3741. Eudemus of Pergamos brought Attalus' will to Rome and gave Tiberius Gracchus, the tribune of the people, the crown and purple robes of the king of Pergamos. (Plutarch in Tiber. Gracch.) His will said:
``Let the people of Rome be the heir of my goods.''
3742. So that the people of Rome thought that the kingdom was part of the king's goods and held that province not by force of arms but by virtue of that will. (Florus, l. 2. c. 20.) By this will Attalus bequeathed to the people of Rome, Asia, if it really was bequeathed, so that it ought to be free. (Livy l. 59.) Indeed the Romans are charged with the counterfeiting of this will in Mithridates' letter to Arsacas, in the 4th of Salust's History. Horace hints that they were not the lawful heirs to Attalus. Acron noted this in his notes upon the 18th ode of the second book of verses.
``Neither have I as an obscure heir invaded Attalus' court.''
3743. Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, desired to buy the favour of the people. He put though an agrarian law which was named after him as the Sempronian law. The land in Asia should be farmed out by the Roman censors. To that end he published a law to the people. It said that as soon as the money bequeathed by King Attalus was come, it should be divided among the citizens, who were by the Sempronian law, to rent the lands for farming and buy farming implements. He denied that the senate had anything to do with the cities of the kingdom of Attalus. He intended to refer them to an assembly of the people. (Cicero, Verrin. 2. Livy l. 58. Plutarch, in Tib. Gracch. Oros. l. 5. c. 8.) Since an assembly of the tribunes was held that summer, it was moved that he might continue as tribune of the people for the next year. He was stabbed in the capitol by the arrangement of P. Cornelius Nasica, the Pontifex Maximus. (Appian. Bell. Civil. l. 1. p. 358.) Scaevola and Pison were consuls, (Ascon. Pedian. in Verrin. 2.) the same summer when Attalus died.
3872a AM, 4581 JP, 133 BC
3744. Aristonicus pretended to descend from the royal blood according to Vellius Paterculus. He was indeed the son of King Eumenes and the brother of the dead Attalus although not by lawful wedlock but by an Ephesian courtesan, the daughter of a Misitian. He invaded Asia to obtain the right of his father's kingdom. Most of the cities who lived previously under the king's government were easily persuaded to side with him. Those few who feared the Romans and opposed him, he took by force. (Livy l. 59. Velles. Patercul. l. 2. c. 4. Strabo, l. 14. p. 646. Flor. l. 3. c. 21. Justin. l. 36. c. 4. Plutarch, sub. fin. Vita. T. Q. Flaminin. Appian. Bell. Civil. l. 1. p. 360. & Mubridatic. p. 212. Eutrop. l. 4.)
3745. The first place which he made to revolt, was a little town called Leucas. However, he was soon expelled after losing a naval battle with the Ephesians near Cuma. (Strabo. l. 14. p. 646.)
3872b AM, 4582 JP, 132 BC
3746. From there Aristonicus marched into the midland, where he assembled a numerous company of poor persons and slaves whom he incited to stand up for their liberty. He called them the Heliopolitans. (Strabo. l. 14. p. 646.) Wherever slaves lived under a hard master, they stopped serving him and ran away to Aristonicus. He defeated many cities. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 362.) Aristonicus first attacked Thiatira, then Apollonias and later the other garrisons. (Strabo. l. 14. p. 646.) He took Myndus, Samos and Colophon by force. (Florus l. 2. c. 20)
3747. To stop him, all the cities around there sent their forces. Nicomedes king of Bithynia, Ariarathes of Cappadocia, Phylaemenes of Paphlagonia and Mithridates of Pontus brought their forces to the Romans against him. Moreover, five delegates came from Rome. (Strabo. l. 14. p. 646. cum Justin. l 37. c. 1. & Eutrop. l. 4.)
3748. This was the 38th year under King Euergetes the second or Physcon, the start of his reign being from the time he began to reign with his brother Philometor. (See note on 3835 AM <<3291>) Jesus, the son of Sirach who was born at Jerusalem came into Egypt and lived there. He translated the book of his grandfather Jesus, called by the Greeks, Panaretos and Ecclesiasticus, from Hebrew into Greek as he states in the preface to his translation. This very book, Jerome in his 115th Epistle says he had seen in the Hebrew with this inscription.
``The parables of Jesus son of Sirach.''
3749. P. Rupilius was promoted from the position of a Sicilian Publican to the honour of consulship. He put down the insurrection of the slaves in Sicily. (Livy l. 59. Ascon. Pedian. Verrin. 4. Valer. Maxim. l. 2. c. 7. & l. 6. c. 9.) When he besieged Taurominium, he took as prisoner Comanus, Cleon's brother, as he was stealing out of the city. A little later at Sarapion, the Syrians betrayed the fort to him and he seized all the fugitives in the city. After he had racked them, he killed them. From there he marched to Euna, where he fought with Cleon the general, who marched out of the city to fight him. Cleon behaved himself very gallantly and received many wounds before he fell. As soon as the general was killed, that city also was betrayed to the consul. Eunus, the king of the rebels took along with him 600 of his men and escaped as fast as he could to the craggy mountains for his safety. For fear of the pursuers they hid in caves. From there he and four more of his company were dragged out and cast into prison at Morgantina. He lay there so long that his body putrefied and was infested with lice. This was a lamentable death but his rash actions deserved no better. (Diod. Sic. l. 34. in Photti, Bibliothec. cod. 214.)
3873 AM, 4583 JP, 131 BC
3750. In the 8th year of Antiochus Sidetes, about 10 o'clock in the morning, on the 21st day of the month Peritius or Begruary, there was an earthquake at Antioch in Syria. This is recorded in the Chronicles of John Malela of Antioch.
3751. When L. Valerius Flaccus and P. Licinius Crassus were consuls, it was proposed to the people whom they wanted to manage the war against Aristonicus. Crassus the consul and Pontifex Maximus threatened to impose a fine upon Flaccus who was his colleague in the consulship and a priest of Mars if he left the holy services. The people removed the fine, yet enjoined the priests to obey the Pontifex. For all that, the people would not consent that the managing of the war should be given to a private person. Although Scipio Africanus was the man they wanted, who the year before had triumphed over the Numantians, they voted that the war should be entrusted to Crassus the consul than to Africanus who was but a private person. (Cicero, in Philippic. 11.) So the Pontifex Maxiumus left Italy for the first time ever. (Livy l. 59.)
3752. Antiochus Sidetes marched with his army against Phraates, who succeeded his brother Arsacides or Mithridates in the kingdom of Parthia. He intended to get back his brother Demetrius Nicator. Phraates had twice captured him as he was fleeing away and sent him back into Hircania to his wife Rhodoguna and his children. This was not from kindness toward them or respect of his own alliance to them, but because he aspired to the kingdom of Syria. Therefore he wanted to use Demetrius against Antiochus, his brother, as occasion should serve and the events of the war would require. Thereupon Antiochus thought it best to begin first. Therefore he led his army which he had already hardened in the wars which he had with his neighbours into Media against the Parthians. (Justin. l. 38. c. 9, 10. & l. 42. c. 1. Livy l. 59. Athenaus, l. 10. c. 12. & l. 12. c. 19. Appian. Syriac. p. 132.)
