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- Herausgeber: Alicia Editions
- Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021
“
Perhaps the most influential non-biblical text of Western history” —Steve N. Mason
(
Canadian
historian
of
Judea
in the
Graeco-Roman
period.)
Josephus (CE 37-
c. 100) was a priest, a soldier, and a scholar. For centuries, Josephus' works were more widely read in Europe than any book other than the Bible.
The Wars of the Jews recounts the Jewish revolt against Roman occupation and provides valuable insight into first century Judaism and the background of Early Christianity.
This book is divided into seven books, from the taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes to the Sedition at Cyrene.
A very worthwhile read!
BOOK I. CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN YEARS. FROM THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM BY ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES, TO THE DEATH OF HEROD THE GREAT.
BOOK II. CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF SIXTY-NINE YEARS. FROM THE DEATH OF HEROD TILL VESPASIAN WAS SENT TO SUBDUE THE JEWS BY NERO.
BOOK III. CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ABOUT ONE YEAR. FROM VESPASIAN'S COMING TO SUBDUE THE JEWS TO THE TAKING OF GAMALA.
BOOK IV. CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ABOUT ONE YEAR. FROM THE SIEGE OF GAMALA TO THE COMING OF TITUS TO BESIEGE JERUSALEM.
BOOK V. CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF NEAR SIX MONTHS. FROM THE COMING OF TITUS TO BESIEGE JERUSALEM, TO THE GREAT EXTREMITY TO WHICH THE JEWS WERE REDUCED.
BOOK VI. CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ABOUT ONE MONTH. FROM THE GREAT EXTREMITY TO WHICH THE JEWS WERE REDUCED TO THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM BY TITUS.
BOOK VII. CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ABOUT THREE YEARS. FROM THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM BY TITUS TO THE SEDITION AT CYRENE.
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The Wars of the Jews
Or, The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem
Flavius Josephus
Translated byWilliam Whiston
ALICIA EDITIONS
Table of Contents
BOOK I
CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN YEARS. FROM THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM BY ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES, TO THE DEATH OF HEROD THE GREAT.
CHAPTER I.
How The City Jerusalem was taken, and the Temple pillaged [By Antiochus Epiphanes]. As also concerning the actions of The Maccabees, Matthias and Judas; and concerning the death of Judas.
CHAPTER II.
Concerning the successors of Judas, who were Jonathan and Simon, and John Hyrcanus.
CHAPTER III.
How Aristobulus was the first that put a diadem about his head; and after he had put his mother and brother to death, died himself, when he had reigned no more than a year.
CHAPTER IV.
What actions were done by Alexander Janneus, who reigned twenty-seven years.
CHAPTER V.
Alexandra reigns nine years, during which time the pharisees were the real rulers of the nation.
CHAPTER VI.
When Hyrcanus who was Alexander's heir, receded from his claim to the crown, Aristobulus is made King; and afterward the same Hyrcanus by the means of Antipater, is brought back by Abetas. At Last Pompey is made the arbitrator of the Dispute between the brothers.
CHAPTER VII.
How Pompey had the city of Jerusalem delivered up to him but took the temple by force. How he went into the holy of holies; as also what were his other exploits in Judea.
CHAPTER VIII.
Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, who ran away from Pompey, makes an expedition against Hyrcanus; but being overcome by Gabinius he delivers up the fortresses to him. After this Aristobulus escapes from Rome and gathers an army together; but being beaten by the Romans, he is brought back to Rome; with other things relating to Gabinius, Crassus and Cassius.
CHAPTER IX.
Aristobulus is taken off by Pompey's friends, as is his son Alexander, by Scipio. Antipater cultivates a friendship with Caesar, after Pompey's death; he also performs great actions in that war, wherein he assisted Mithridates.
CHAPTER X.
Caesar makes Antipater procurator of Judea; as does Antipater appoint Phasaelus to be governor of Jerusalem, and Herod governor of Galilee; who, in some time, was called to answer for himself [before the Sanhedrim], where he is acquitted. Sextus Caesar is treacherously killed by Bassus and is succeeded by Marcus.
CHAPTER XI.
Herod is made procurator of all Syria; Malichus is afraid of him, and takes Antipater off by poison; whereupon the tribunes of the soldiers are prevailed with to kill him.
