned that he was preserved, he was very uneasy at it: as supposing that he should appear useless to the king and his sister, now Philip was come. He therefore produced the carrier of the letters before the multitude; and accused him of forging the same : and said that he spake falsely when he related that Philip was at Jerusalem, fighting among the Jews against the Romans. So he slew him. And when this freedman of Philip's did not return, Philip was doubtful what should be the occasion of his stay and sent a second messenger, with letters, that he might, upon his return, inform him what had befallen the other that had been sent before; and why he tarried so long. Varus accused this messenger also, when he came, of telling a falsehood, and slew him. For he was puffed up by the Syrians that were at Cæsarea; and had great expectations. For they said, that Agrippa would be slain by the Romans, for the crimes which the Jews had committed; and that he should himself take the government, as derived from their kings. For Varus was, by the confession of all, of the royal family as being a descendant of Sohemus, who had enjoy See Antiquities, XVII. 10 ed a tetrarchy about Libanus. For which reason it was that hẽ was puffed up, and kept the letters to himself. He contrived also, that the king should not meet with those writings, by guarding all the passes, lest any one should escape, and carry intelligence of what had been done. He, moreover, slew many of the Jews, in order to gratify the Syrians of Cæsarea. He had a mind also to join with the Trachonites in Batanea, and to take arms and make an assault upon the Babylonian Jews that were at Ecbatana : for that was the name they went by. He therefore called to him twelve of the Jews of Cæsarea, of the best character, and ordered them to go to their countrymen at Ecbatana, with this message: "Varus hath heard that you intend to march against the king: but not believing that report, he hath sent us to persuade you to lay down your arms: and this compliance will be a sign that he did well not to give credit to those that raised the report concerning you." He also enjoined them to send seventy of their principal men, to make a defence as to the accusation laid against them. So when the twelve messengers came to their countrymen at Ecbatana, and found that they had no designs of innovation, they persuaded them to send the seventy men. Who, not at all suspecting what would come, sent them accordingly. So these *seventy and the twelve ambassadors went down to Cæsarea: where Varus met them with the king's forces, and slew them all; and made an expedition against the Jews of Ecbatana. But one there was of the seventy who escaped, and made haste to inform the Jews of their coming. Upon which they took their arms, with their wives and children, and retired to the citadel at Gamala: leaving their own villages full of all sorts of good things: and having many thousands of cattle therein. When Philip was informed of these things, he also came to the citadel of Gamala.— And when he was come the multitude cried aloud, and desired him to resume the government, and make an expedition against Varus, and the Syrians of Cæsarea. For it was reported that they had slain the king. But Philip restrained their zeal, and put them in mind of the benefits the king had bestowed upon them and told them how powerful the Romans were: and said it was not for *The famous Jewish numbers of 12 and 70 are here remarkable. : |