3753. As he lived so he waged war. He had 300,000 (Orosius says 200,000) scullions followed his army of 80,000 (Orosius says 100,000) men. Most of these servants were cooks, bakers and actors. (Justin. l. 38. c. 10.) Antiochus entertained constantly every day such a large number of guests that besides what was eaten at table and taken off by heaps, everyone of the guests carried away whole joints of meat untouched. They had meat from four footed beasts, birds, sea fish already dressed. Moveover there was provided many deserts of candied honey, many coronets of frankincense and myrrh with knots and ribbons of gold which being let down at length and were as high as a man. (Posidon, Apameus, Historiar. l. 14. apud Atheneus, l. 5. c. 9. & l. 12. c. 19.) The soldiers imitated his blind and mad excesses. They drove silver nails into the soles of their shoes and prepared silver vessels for kitchen service and adorned their tents with woven imagery. All this might rather seem a booty to encourage the enemy than be a means to retard and slacken the hands of a courageous man to pursue a victory. (Valer. Maxim. l. 9. c. 1. & Justin l. 38. c. 10.)
3754. As soon as Antiochus came into those regions, many of the eastern king's surrendered themselves and their kingdoms to him and cursed the insolence of the Parthians. He soon fought the enemy. Antiochus won three battles and was about to seize Babylonia. He became famous so that the Parthians had nothing left but their own country and the people generally defected to Antiochus. (Justin. l. 38. c. 10)
3755. In this expedition, John Hyrcanus the Jew's high priest and ruler, followed Antiochus with his supplies. Concerning him, Nicholaus Damascenus tells this in his general history:
``Antiochus had erected a monument near the Lycus River where he defeated Indates, the Parthian general. He waited there for two days at the request of Hyrcanus the Jew. It happened to be the time of one of the Jews solemn festivals during which it was not lawful for the Jews to travel.''
3756. It was the feast of Pentecost which happened after the sabbath. During this time the Jews were prohibited to take any journey. (Josephus, l. 13. c. 16.) When it was over, John defeated the Hircani and was surnamed Hyrcanus because of this as is supposed by Eusebius' Chronicle and Severus Sulpitius, in the second book of his Holy History. He returned home again with a great deal of honour.
3757. P. Crassus, the consul, came into Asia to put down king Aristonicus. By his studiousness, be became so expert in the Greek language that he knew it most exactly as it is divided into its five dialects. This earned him a great deal of favour and love among the allies when they saw him answer their requests in the very same dialect that they themselves had used. (Valer. Maximus, l. 8. c. 7. Quintilian. l. 11. c. 2.)
3758. When Crassus was preparing to besiege Leucas, he wanted a strong and large beam to make a battering ram for the walls of the town. He wrote to the chief carpenter of the Moleatenses who were confederates and allies of the Romans. He wanted the larger of two masts which he had seen there, sent to him. The carpenter understood what he wanted but sent the smaller of the two masts. He thought it more suitable for the purpose and easier to ship. Crassus ordered him to be sent for. When he had demanded why he had not sent the mast he asked for, he was not put off by his excuses and reasons and commanded him to be stripped and whipped. Crassus thought that all respect due to superiors would soon disappear, if a man might be allowed to reply to a command, not with the obedience which is expected but with an officious rendering of his own advice. (A. Gell. l. 1. c. 13.)
3874a AM, 4583 JP, 131 BC
3759. Antiochus Sidetes divided his army into winter quarters through the cities because they were so numerous. When he expected the cities to provide free board for his soldiers and the soldiers were poorly behaved, these cities defected from him. (Justin l. 38. c. 10) Athenaeus, one of Antiochus' captains, was the most intolerably insolent of all no matter where he went to spend the winter. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii. p. 374.)
3760. P. Crassus, proconsul of Asia, had a very strong force and had troops sent to him from the kings of Bithynia, Pontus, Cappadocia and Paphlagonia. However, at the end of the year, when he fought with the enemy, he was defeated. After a great slaughter of his army, the army was forced to flee. He was captured near Leneas between Elea and Smyrna by an ambush of Thracians where Aristonicus had a number of troops garrisoned. The consul remembered from what an honourable family he had descended and that he was a Roman. He thrust the stick with which he used to guide his horse into the eye of the Thracian who had charge of him. He was enraged because of the pain and ran his sword into Crassus' side. Thus he died in a way that he avoided disgrace and servitude. His head was presented to Aristonicus and his body interred at Smyrna. (Livy l. 59. Vellei Patarcul. l. 2. Strabo. l. 14. 646. Valer. Maxim. l. 3. c. 2. Flo. l. 2. c. 20. Justin, l. 36. c. 4. Julius Obsequens de prodigiis Eutrop. l. 4. Oros. l. 5. c. 10.)
3874b AM, 4584 JP, 130 BC
3761. When M. Perperna, the consul who succeeded Crassus, heard of his death and the defeat of the Roman army, he went quickly into Asia. He surprised Aristonicus who was keeping, as it were, a holiday for his recent conquest and routed him since he did not have his forces with him. He escaped to Stratonice, where the consul followed and besieged the city so tightly that he forced it to surrender for lack of provisions. He took Aristonicus prisoner and kept him in bonds. (Livy Patercul. Strabo, Florus, Justin, Oros. Eutrop. ut supra, Valer. Max. l. 3. c. 4.)
3762. Belosius Cuma thought so highly of Tiberius Gracchus that if he had commanded him to set fire to the capitol, he said he would do it with no regrets. After the death of Tiberius Gracchus, he went from Rome to Aristonicus into Asia. When he saw the reverse of Aristonicus' fortunes, he killed himself. (Plutarch in Tib. Graccho.)
3763. Just before the capture of Aristonicus, news came to Rome that the image of Apollo at Cuma wept for 4 days. The soothsayers were so appalled at this sign that they planned to throw the image into the sea had not the old men of Cuma interceded. The most expert soothsayers said that this sign showed the downfall of Greece from where that image was brought. Thereupon the Romans sacrificed and brought offerings into the temple. (Jul. Obsequens, de prodigiis, Augustin. de Civit. Dei, l. 3. c. 11.)
3764. Phrygia was recovered by the Romans. (Jul. Obsequens, ibid.)
3765. Phraates sent Demetrius Nicator into Syria with a company of Parthians to seize that kingdom. He hoped to draw Antiochus from Parthia and to save his own country. In the meantime, since he could not overcome Antiochus in battle, he endeavoured by all means to surprise him with stratagems. (Justin, l. 38. c. 10.)
3766. The cities, where Antiochus' army had taken up their winter quarters, were burdened with supplying quarters to the insolent troops. They revolted to the Parthians. On a set day, all of them attacked the army as it was dispersed in their various quarters. They placed ambushes so that they could not come to help one another. As soon as Antiochus knew of this, he marched to the relief of those that were next to him with that company which quartered with him. (Justin, l. 38. c. 10.)
3767. The swallows built nests in Antiochus' pavilion. He ignored the prodigy and fought with the enemy. (Jul. Obsequens, de prodig.) He behaved more gallantly than Phraates, whom he met in the way, than his army did. At the end, his army deserted him. (Justin, l. 38. c. 10.)
3768. The first man that deserted Antiochus, was Athenaeus, who fled to some of those villages which he had provoked them by his insolence when he was quartered among them. They shut their gates against him and was denied food by all. He was forced to wander up and down the country until he died from hunger. (Diod. Sic. in Excerptis Valesii, p. 374, 377.)