CHAPTER XII.
Phasaelus is too hard for Felix; Herod also overcomes Antigonus in rattle; and the Jews accuse both Herod and Phasaelus, but Antonius acquits them, and makes them tetrarchs.
CHAPTER XIII.
The Parthians bring Antigonus back into Judea, and cast Hyrcanus and Phasaelus into prison. The flight of Herod, and the taking of Jerusalem and what Hyrcanus and Phasaelus suffered.
CHAPTER XIV.
When Herod is rejected in Arabia, he makes haste to Rome, where Antony and Caesar join their interest to make him king of the Jews.
CHAPTER XV.
Antigonus besieges those that were in Masada, whom Herod frees from confinement when he came back from Rome, and presently marches to Jerusalem where he finds silo corrupted by bribes.
CHAPTER XVI.
Herod takes Ssepphoris and subdues the robbers that were in the caves; he after that avenges himself upon Machaerus, as upon an enemy of his and goes to Antony as he was besieging Samosata.
CHAPTER XVII.
The death of Joseph [Herod's brother] which had been signified to Herod in dreams. How Herod was preserved twice after a wonderful manner. He cuts off the head of Pappus, who was the murderer of his brother and sends that head to [his other brother] Pheroras. And in no long time he besieges Jerusalem and marries Mariamne.
CHAPTER XVIII.
How Herod and Sosius took Jerusalem by force; and what death Antigonus came to. Also concerning Cleopatra's avaricious temper.
CHAPTER XIX.
How Antony at the persuasion of Cleopatra sent Herod to fight against the Arabians; and how after several battles, he at length got the victory. As also concerning a great earthquake.
CHAPTER XX.
Herod is confirmed in his kingdom by Caesar, and cultivates a friendship with the emperor by magnificent presents; while Caesar returns his kindness by bestowing on him that part of his kingdom which had been taken away from it by Cleopatra, with the addition of Zenodoruss’ country also.
CHAPTER XXI.
Of the [temple and] cities that were built by Herod and erected from the very foundations; as also of those other edifices that were erected by him; and what magnificence he showed to foreigners; and how fortune was in all things favorable to him.
CHAPTER XXII.
The murder of Aristobulus and Hyrcanus, the high priests, as also of Mariamne the queen.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Calumnies against the sons of Mariamne. Antipater is preferred before them. They are accused before Caesar, and Herod is reconciled to them.
CHAPTER XXIV.
The malice of Antipater and Doris. Alexander is very uneasy on Glaphyra’s account. Herod pardons Pheroras, whom he suspected, and Salome whom he knew to make mischief among them. Herod's eunuchs are tortured, and Alexander is bound.
CHAPTER XXV.
Archelaus procures a reconciliation between Alexander, Pheroras, and Herod.
CHAPTER XXVI.
How Eurycles calumniated the sons of Mariamne; and how Euaratus of Cos's apology for them had no effect.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Herod by Caesar’s direction accuses his sons at Berytus. They are not produced before the courts but yet are condemned; and in a little time they are sent to Sebaste, and strangled there.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
How Antipater is hated of all men; and how the king espouses the sons of those that had been slain to his kindred; but that Antipater made him change them for other women. Of Herod's marriages, and children.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Antipater becomes intolerable. He is sent to Rome, and carries Herod's testament with him. Pheroras leaves his brother, that he may keep his wife. He dies at home.
CHAPTER XXX.
When Herod made inquiry about Pheroras's death a discovery was made that Antipater had prepared a poisonous draught for him. Herod casts Doris and her accomplices, as also Mariamne, out of the palace and blots her son Herod out of his testament.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Antipater is convicted by Bathyllus; but he still returns from Rome without knowing it. Herod brings him to his trial.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Antipater is accused before Varus, and is convicted of laying a plot [against his father] by the strongest evidence. Herod puts off his punishment till he should be recovered, and, in the meantime, alters his testament.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
The golden eagle is cut to pieces. Herod's barbarity when he was ready to die. He attempts to kill himself. He commands Antipater to be slain. He survives him five days and then dies.