3769. Julius Obsequens, (l. de prodigiis.) Justinus, (l. 38. c. 10 & 39. c. 1.) Josephus, (l. 15. c. 16.) Eusebius, (in his Chronicle.) and Orosius (l. 5. c. 10.) state that Antiochus was killed by the Parthians in that battle. Appian stated he killed himself after losing the battle. (in Syriac. p. 132.) Elianus said that after he lost the battle, he threw himself down headlong from a steep place. (l. 10. de Animal c. 34.) Some modern writers think he was stoned to death by the priests of the temple Nannea in Persia, where he came with the remainder of his army to plunder the temple. They think along with Rupertus Tuitiensis, (l. 10. de victoria Verbi Dei, c. 6. 16. 24.) that this was the same Antiochus of whom mention is made in the epistle of the Jews at Jerusalem to their brethren in Egypt. /APC 2Ma 1:10-17
3770. Arsaces as Phraates was called by the common name of the king's of Parthia, buried the dead body of Antiochus. Posidonius of Apamea, in the 16th book of his histories, (according to Athenaus, l. 10. c. 12.) states Phraates reproved his debauchery:
``Thy wine, O Antiochus and thy two great confidences have deceived thee. For thou hopest in thy large cups to have swallowed down the kingdom of Arsaces.''
3771. After Antiochus' funeral was over which Phraates carried out in a royal manner, he was enamoured with Demetrius' daughter, whom Antiochus had brought along with him and married her. He began to regret sending Demetrius away. Therefore he quickly sent some cavalry to bring him back. They found Demetrius already established in his kingdom, so that the attempt was a waste of time and they returned back to the king. (Justin l. 38. c. 10.)
3772. Antiochus and his army were defeated in Parthia and his brother Demetrius was freed from the captivity of the Parthians and restored to his kingdom. All Syria at that time bemoaned the loss of the army. However he seemed to think it a stroke of good luck and he could not have managed it better himself. One of them was taken prisoner and freed and the other was killed. (Justin l. 32. c. 1.)
3773. After the death of Antiochus, the Jews never allowed a Macedonian king to be over them but created magistrates among themselves. They annoyed Syria with continual wars (Justin l. 36. c. 1.) and subdued many parts of Syria and Phoenicia. (Strabo. l. 16. c. 761.) After the death of Antiochus, Hyrcanus revolted from the Macedonians and never again sent them any supplies either as a subject or friend. At the first rumour of Antiochus' death, he led his whole army against the cities of Syria which he supposed and it was true, had few troops to defend them. He stormed Medaba which is mentioned in /APC 1Ma 9:36). He captured it with some difficulty after a 6 month seige. He next conquered Samega and its adjacent towns. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 17.)
3774. In the meantime, Phraates resolved to start a war in Syria in vindication of Antiochus' attempt to take over the kingdom of Parthia. He was thwarted and called home to put down a rebellion of the Scythians. The Scythians were hired by the Parthians to help them against Antiochus. However they did not arrive with their supplies until the war was over. Hence the Parthians reduced their pay and justified it by saying they came too late. The Scythians were upset after they had marched so long for nothing. They asked that they might be given their pay because of their tedious march or that they might be given some other work to do. When the Parthians returned a rough answer which offended them, they started plundering the country. (Justin. l. 41. c. 1.)
3775. While Phraates was gone against the Scythians, he left behind him as viceroy, Himerus, an Hircanian by birth, who was highly favoured by him when he was a young man. Himerus forgot his former lowly position and that he was acting on the behalf of another. He instigated a great deal of tyranny and vexed the Babylonians and many other cities for no reason at all. (Justin. l. 41. c. 1.) He made many of the Babylonians his slaves and dispersed them with their whole families into Media. He set also the market place and some temples of Babylon on fire. He pulled down all the most beautiful places of the city. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii. p. 377.) Posidonius of Apamea also mentions the extravagant government of Himerus, in the 26th book of his Histories. (Atheneus, l. 11. c. 4.) He stated that Lysimachus, a Babylonian, invited him and 300 more to supper. When the food was taken away, he presented everyone of those 300, the silver cup of four pounds in price, in which they had drunk from.
3776. In Egypt, Ptolemy Euergetes the second or Physcon had reigned for 15 years after his brother Philometor. (Diod. Sic. shows in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 350.) His cruelty made him so odious to those very foreigners whom he had invited to Alexandria that they set his royal palace on fire. They stole away secretly to Cyprus with his son Memphites, whom his sister Cleopatra bore him and with his wife the daughter of the same Cleopatra. After this the people conferred the kingdom on Cleopatra, his sister and divorced wife. He hired an army and waged war against his own sister and native country. (Livy l. 59, Jul. Obsequens de prodigus. Justin l. 38. c. 8. Orosius l. 5. c. 10.)
3875a AM, 4584 JP, 130 BC
3777. John Hyrcanus took Sichem and Garizim and demolished the temple of the Cuthites 200 years after it had been built by Sanballat. (Joseph. Antiq. l. 13. c. 17.)
3778. M. Perperna was careful to have Aristonicus and the treasure which Attalus lost in his legacy to the people of Rome, shipped away from there. This action was ill received by Manius Aquilius the consul who was his successor. He immediately hurried to Perperna and intended to get Aristonicus from him. He thought Aristonicus belonged in his triumph rather than to Perperna's. However Perperna's death settled the matter. When he returned he took sick at Pergamos and died. (Strabo. l. 14. p. 646. Valer. Maximus, l. 3. c. 4. Justin, l.36. c. 4. Eutrop. l. 4. Oros. l. 5. c. 10.)
3875b AM, 4585 JP, 129 BC
3779. Aqullius the consul, completed the remainder of the Asian war. He forced some cities to surrender by poisoning their water supply. Although this made for a quick victory, it spoiled his reputation and made him dishonourable. (Florus. l. 2. c. 20.)
3780. Most of the Asians, who for 4 whole years had helped Aristonicus against the Romans, returned to their loyalty with Rome from fear. (Sylla, apud Appian. in Mithridatic. p. 212.) Lydia, anciently the seat of the kings, Caria, Hellespont, and both Phrigia's by joint surrender, put themselves under the power of the Romans. (Sextus, Rufus in Breviario.)
3781. The Massilians sent their ambassadors away to Rome to mediate in behalf of their founders the Phoenicians, whose city and name the senate had ordered to be totally destroyed because they in the war with Aristonicus and formerly with Antiochus the great had fought against the people of Rome. The senate granted them their pardon. (Justin. l. 37. c. 1.)
3782. The Romans gave the greater Phrygia to Mithradates Euergetes king of Pontus, as a gift for helping them against Aristonicus. (Justin l. 37. c. 1. & l. 38. c. 5.) Although it is generally believed that Manius Aquilius was well bribed for his pains and gave it to him. Therefore after the death of Mithradates, the senate took Phrygia away from his son who was not of legal age. He complained in Trogus Pompeius about this. They made it a free and independent state. (Appian. in Mithridatic. p. 177. & 208. & l. 1. Bell. Civil. p. 362, 363. cf. Justin. l. 38. c. 5.)
3783. Aquilius with ten delegates, subdued Attalus' dominion into the form of a province and made it a tributary. They called it Asia after the name of the continent. (Strabo, l. 13. p. 624. & l. 14. p. 646.)
3784. Ariarathes, king of Cappadocia, was slain in the war against Aristonicus and left behind him 6 sons by his wife Laodice. The people of Rome gave Lycaonia and Cilicia to them for their father's good service. Laodice was jealous of her sons and feared lest when they came of age, she would be deprived of the kingdom. She poisoned 5 of them but one young one escaped his mother's cruelty through the help of his family. He ruled after the people had killed Laodice for her cruelty. (Justin. l. 37. c. 1.)
3785. John Hyrcanus took Adora and Marissa which were cities of Idumea. When he had subdued all the Idumeans he had them circumcised under penalty of losing their country. They loved their native country and were circumcised and kept all the other Jewish laws. After this they were counted as Jews. (Joseph. Antiq. l. 13. c. 17. l. 15. c. 11. p. 531. cf. l. 4. Bell. c. 16. or c. 6.) Strabo relates that these Idumeans were originally Nabateans but were driven from there after some sedition. They joined themselves to the Jews and submitted to their laws. (Strabo. l. 16. p. 760.) He adds, that Herod the king of the Jews, came from there, "virum indigenam", "A stranger born". (Strabo l. 16. p. 765.) Antigonus said he was an Idumean that is, an half Jew. (Joseph. l. 14. Antiq. c. 27. p. 501.) For although Stephanus Byzantinus writes (in voc. gdoumaios) that the Idumeans were Hebrews originally, yet Ammonius the grammarian in his book de differentius verborum, from Ptolemy's first book, de Rege Herode, (perhaps that Ptolemy who was Herod's lieutenant, Joseph. l. 16. Antiq. c. 11.) had noted this difference between the Idumeans and the Jews.
``The Jews are such as were so naturally from the beginning. The Idumeans were not Jews from the beginning but Phoenicians and Syrians who were conquered by the Jews. They were compelled to be circumcised, to unite their country to the Jew's and to be subject to their laws. Therefore they were called Jews.''
3786. They were called Jews not because of their descent but in regard of their religion and manner of life. For there were other men which were called Jews, though they were born strangers, because they lived according to their rites and constitutions. Diod. noted this in his 37th book of his Roman History. Hence it is, that, from the Hebrews, the kingdom of Herod and his posterity is styled syrnh twkls, "The Kingdom of the Proselytes" (not Hagarens, as it is rendered by Munster in Seder Olam minore, and by Scaliger in Judaici Comput. Spic. legio, l. 7. de Emendatione temporum.) For among the Jews, the term "proselytes of righteousness" as they called them came to be used at this time of the Idumeans. These proselytes were always counted and given the same honour as other Jews.
3787. Ptolemy Physcon recalled his oldest son from Cyrene and killed him. He feared the Alexandrians would set him up as king against him. Thereupon the people pulled down his statue and his images. (Justin. l. 38. c. 8.) Ptolemy thought that this was done by the instigation of his sister Cleopatra and did not know how to be avenged in any other way. Therefore he ordered his son Memphitis, who was a promising young child he had by Cleopatra, to be killed before his eyes. He had his head, hands and feet cut off and put them into a chest covered with a soldier's coat. He gave them to one of his servants to carry to Alexandria and to present them to Cleopatra on her birthday when she was in the height of her happiness for a birthday gift. This was a grievous and sad spectacle for the queen and the whole city. The whole merry mood of the celebration was changed and the court mourned this act. The nobles turned their festival into a funeral and showed the mangled limbs to the people to let them see what they themselves were to expect from their king, who had murdered his own son. (Justin l. 38. c. 8. Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 374. Livy l. 59. Jul. Obsequens, de prodigus, Valer. Maxim. l. 9. c. 2.)
3788. Ptolemy saw how detestable he had become in his country and feared the worst. He tried to secure his throne with more cruelty. He thought that if the common people were killed, his throne would be more secure. At a time when the common place of exercise was full of the young men, he surrounded it and burned it. Those that escaped the fire were killed by the sword. (Valer. Maxim. l. 9, c. 2.)
3789. Phraates led the army of the Greeks which he had taken in the war against Antiochus in his war with the Scythians. He behaved himself very imperiously toward them and did not consider the hostility toward him because of their captivity. He had exasperated them with new indignities. As soon as they saw the Parthian army give ground, they wheeled about to the enemy and executed the long desired revenge for their captivity. Phraates was killed and the Parthian army put to the sword. (Justin. l. 42. c. 1.)
3790. Artabanus, his uncle succeeded Phraates in the kingdom of the Parthians. The Scythians were contented with their victory and after they had pillaged the country of the Parthians, they returned home again. Artabanus had started a war with the Thogarii or Tochari, who were a people descended from the Scythians. He was wounded in his arm and died shortly after. He left for his successor his son, Mithridates the Great. Shortly after this Mithridates waged war with Ortodistes, the king of Armenia, (Justin l. 42. c. 2.)
3791. At 6 o'clock in the morning at Rhodes, Hipparchus observed the sun in Leo at 8 degrees 35 minutes and the moon in Taurus at 12 degrees 2 minutes. This was in the 50th year of the third Calippic period, the 16th day of the Egyptian month Epiph (August 5th). (Ptol. l. 5. c. 3.)
3876 AM, 4586 JP, 128 BC
3792. Hipparchus observed the vernal equinox in the same 50th year, on the first day of the Egyptian month Phamenoth. (March 23rd) (Ptol. l. 3. c. 2.)
3793. Hipparchus, in the same year observed the star in the heart of Leo 29 degrees 50 minutes from the point of the summer solstice. (Ptol. l. 3. c. 2.)
3794. Hegelochus, Ptolemy Physcon's general, was sent against Marsias the Alexandrian's general and captured him alive but killed his troops. When Marsias was brought into the king's presence, all believed the king would have given him a cruel death, but Ptolemy spared him, beyond all expectations. For he now began to repent of his previous bloody actions and was very desirous by such acts of grace to reconcile himself to the people who were extremely alienated from him. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 377.)
3795. After the days of mourning for her son were over, Queen Cleopatra saw that her brother, Physcon was marching against her and sent her ambassadors to ask for help from Demetrius Nicator, the king of Syria. He was her son-in-law, for Cleopatra the wife to Demetrius was the daughter of this Cleopatra and Philometor. She promised him that he should have the kingdom of Egypt for his trouble. In hopes of that prize, he marched into Egypt, and made his first attack on Peleusium. (Justin. l. 38. c. 9. & l. 39. c. 1. Porphyrius, in Gracis, Eusebianus Scaligers, p. 227.)
3877a AM, 4586 JP, 128 BC
3796. In this year, Alexander Jannaeus, son to John Hyrcanus was born, who was later the king of the Jews. He lived for 49 years (Joseph. l. 13. c. 23. fin.) As soon as he was born, he fell out of favour with his father. For it is said that Hyrcanus enquired of God who appeared to him in his sleep about his successor. He was very solicitous on the behalf of Aristobulus and Antigonus whom he loved far more than the other brothers. God told him that Jannaeus would succeed him. He was much perplexed and he sent Alexander into Galilee to receive his education. He never allowed him into his presence as long as he lived. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 20.)