BOOK II
CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF SIXTY-NINE YEARS. FROM THE DEATH OF HEROD TILL VESPASIAN WAS SENT TO SUBDUE THE JEWS BY NERO.
CHAPTER I.
Archelaus makes a funeral feast for the people, on the account of Herod. After which a great tumult is raised by the multitude, and he sends the soldiers out upon them, who destroy about three thousand of them.
CHAPTER II.
Archelaus goes to Rome with a great number of his kindred. He is there accused before Caesar by Antipater; but is superior to his accusers in judgment by the means of that defense which Nicolaus made for him.
CHAPTER III.
The Jews fight a great battle with Sabinus’ soldiers, and a great destruction is made at Jerusalem.
CHAPTER IV.
Herod's veteran soldiers become tumultuous. The robberies of Judas. Simon and Athronoeus take the name of king upon them.
CHAPTER V.
Varus composes the tumults in Judea, and crucifies about two thousand of the seditious.
CHAPTER VI.
The Jews greatly complain of Archelaus and desire that they may be made subject to roman governors. But when Caesar had heard what they had to say, he distributed Herod's dominions among his sons according to his own pleasure.
CHAPTER VII.
The history of the spurious Alexander. Archelaus is banished and Glaphyra dies, after what was to happen to both of them had been showed them in dreams.
CHAPTER VIII.
Archelaus's ethnarchy is reduced into a [Roman] province. The sedition of Judas of Galilee. The three sects of the Jews.
CHAPTER IX.
The death of Salome. The cities which Herod and Philip built. Pilate occasions disturbances. Tiberius puts Agrippa into bonds, but Caius frees him from them, and makes him king. Herod Antipas is banished.
CHAPTER X.
Caius commands that his statue should be set up in the temple itself; and what Petronius did thereupon.
CHAPTER XI.
Concerning the government of Claudius, and the reign of Agrippa. Concerning the deaths of Agrippa and of Herod and what children they both left behind them.
CHAPTER XII.
Many tumults under Cumanus, which were composed by Quadratus. Felix is procurator of Judea. Agrippa is advanced from Chalcis to a greater kingdom.
CHAPTER XIII.
Nero adds four cities to Agrippa’s kingdom; but the other parts of Judea were under Felix. The disturbances which were raised by the Sicarii, the magicians, and an Egyptian false prophet. The Jews and Syrians have a contest at Cesarea.
CHAPTER XIV.
Festus succeeds Felix who is succeeded by Albinus as he is by Florus; who by the barbarity of his government forces the Jews into the war.
CHAPTER XV.
Concerning Bernice's petition to Florus, to spare the Jews, but in vain; as also how, after the seditious flame was quenched, it was kindled again by Florus.
CHAPTER XVI.
Cestius sends Neopolitanus the tribune to see in what condition the affairs of the Jews were. Agrippa makes a speech to the people of the Jews that he may divert them from their intentions of making war with the Romans.
CHAPTER XVII.
How the war of the Jews with the Romans began. And concerning Manahem.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The calamities and slaughters that came upon the Jews.
CHAPTER XIX.
What Cestius did against the Jews; and how, upon his besieging Jerusalem, he retreated from the city without any just occasion in the world. As also what severe calamities he underwent from the Jews in his retreat.
CHAPTER XX.
Cestius sends ambassadors to Nero. The people of Damascus slay those Jews that lived with them. The people of Jerusalem after they had [left off] pursuing Cestius, return to the city and get things ready for its defense and make a great many generals for their armies, and particularly Josephus, the writer of these books. Some account of his administration.
CHAPTER XXI.
Concerning John of Gichala. Josephus uses stratagems against the plots John laid against him and recovers certain cities which had revolted from him.
CHAPTER XXII.
The Jews make all ready for the war. And Simon, the son of Gioras, falls to plundering.
BOOK III
CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ABOUT ONE YEAR. FROM VESPASIAN'S COMING TO SUBDUE THE JEWS TO THE TAKING OF GAMALA.
CHAPTER I.
Vespasian is sent into Syria by Nero, in order to make war with the Jews.
CHAPTER II.
A great slaughter of the Jews about Ascalon. Vespasian comes to Ptolemais.
CHAPTER III.
A description of Galilee, Samaria, and Judea.
CHAPTER IV.