3797. About this time, Simon, the son of Dositheus, Apollonius, the son of Alexander and Diodorus, the son of Jason, were sent as ambassadors from Hyrcanus and the people of the Jews to renew their friendship and amity with the Romans. Faunius, the son of Marcus, the city praetor arranged a meeting of the senate for them on the 8th of February. This was really in November (Julian Calendar) because of the mess the Roman calendar was in. It was ordered by a decree of the senate that Joppe and its parts, Gazara and the springs and the other cities which Antiochus Sidetes had taken from them, contrary to the decree of the senate, should be restored. It was further ordered that the king's soldiers should not travel through their country or through any country under their command. That whatever Antiochus had gained in that war should be set aside. That the ambassadors whom the senate sent should take care to see restored whatever Antiochus had taken away and to give an estimate of the damage the country had sustained in that war. That letters of commendation should be given to the ambassadors for the kings and free people so that they might return more safely into their country. Moreover, Faunius the praetor was ordered to supply the ambassadors with money from the common bank to provide for the needs of their journey home. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 17.)
3877b AM, 4587 JP, 127 BC
3798. Hipparchus on the island of Rhodes observed the sun at 7 degrees, 45 minutes in Taurus and the moon at 21 degrees 40 minutes in Pisces. This was in the 197th year after Alexander's death and 621st of Nabonasar, on the 11th day of the Egyptian month Pharmuth (May 2nd) in the morning at 5:20 AM. (Ptol. l. 5. c. 5.)
3799. In the same year, on the 17th day of the Egyptian month Payn (July 7th) in the afternoon at 3:20 PM Hipparchus observed in the same place, the sun at 10 degrees 54 minutes in Cancer and the moon at 21 degrees 40 minutes in Pisces. (Ptol. l. 5. c. 5.)
3800. In the 9th year of Hyrcanus' high priesthood and reign, Alexander the son of Jason, Numenius, son of Antiochus and Alexander, son of Dorotheus, the ambassadors for the Jews gave the senate a vial and buckler of gold, valued at 50,000 crowns as a testimony of their ancient amity with the people of Rome. When the ambassadors had received letters for the free cities and kings to pass safely through their countries and ports, they returned home. A copy of this decree of the senate is in Josephus, (l. 14. c. 16.) for a different occasion. For Josephus had said before, that on Julius Caesar's letters, a decree was obtained giving permission to Hyrcanus the 2nd to repair the walls of Jerusalem, which Pompey had demolished. I do not know through what oversight he joined this decree instead of the other which in no way concerned the repair of the walls of Jerusalem. Yet Josephus said that this was done in the 9th year of Hycannus' high priesthood and reign in the month Panem. This occurred when as the acts themselves confirm this decree to be published in the Ides of December, (which was on the Julian September and the Macedonian Hyperberetous.) If Caesar had made that decree in favour of Hyrcanus the 2nd, then the 27th year of Hyrcanus should be written rather than the 9th. Concerning his reign nothing at all should be noted because Josephus himself shows in the 10th chapter of the same book that Gabinius had removed him as king and left him only in the high priest's office. Therefore, that decree should be referred to the 9th year of Hyrcanus the 1st when the Jewish country was still a free state and confederate with the people of Rome and not to the 9th year of Hyrcanus the 2nd. In his time, it was conquered and made tributary to the Romans.
3801. In King Demetrius Nicator's absence, the Antiochians first revolted because of his pride which was grown intolerable by his experiences with the cruel Parthians. Later the Apameans and the other cities of Syria were encouraged by their examples and revolted from him too. (Justin, l. 39. c. 1.) When Demetrius was told of this while he was in Egypt, he had to march back to Syria.
3802. When Cleopatra the Egyptian queen, had lost her best defender, Demetrius Nicator, she shipped all her goods and hurried to Syria to her daughter, Cleopatra the Syrian and Demetrius her son-in-law. (Justin l. 39. c. 1.)
3803. Demetrius was detested by the Syrians, and by his soldiers. They sent to Ptolemy Physcon and asked him to appoint someone who descended from Seleucus, whom they might appoint as king over them. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 17.) He sent to them an Egyptian youth, the son of Protarchus a merchant, who was to seize the kingdom of Syria by force of arms. He made a very elegant story about how he had been adopted into the royal blood by king Antiochus. The Syrians would very gladly submit to any king whatever rather than live any longer under Demetrius because of his insolence. (Justin. l. 39. c. 1.) Porphyrius stated how that this youth was sent as the son of Alexander Bala, who alleged himself to be the son of Antiochus Epiphanes. The youth also called himself Alexander but the Syrians surnamed him Zabina because he was generally thought to be one of Ptolemy's slaves, whom he had purchased. (in Grac. Euseb. Scalig. p. 227.) agybz, "to speak the truth", among the Syrians, means both "bought" and "redeemed" This king was not ashamed of being bought, but always put on his coins this inscription: ALEXANDPOQ ZEBENNOQS BASILEWZ
3878a AM, 4587 JP, 127 BC
3804. When this new king came with his numerous forces from Egypt, it is reported that the remains of Antiochus Sidetes, who was slain by the king of the Parthians, were sent to Syria in a silver coffin to be interred there. These were received with a great deal of reverence by the cities and King Alexander. This ingratiated him very much with the countrymen who truly believed that the tears he shed at the funeral were not fake but real. (Justin l. 39. c. 1.)
3878b AM, 4588 JP, 126 BC
3805. Both the armies fought near Damascus and Demetrius Nicator was defeated. When he saw that he was almost surrounded, he withdrew from the battle and hurried to his wife Cleopatra at Ptolemais. However, she shut the gates against him. Since he was deserted by his wife and his sons, he fled with a very small retinue to Tyre and hoped for sanctuary in the temple. (Justin l. 39. c. 1. cf Josephus and Prophyrius, in the places above cited.)
3806. Porphyrius stated that when Demetrius was denied entrance there he was killed as he was sailing to some other place. This was after 4 years of his reign after he returned from Parthia. Justin stated that he was killed by the command of the governor, as he was first landing. Josephus stated that he was taken prisoner by the enemy. They used him badly and he died in custody. Livy stated that his wife, Cleopatra, killed him (l. 60.) and so does Appian (in Syriac. p. 132.) Indeed, it is very probable, that he was killed at Tyre and she was an accessory. For doing this, the citizens of Tyre obtained its freedom and liberty either from her or from Alexander Zebinas to live according to their own laws. They derived from this very year, a new epoch of their times. This appears in Eusebius' chronicle, where the 402nd year of Tyre is the same as the 2nd year of the Emperor Probus which is the 4990 JP. The judgment of Tyre inserted into the 9th action of the council of Chalcedon was in the year after the consulship of Flavius Zeno and Posthumianus which is the 5162 JP is reckoned as the 574th year of the epoch of Tyre. Moreover, we find the city of Tyre in the inscriptions made by Grotius, (p. 605.) honoured with the commendation of being the religion, the sacred, and the independent metropolis of Phoenicia.
3807. When Alexander Zibinas had control of that kingdom, he entered into league with John Hyrcanus, the high priest and things went very well with Hyrcanus during his reign. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 17.)
3808. Manius Aquilius, the proconsul, returned in triumph from Asia on the third of the ides of November. (August JP) This may be deduced from the fragments of the triumphal tables of marble. Concerning this, Mithridates in an letter to Arasaces, (Salust. Historiar. l. 4.) stated:
``The Romans, unjustly pretended a will, that is King Attalus' will, and led Aristonicus, Eumenes' son, in triumph who had attempted to recover by force of arms, his father's kingdom.''
3809. Velleius Paterclus, (l. 2. c. 4.) intimated that Aristonicus was led in triumph by Manius Aquilius and later beheaded. He was strangled at Rome in the prison by an order from the senate. (Strabo. l. 14. p. 646. Eutrop. l. 4. Orosius l. 5. c. 10.)
3810. Manius Aquilius was accused of bribery and knew that he was guilty. He bribed his judges and so got off. (Appian. Bell. Civil. l. 1. p. 362. & 363.)
3879 AM, 4589 JP, 125 BC
3811. When M. Plautius Hypsaeus and M. Fulvius Flaccus were consuls, a large army of locusts in Africa were blown into the sea and washed ashore at Cyrene. This caused such an intolerable stench, that by reason of that noxious air, many cattle died. It is reported also, that 800,000 men died from the same infection. (Julius Obsequens, de prodigiis, cum P. Orosio. l. 5. c. 11.)
3812. Mithradates Euergetes, king of Pontus sent Dorylaus of Pontus and a man expert in military affairs, to Crete to hire foreign mercenaries. While he was there, a war was started in those regions by the Cnossii against the Gortynii. The Cnossii appointed Dorylaus as their general, who quickly ended the war. This was more from luck than skill. He was highly honoured by the Cnossii for his good service and he lived among them with his whole family. A little later he received news that Mithridates had died. Dorylaus was the great grandfather to the mother of Strabo the Geographer. (Strabo, l. 10. p. 477, 478. & l. 12. p. 557.)
3880a AM, 4589 JP, 125 BC
3813. In the 188th year of the account of the contracts, the Jews of Palestine and the elders of Jerusalem and Judas were about to celebrate the feast of the dedication of the cleansing of the temple of the 25th day of the month Chisleu. They wrote to Aristobulus Ptolemy, Physcon's master who was descended from the family of the priests according to Aaron and to the Jews in Egypt that they should likewise keep the feast. /APC 2Ma 1:10,18 Rupertus Tuitiensis, (l. 10. de victoria verbi, c, 15.) thinks that Judas was the same Judas the Essean, whom Josephus notes 19 years after this to have foretold the sudden death of Antigonus, the son of John Hyrcanus. He seldom failed in his prophesies. (l. 13. c. 19.) Clemens Alexandrinus, (l. 5. Strom.) and Eusebius Caesariensis, (in the l. 8 praparat. Evange. c. 3. and in his Chronicle,) think Aristobulus to be that Jewish philosopher the Peripatetic, of whom mention was made by us before. See note on 3854 JP <<3413>>.
3880b AM, 4590 JP, 124 BC
3814. Seleucus, Demetrius Nicator's son, seized the crown without his mother Cleopatra's permission and reigned one year in Syria. (Livy l. 60. Porphyr. in Grac. Euseb. p. 227.)
3815. After much trouble, Alexander Zebinas defeated Antipater, Clonius, and Aeropus, 3 of his most eminent commanders who had revolted from him and seized the city Laodicea. He showed a great deal of gallantry toward them. He took them prisoners and in the end he pardoned all their apostasy. He was naturally of a mild disposition and pleasing temper and of a wonderful disposition in all his meetings. Hence he was extremely well liked by all men. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 377.)
3881a AM, 4590 JP, 124 BC
3816. Mithridates Euergetes, king of Pontus and Armenia the less, was killed by the treachery of some of his closest friends. He left his wife and his sons to succeed him in the kingdom. Mithridates, surnamed Eupator, the older brother of the two laid claim to the whole kingdom for himself. (Strabo, l. 10. p. 477. cum Justin. l. 37. c. 1.) For soon after, he put his mother in prison whom his father had intended to be viceroy with him in the kingdom. He kept her there in bonds, who, by reason of that hard usage and long imprisonment, died there. (Memnon in Excerpt. Photii, cap. 32.) As for Mithridates, Salust states in his history, that he was a child when he became king after he poisoned his mother. (Servius in Birg. l. 6. Eneid.)
3817. Strabo affirms that Mithridates was 11 years of age when he succeeded his father in the kingdom. Memnon says he was 13. We selected 12 based on Eutropius' account. He said that Mithridates reigned 60 years and lived 72. Although Pliny, (l. 25. c. 2.) says he reigned 56 years and Appian says 57. (See note on 3868 AM <<3528>>)
3818. As there appeared a comet in the year when Mithridates was born, there likewise appeared one also in the first year of his reign. For 70 nights and days the whole heaven seemed to be all on fire. For its tail covered a quarter part of the heaven or 45 degrees of the upper hemisphere and out shone the sun in brightness. Its rising and setting took four hours. (Justin. l. 37. c. 2.)
3881b AM, 4591 JP, 123 BC
3819. In Syria, Cleopatra struck her son Seleucus through with a arrow. She did this either because he had seized upon the crown without her consent or she feared lest he should in time avenge his father, Demetrius' death or because she had managed all things with the same fury and violence as he did. When Seleucus was dead, she made her other son, Antiochus Grypus, king whom she had by Demetrius She had sent him to Athens to receive his education. She gave him the title of king but ran the kingdom herself. (Livy l. 60. Justin. l. 39. c. 1. Appian. Syriac. p. 132.) Porphyrius has stated that when Seleucus was killed by his mother's treachery, Antiochus, the younger brother, succeeded him in the kingdom, in the second year of the 164th Olympiad. (in Grac. Euseb. Scaliger. p. 227.) He added that he was called Grypus and Philometor also. Josephus refers to him by this latter surname. (l. 13. c. 20.)
3882 AM, 4592 JP, 122 BC
3820. Alexander Zebmus, was puffed up with good fortune and began now by his insolence to despise Ptolemy himself, by whose means he had come to the kingdom. Thereupon Ptolemy reconciled himself to his sister Cleopatra and tried to ruin Alexander's kingdom which he had never been able to obtain had not Ptolemy sent him supplies because of his hatred for Demetrius. To that end, he sent a very considerable force to Grypus and offered his daughter, Tryphena, to him in marriage. He hoped to have the people side with his new son-in-law. This would be from respect to the former confederacy and association between them and also by virtue of his new relation and alliance. It worked. When all saw that Grypus was backed by as much strength as Egypt could levy, they began by degrees to defect from Alexander. (Justin. l. 39. c. 2.)
3821. Alexander was not very confident of his army. They were not well trained militarily so he did not risk a battle. After he had first collected the king's treasuries and pillaged the temples, he planned to steal away into Greece by night. While he attempted to plunder Jupiter's temple with the help of some of his barbarians, he was seized and he and his whole army would likely have been destroyed. However, he soon escaped from their hands and headed toward Seleucia. The Seleucians had heard a rumour of his sacrilege, and shut their gates against him. Unable to do anything there, he went to Pisidium and never after that left the sea coast. (Diod. Sic. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 378.)
3822. Finally, Antiochus Grypus and Alexander Zebinas had a battle. Alexander was defeated and forced to flee to Antioch. As soon as he came there, he needed money to pay his soldiers. He ordered that the statue of victory be taken from Jupiter's temple. The statue was made of beaten gold. He justified his sacrilege with a jest:
``Jupiter has lent me victory.''
3823. A few days later he had his soldiers start to pull down the image of Jupiter. This was to be done as quietly as possible. However, he was surprised by the common people who caught him in the very act and he was forced to flee. He was caught in a violent storm at sea and he was separated from his company. He was captured by pirates who turned him over to Grypus who had him executed. (Justin. l. 39. c. 2.) Josephus stated that he was slain in a fight with Grypus. (l. 13. c. 17.) Porphyrius that he poisoned himself when he was depressed by the loss of his army in the 4th year of the 164th Olympiad. (in Grac. Euseb. Scaliger. p. 227.)