Josephus makes an attempt upon Sepphoris, but is repelled. Titus comes with a great army to Ptolemais.
CHAPTER V.
A description of the Roman armies and Roman camps; and of other particulars for which the Romans are commended.
CHAPTER VI.
Placidus attempts to take Jotapata, and is beaten off. Vespasian marches into Galilee.
CHAPTER VII.
Vespasian, when he had taken the city Gadara, marches to Jotapata. After a long siege the city is betrayed by a deserter, and taken by Vespasian.
CHAPTER VIII.
How Josephus was discovered by a woman, and was willing to deliver himself up to the Romans; and what discourse he had with his own men, when they endeavored to hinder him; and what he said to Vespasian, when he was brought to him; and after what manner Vespasian used him afterward.
CHAPTER IX.
How Joppa was taken, and Tiberias delivered up.
CHAPTER X.
How Taricheae was taken. A description of the river Jordan, and of the country of Gennesareth.
BOOK IV
CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ABOUT ONE YEAR. FROM THE SIEGE OF GAMALA TO THE COMING OF TITUS TO BESIEGE JERUSALEM.
CHAPTER I.
The siege and taking of Gamala.
CHAPTER II.
The surrender of Gischala; while John flies away from it to Jerusalem.
CHAPTER III.
Concerning John of Gischala. Concerning the Zealots and the high priest Ananus; as also how the Jews raise seditions one against another [in Jerusalem].
CHAPTER IV.
The Idumeans being sent for by the Zealots, came immediately to Jerusalem; and when they were excluded out of the city, they lay all night there. Jesus one of the high priests makes a speech to them; and Simon the Idumean makes a reply to it.
CHAPTER V.
The cruelty of the Idumeans when they were gotten into the temple during the storm; and of the Zealots. Concerning the slaughter of Ananus, and Jesus, and Zacharias. And how the Idumeans retired home.
CHAPTER VI.
How the Zealots when they were freed from the Idumeans, slew a great many more of the citizens; and how Vespasian dissuaded the Romans when they were very earnest to march against the Jews from proceeding in the war at that time.
CHAPTER VII.
How John tyrannized over the rest; and what mischiefs the Zealots did at Masada. How also Vespasian took Gadara; and what actions were performed by Placidus.
CHAPTER VIII.
How Vespasian upon hearing of some commotions in Gall, made haste to finish the jewish war. A description of Jericho, and of the great plain; with an account besides of the lake Asphaltitis.
CHAPTER IX.
That Vespasian, after he had taken Gadara made preparation for the siege of Jerusalem. But that, upon his hearing of the death of Nero, he changed his intentions. As also concerning Simon of Geras.
CHAPTER X.
How the soldiers, both in Judea and Egypt, proclaimed Vespasian emperor. And how Vespasian released Josephus from his bonds.
CHAPTER XI.
That upon the conquest and slaughter of Vitellius, Vespasian hastened his journey to Rome; but Titus his son returned to Jerusalem.
BOOK V
CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF NEAR SIX MONTHS. FROM THE COMING OF TITUS TO BESIEGE JERUSALEM, TO THE GREAT EXTREMITY TO WHICH THE JEWS WERE REDUCED.
CHAPTER I.
Concerning the seditions at Jerusalem, and what terrible miseries afflicted the city by their means.
CHAPTER II.
How Titus marched to Jerusalem, and how he was in danger as he was taking a view of the city. Of the place also where he pitched his camp.
CHAPTER III.
How the sedition was again revived within Jerusalem, and yet the Jews contrived snares for the Romans. How Titus also threatened his soldiers for their ungovernable rashness.
CHAPTER IV.
The description of Jerusalem.
CHAPTER V.
A description of the Temple.
CHAPTER VI.
Concerning the tyrants Simon and John. How also as Titus was going round the wall of this city, Nicanor was wounded by a dart; which accident provoked Titus to press on the siege.
CHAPTER VII.
How one of the towers erected by the Romans fell down of its own accord; and how the Romans after great slaughter had been made got possession of the first wall. How also Titus made his assaults upon the second wall; as also concerning Longinus the Roman, and Castor the Jew.
CHAPTER VIII.
How the Romans took the second wall twice, and got all ready for taking the third wall.