3824. Cleopatra knew that her authority would be diminished by the victory which her son Antiochus Grypus had over Alexander Zepinas. She presented him as he came from exercising or from the army (original uncertain,) with a cup of poison. Grypus was warned of this treachery and pretended out of respect for his mother to have her drink first. When she refused, he continually urged her to. At last he charged her with plotting to poison him and showed her the one that informed him of the plot. He told her that the only way she could prove her innocence was to drink the cup which she had prepared for her son. The queen was forced to yield and so she died from the poison which she had prepared for another. After her death, Grypus quickly assumed the throne and enjoyed 8 peaceful years. (Justin. l. 39. c. 2. cf. Appian. in Syriac. p. 132.)
3883 AM, 4593 JP, 121 BC
3825. The 27th Jubilee.
3826. Lucius Opimius was the consul in the year when the tribune C. Gracchus, the brother to Tiberius Gracchus, was killed as he was encouraging the common people to revolt. The air was so warm and sunny that Pliny reports how wines made then lasted to his time, about 200 years later, and had the consistency of honey (Pliny l. 14. c. 4, 14.) In the same year a bow appeared around the sun. (Pliny l. 2. c. 29.)
3888a AM, 4597 JP, 117 BC
3827. Ptolemy Euergetes the 2nd, or Physcon, died 29 years after the death of his brother Philometor. (Ptol. in Regum Canone. Clem. Alexandrin. l. 1. Stromat. Euseb. Chronico. Epiphan. de Ponderib. & mensur. Jermone on Daniel 9) He was survived by 3 sons. Ptolemy Apion, the son of a harlot, was bequeathed the kingdom of the Cyrenians. (Justin. l. 39. c. 5. cum Appiano in Mithridaticis, p. 255.) Cleopara bore the other two sons, to him. She was the daughter of the former Cleopatra, who was both his sister and wife. The youngest was called Alexander and the oldest Ptolemy (Ptol. in Regum Canone, Prophyrius, Eusebius, Jerome, and Epiphanius) He was called Soter by (Strabo l. 17. p. 795. Trogus Ptompeius Prolog. l. 39. & 40. Pliny l. 2. c. 67. & l. c. 30. Joseph. l. 13. c. 18. Clemens Alexandrinus l. 1. Stromat.) He was called Lathurus or Lathyrus by Athenaeus (l. 6. c. 6.) and Pausanias (in Atticis.) He was called Philometor which is a variation on Philopater, by Natalis Comes who translated Athenaeus. This last name was given to him because he was so despised. Pausanias noted that there was never any king more hated by his mother than he. (Pausan. Attic. p. 7.)
3828. On his deathbed, Physcon left the kingdom of Egypt to his wife, Cleopatra, and to one of the sons of her choice. He hoped to make Egypt more quiet, and free from rebellions than the kingdom of Syria. However, when the mother chose one soon, she was sure to make the other her enemy. (Justin. l. 39. c. 3.) She thought that Alexander, the younger son, would prove more pliable to her requests and asked the Egyptians to ratify this. She was unable to prevail with the common people and was forced to select her older son, Lathurus, who was banished to Cyprus by his father upon her request. The two reigned together in Egypt for 10 years. (Justin l. 39. c. 3. Pausan. in Atticus, p. 7,8. Porphyr. in Grac. Euseb. Scaliger, p. 225.)
3888b AM, 4598 JP, 116 BC
3829. Before Cleopatra would give the kingdom to Lathurus, she took away his wife from him and forced him to divorce his most endeared sister Cleopatra. She ordered him to marry the younger sister Selene. In this action she showed more partiality toward her daughters than was befitting for a mother. She took away the husband from one and gave him to the other. (Justin. l. 39. c. 3.)
3890 AM, 4600 JP, 114 BC
3830. After Antiochus Grypus had enjoyed the kingdom of Syria for 8 peaceful years, his brother Antiochus of Cyzicenus rose up as his rival in the kingdom. They both had the same mother, but Cyzicenus' father was the uncle, Antiochus Sidetes. Grypus planned to poison his rival. His brother raised an army to fight for the kingdom faster than he thought he would. Antiochus of Cyzicenus was sent away to Cyzicum by his mother Cleopatra, for fear of Demetrius Nicator, her former husband whom she had abandoned. He was raised by Craterus the eunuch and from there received the surname of Cyzicenus. (Justin. l. 39. c. 2. Appian. Syriac. p. 132. Porphyr. ut sup. p. 227. Joseph. l. 13. c. 17.) When Grypus heard of his brothers raising forces against him in Cyzicum, he abandoned his intended expedition against the Jews and prepared to meet him. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 17.)
3891 AM, 4601 JP, 113 BC
3831. Cleopatra, who was the former wife of Ptolemy Lathurus and later divorced from her husband by Cleopatra queen of Egypt, was married to Antiochus Cyzicenus in Syria. She brought the army at Cyprus to him as her dowry. He thought that with these forces he was a match for his brother. They fought and he was defeated and fled to Antioch. Gyrpus pursued him to Antioch and besieged it. Cleopatra the wife of Cyzicenus was in the town. As soon as it was taken, Tryphena, the wife of Grypus ordered that her sister Cleopatra should be found. She did not intend to release her but wanted to see her suffer. She had invaded this kingdom mainly from envy of her and by her marriage with the sworn enemy of her sister, had made herself her enemy also. Moreover, she charged her that she was the cause of bringing in the foreign forces and of the differences between the two brothers. Since she had been divorced from her brother, she married out of the kingdom to one who was not an Egyptian, contrary to her mother's will. Grypus endeavoured to prevent his wife from acting cruelly toward her. He told her that it was against the law of arms that after a victory to act violently against women, especially those that are blood relatives as Cleopatra was. She was her own sister and his first cousin and aunt to her own children. In addition to being a blood relative, she had sought sanctuary in the temple which must be respected. He concluded that he would not reduce Cizicenus' power by killing her nor gain any advantage if he should send her back to him unharmed. On the contrary, Tryphena, thought his words were the result of love not from pity. She sent some soldiers into the temple who killed Cleopatra. They first cut off her hands as she embraced the image of the goddess so that no less hostility might appear to be between the two sisters than there was between the brothers. (Justin, l. 39. c. 3.)
3832. Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, the mother of these two sisters, in the 4th year of her reign, made Alexander her younger son, king of Cyprus, and sent him there. She hoped that by this she would seem more formidable to her oldest son Lathurus who was her partner in the kingdom. (Pausan. in Attic. p. 7, 8. Porphyr. in Grac. Euseb. p. 225.)
3892 AM, 4602 JP, 112 BC
3833. At age 16, Alexander Jamnaeus was born to Hyrcanus by his wife Alexandra. When Herod heard of Caesar's victory at Actium, he killed Alexander when he was over 80 years old. (Josephus l. 13. c. 9.) From this we gather that this Alexandra who is also called Salina, by the ecclesiastical writers (See note on 3862 AM <<3485>>) was not the same with that Salome, the wife of Aristobulus whom the Greeks called Alexandra. After the death of her husband, she made Alexander Jamnaeus who was 22 years old, king in his place. Josephus states that he reigned 27 years and lived 49 years. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 20.)