CHAPTER IX.
Titus when theJews were not at all mollified by his leaving off the siege for a while, set himself again to prosecute the same; but soon sent Josephus to discourse with his own countrymen about peace.
CHAPTER X.
How a great many of the people earnestly endeavored to desert to the Romans; as also what intolerable things those that staid behind suffered by famine, and the sad consequences thereof.
CHAPTER XI.
How the Jews were crucified before the walls of the city. Concerning Antiochus Epiphanes. And how the Jews overthrew the banks that had been raised by the Romans.
CHAPTER XII.
Titus thought fit to encompass the city round with a wall; after which the famine consumed the people by whole houses and families together.
CHAPTER XIII.
The great slaughters and sacrilege that were in Jerusalem.
BOOK VI.
CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ABOUT ONE MONTH. FROM THE GREAT EXTREMITY TO WHICH THE JEWS WERE REDUCED TO THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM BY TITUS.
CHAPTER I.
That the miseries of the Jews still grew worse; and how the Romans made an assault upon the tower of Antonia.
CHAPTER II.
How Titus gave orders to demolish the tower of Antonia, and then persuaded Josephus to exhort the Jews again [to a surrender].
CHAPTER III.
Concerning a stratagem that was devised by the Jews, by which they burnt many of the Romans; with another description of the terrible famine that was in the city.
CHAPTER IV.
When the banks were completed and the battering rams brought, and could do nothing, Titus gave orders to set fire to the gates of the temple; in no long time after which the holy house itself was burnt down, even against his consent.
CHAPTER V.
The great distress the Jews were in upon the conflagration of the holy house. Concerning a false prophet, and the signs that preceded this destruction.
CHAPTER VI.
How the Romans carried their ensigns to the temple, and made joyful acclamations to Titus. The speech that Titus made to the Jews when they made supplication for mercy. What reply they made thereto; and how that reply moved Titus's indignation against them.
CHAPTER VII.
What afterward befell the seditious when they had done a great deal of mischief, and suffered many misfortunes; as also how Caesar became master of the upper city.
CHAPTER VIII.
How Caesar raised banks round about the upper city [Mount Zion] and when they were completed, gave orders that the machines should be brought. He then possessed himself of the whole city.
CHAPTER IX.
What injunctions Caesar gave when he was come within the city. The number of the captives and of those that perished in the siege; as also concerning those that had escaped into the subterranean caverns, among whom were the tyrants Simon and John themselves.
CHAPTER X.
That whereas the city of Jerusalem had been five times taken formerly, this was the second time of its desolation. A brief account of its history.
BOOK VII.
CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ABOUT THREE YEARS. FROM THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM BY TITUS TO THE SEDITION AT CYRENE.
CHAPTER I.
How the entire city of Jerusalem was demolished, excepting three towers; and how Titus commended his soldiers in a speech made to them, and distributed rewards to them and then dismissed many of them.
CHAPTER II.
How Titus exhibited all sorts of shows at Cesarea Philippi. Concerning Simon the tyrant how he was taken, and reserved for the triumph.
CHAPTER III.
How Titus upon the celebration of his brothers and fathers birthdays had many of the Jews slain. Concerning the danger theJews were in at Antioch, by means of the transgression and impiety of one Antiochus, a Jew.
CHAPTER IV.
How Vespasian was received at Rome; as also how the germans revolted from the Romans, but were subdued. That the Sarmatians overran Mysia, but were compelled to retire to their own country again.
CHAPTER V.
Concerning the Sabbatic river which Titus saw as he was journeying through Syria; and how the people of Antioch came with a petition to Titus against the Jews, but were rejected by him; as also concerning Titus's and Vespasian's triumph.
CHAPTER VI.
Concerning Machaerus, and how Lucilius Bassus took that citadel, and other places.
CHAPTER VII.
Concerning the calamity that befell Antiochus, king of Commagene. As also concerning the Alans and what great mischiefs they did to the Medes and Armenians.
CHAPTER VIII.
Concerning Masada and those Sicarii who kept it; and how Silva betook himself to form the siege of that citadel. Eleazar's speeches to the besieged.
CHAPTER IX.
How the people that were in the fortress were prevailed on by the words of Eleazar, two women and five children only excepted and all submitted to be killed by one another.
CHAPTER X.
That many of the Sicarii fled to Alexandria also, and what dangers they were in there; on which account that temple which had formerly been built by Onias the high priest was destroyed.
CHAPTER XI.
Concerning Jonathan, one of the Sicarii, that stirred up a sedition in Cyrene, and was a false accuser [of the innocent].
BOOK I
CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN YEARS. FROM THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM BY ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES, TO THE DEATH OF HEROD THE GREAT.
CHAPTER I.
How The City Jerusalem was taken, and the Temple pillaged [By Antiochus Epiphanes]. As also concerning the actions of The Maccabees, Matthias and Judas; and concerning the death of Judas.
1. At the same time that Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, had a quarrel with the sixth Ptolemy about his right to the whole country of Syria, a great sedition fell among the men of power in Judea, and they had a contention about obtaining the government; while each of those that were of dignity could not endure to be subject to their equals. However, Onias, one of the high priests, got the better, and cast the sons of Tobias out of the city; who fled to Antiochus, and besought him to make use of them for his leaders, and to make an expedition into Judea. The king being thereto disposed beforehand, complied with them, and came upon the Jews with a great army, and took their city by force, and slew a great multitude of those that favored Ptolemy, and sent out his soldiers to plunder them without mercy. He also spoiled the temple, and put a stop to the constant practice of offering a daily sacrifice of expiation for three years and six months. But Onias, the high priest, fled to Ptolemy, and received a place from him in the Nomus of Heliopolis, where he built a city resembling Jerusalem, and a temple that was like its temple 1 concerning which we shall speak more in its proper place hereafter.
2. Now Antiochus was not satisfied either with his unexpected taking the city, or with its pillage, or with the great slaughter he had made there; but being overcome with his violent passions, and remembering what he had suffered during the siege, he compelled the Jews to dissolve the laws of their country, and to keep their infants uncircumcised, and to sacrifice swine's flesh upon the altar; against which they all opposed themselves, and the most approved among them were put to death. Bacchides also, who was sent to keep the fortresses, having these wicked commands, joined to his own natural barbarity, indulged all sorts of the extremest wickedness, and tormented the worthiest of the inhabitants, man by man, and threatened their city every day with open destruction, till at length he provoked the poor sufferers by the extremity of his wicked doings to avenge themselves.
3. Accordingly Matthias, the son of Asamoneus, one of the priests who lived in a village called Modin, armed himself, together with his own family, which had five sons of his in it, and slew Bacchides with daggers; and thereupon, out of the fear of the many garrisons [of the enemy], he fled to the mountains; and so many of the people followed him, that he was encouraged to come down from the mountains, and to give battle to Antiochus's generals, when he beat them, and drove them out of Judea. So he came to the government by this his success, and became the prince of his own people by their own free consent, and then died, leaving the government to Judas, his eldest son.
4. Now Judas, supposing that Antiochus would not lie still, gathered an army out of his own countrymen, and was the first that made a league of friendship with the Romans, and drove Epiphanes out of the country when he had made a second expedition into it, and this by giving him a great defeat there; and when he was warmed by this great success, he made an assault upon the garrison that was in the city, for it had not been cut off hitherto; so he ejected them out of the upper city, and drove the soldiers into the lower, which part of the city was called the Citadel. He then got the temple under his power, and cleansed the whole place, and walled it round about, and made new vessels for sacred ministrations, and brought them into the temple, because the former vessels had been profaned. He also built another altar, and began to offer the sacrifices; and when the city had already received its sacred constitution again, Antiochus died; whose son Antiochus succeeded him in the kingdom, and in his hatred to the Jews also.