3834. Antiochus' Cyzicenus fought with Grypus and won. He captured Tryphena, Gryphus' wife who a little before had killed her sister and his wife. He did the same to her and sacrificed her to the ghost of his wife. (Justin. l. 39. c. 3.) He chased his brother also from his kingdom and reigned over the Syrians in his place. (Appian. Syriac. p. 132.) After this defeat, Grypus withdrew to Aspendum and from there, he assumed the surname of Aspendius. Cizicenus started to reign in the 1st year of the 167th Olympiad. (Porphyr. in Grac. Euseb. p. 227.)
3893 AM, 4603 JP, 111 BC
3835. In the 2nd year of the same Olympiad, Antiochus Grypus returned from Aspendum and regained Syria but Cyzicenus held Coelosyira. Hence the kingdom was shared between them. (Porphyr. in Grac. Euseb. p. 227.)
3836. As soon as Antiochus Cyzicenus had taken over the kingdom, he gave himself up to revellings and luxury and conduct all together unseemly for kings. He was very fond of acting and stage players and all sorts of jugglers. He learned their arts very well. He applied himself also to playing with puppets. His main delight was making the images of living creatures of a size of 7 to 8 feet and he covered them over with gold and silver. He made them move by themselves with various machines. Moreover, he was very fond of hunting. He would often steal away secretly by night with a servant or two to hunt boars, lions and leopards. Many times he risked his life by his rash encounters with wild beasts. (Diod. Sic. l. 35. in Excerpt. Valesii, p. 385.) Antiochus Grypus also engaged in luxurious living as described by Athenaeus (l. 5. c. 9. & l. 12. c. 19.) as taken from the 28th book of Posidonius of Apamea's histories.
3894 AM, 4604 JP, 110 BC
3837. The war between those two brothers weakened both of them and proved a great advantage to John Hyrcanus. By this means he secured the incomes and revenues of Judea and had stored up this money for future use. He saw what pitiful havock Cyzicenus made in his brother's country and how Grypus received no supplies from Egypt to help him. He and his brother drained their resources fighting one another. In time, John stopped worrying about either of them. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 17.)
3838. Thereupon he marched with his army against the Samaritans who were under the dominion of the kings of Syria. They had attacked the Marisieni who they subdued and were Idumeans. These were under the Jews before and were farmers to the Jews and in league with them. He besieged Samaria which was a well fortified city with a trench and double wall 10 miles long. He left his sons, Antigonus and Aristobulus to manage the seige. They maintained the seige so well that famine raged within Samaria. They were driven to such extremity that they were forced to feed upon such things as were not proper food for men. At the last, they begged help from Antiochus Cyzicenus. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 18.)
3895 AM, 4605 JP, 109 BC
3839. Cyzicenus came as fast as he could to relieve the Samaritans. He was routed by Aristobulus' soldiers and the two brothers pursued him closely as far as Scythopolis and he barely escaped. On that very day it is reported that Hyrcanus the high priest, as he was offering incense alone in the temple, heard a voice which told him of the recent late victory which his sons had over Antiochus. After they had beaten Antiochus, they returned back to Samaria and forced the Samaritans to retreat within their walls. So they were constrained once more to beg for help from Antiochus. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 18.)
3840. Antiochus Cyzicenus had about 6000 soldiers which Ptolemy Lathurus had sent him in spite of his mother Cleopatra. She had not yet deposed of him. These wandered up and down Hyrcanus' dominions and he plundered with his Egyptians wherever he went. He did not dare fight with John who was far too strong for him. He hoped by his pillaging of the country, he would draw off Hyrcanus from the siege of Samaria. After he had lost many of his men by an ambush which the enemy had laid, he marched away to Tripolis. He committed the war with the Jews to two of his commanders, Callimander and Epicrates. Callimander fought with the enemy with greater resolution than discretion. His troops were routed and he was killed. Epicrates betrayed Scythopolis and some other towns to the Jews after having been well paid for the task. All this was of no help to the Samaritans. After Hyrcanus had spent a full year besieging Samaria, he was not content with the bare surrender of the city but levelled it to the very ground. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 18.)
3841. The Seleucians, who lived near Antioch in Syria had obtained a liberty of living after their own laws. They started their epoch from that time. (Fasti Siculi. anno 4th Olympiad 167)
3896 AM, 4606 JP, 108 BC
3842. Hyrcanus was of the sect of the Pharisees and was a disciple and favoured them. He invited some of the most eminent among them to a feast. He took exception with Eleazer, who falsely charged him that when his mother was taken prisoner in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, she was forced to become an harlot. Since the scandal was not so deeply resented by the rest of the company as he expected it should have been, he grew enraged against the whole sect of the Pharisees. By the instigation of Jonathan a Sadducee, he deserted the Pharisees and became a Sadducee. Now, the Pharisees commended to the people many traditions which they received from their ancestors by hand and which were not found written among Moses' laws. Therefore, the Sadducees said these customs were not binding and only what was found in Moses' law was legally valid. From this action there was a great dispute between them both. The rich sided with the Sadducees while the Pharisees appealed to the common people. Therefore Hyrcanus would have punished some of the Pharisees, who were zealous for their laws even though Hyrcanus had abrogated them. Hence there arose a rebellion among them. Although at that time he soon settled it, yet he and his sons by this action were hated by the common people. (Joseph. l. 13. c. 18.)
3843. John Hyrcanus died after serving as high priest for 29 years according as Eusebius stated from Josephus. (l. 8.) Demonstrat. Evangelic. c. 2. and Jerome translating him into Latin, repeats it in his commentaries on Daniel 9. Although in our books, and in the old translation of Ruffinus, Josephus states this was 33 years, (as in l. 1. Belli. c. 3.) sometimes 31 years. (as in Antiq. l. 13. c. 18. & l. 20. c. 8.) His father Simon died in the 177th year of the kingdom of the Greeks in the 11th month, Sabat, /APC 1Ma 16:14 about February 4579 JP. His wife Alexandra, died about November 4644 JP. There is almost 65 years and 9 months difference. So that subtracting the 37 years which Josephus assigns to the reign of his sons and his wife, there remained only 28 years, 9 months for Hyrcanus. Some of the modern men are of opinion but with no good reason, that John was the writer of the first book of the Maccabees. They say that these words in the end of the book were added by somebody else.
``Concerning the other things of John, both of his wars, and his noble acts, in which he behaved himself manfully, and of his building the walls, (viz. of Jerusalem, which were demolished by command of Antiochus Sidetes) and of other of his deeds, Behold they are written in the chronicles of his priesthood from the time he was made high priest after his father.''
3844. Probably, in the 4th book of the Maccabees which Sixtus Senensis in the end of the first book of his Bibliotheca Sanctae states which he saw translated from the Hebrew into Greek in a manuscript at Lyons, in Sontes Pagninus' library among the Predicants. It began like this:
``And after Simon was slain, John his son was made high priest in his place.''
3845. From that book it is supposed that Josephus took his information. He tells of three things which Hyrcanus held at the same time, the kingship over the Jews, the high priesthood and prophetic office. For he tells us that because he often spoke with God, he obtained so good an insight into the future that much earlier he foretold the short time which his two oldest sons should have in the kingdom which their father left them. (Josephus, l. Bells. 2. c. 3. & l. 13. Antiq. c. 18.)