5. So this Antiochus got together fifty thousand footmen, and five thousand horsemen, and fourscore elephants, and marched through Judea into the mountainous parts. He then took Bethsura, which was a small city; but at a place called Bethzacharis, where the passage was narrow, Judas met him with his army. However, before the forces joined battle, Judas's brother Eleazar, seeing the very highest of the elephants adorned with a large tower, and with military trappings of gold to guard him, and supposing that Antiochus himself was upon him, he ran a great way before his own army, and cutting his way through the enemy's troops, he got up to the elephant; yet could he not reach him who seemed to be the king, by reason of his being so high; but still he ran his weapon into the belly of the beast, and brought him down upon himself, and was crushed to death, having done no more than attempted great things, and showed that he preferred glory before life. Now he that governed the elephant was but a private man; and had he proved to be Antiochus, Eleazar had performed nothing more by this bold stroke than that it might appear he chose to die, when he had the bare hope of thereby doing a glorious action; nay, this disappointment proved an omen to his brother [Judas] how the entire battle would end. It is true that the Jews fought it out bravely for a long time, but the king's forces, being superior in number, and having fortune on their side, obtained the victory. And when a great many of his men were slain, Judas took the rest with him, and fled to the toparchy of Gophna. So Antiochus went to Jerusalem, and staid there but a few days, for he wanted provisions, and so he went his way. He left indeed a garrison behind him, such as he thought sufficient to keep the place, but drew the rest of his army off, to take their winter-quarters in Syria.
6. Now, after the king was departed, Judas was not idle; for as many of his own nation came to him, so did he gather those that had escaped out of the battle together, and gave battle again to Antiochus's generals at a village called Adasa; and being too hard for his enemies in the battle, and killing a great number of them, he was at last himself slain also. Nor was it many days afterward that his brother John had a plot laid against him by Antiochus's party, and was slain by them.
1I see little difference in the several accounts in Josephus about the Egyptian temple Onion, of which large complaints are made by his commentators. Onias, it seems, hoped to have made it very like that at Jerusalem, and of the same dimensions; and so he appears to have really done, as far as he was able and thought proper. Of this temple, see Antiq. B. XIII. ch. 3. sect. 1—3, and Of the War, B. VII. ch. 10. sect. 8.
CHAPTER II.
Concerning the successors of Judas, who were Jonathan and Simon, and John Hyrcanus.
1. When Jonathan, who was Judas's brother, succeeded him, he behaved himself with great circumspection in other respects, with relation to his own people; and he corroborated his authority by preserving his friendship with the Romans. He also made a league with Antiochus the son. Yet was not all this sufficient for his security; for the tyrant Trypho, who was guardian to Antiochus's son, laid a plot against him; and besides that, endeavored to take off his friends, and caught Jonathan by a wile, as he was going to Ptolemais to Antiochus, with a few persons in his company, and put him in bonds, and then made an expedition against the Jews; but when he was afterward driven away by Simon, who was Jonathan's brother, and was enraged at his defeat, he put Jonathan to death.
2. However, Simon managed the public affairs after a courageous manner, and took Gazara, and Joppa, and Jamnia, which were cities in his neighborhood. He also got the garrison under, and demolished the citadel. He was afterward an auxiliary to Antiochus, against Trypho, whom he besieged in Dora, before he went on his expedition against the Medes; yet could not he make the king ashamed of his ambition, though he had assisted him in killing Trypho; for it was not long ere Antiochus sent Cendebeus his general with an army to lay waste Judea, and to subdue Simon; yet he, though he was now in years, conducted the war as if he were a much younger man. He also sent his sons with a band of strong men against Antiochus, while he took part of the army himself with him, and fell upon him from another quarter. He also laid a great many men in ambush in many places of the mountains, and was superior in all his attacks upon them; and when he had been conqueror after so glorious a manner, he was made high priest, and also freed the Jews from the dominion of the Macedonians, after one hundred and seventy years of the empire [of Seleucus].
3. This Simon also had a plot laid against him, and was slain at a feast by his son-in-law Ptolemy, who put his wife and two sons into prison, and sent some persons to kill John, who was also called Hyrcanus. 1 But when the young man was informed of their coming beforehand, he made haste to get to the city, as having a very great confidence in the people there, both on account of the memory of the glorious actions of his father, and of the hatred they could not but bear to the injustice of Ptolemy. Ptolemy also made an attempt to get into the city by another gate; but was repelled by the people, who had just then admitted of Hyrcanus; so he retired presently to one of the fortresses that were about Jericho, which was called Dagon. Now when Hyrcanus had received the high priesthood, which his father had held before, and had offered sacrifice to God, he made great haste to attack Ptolemy, that he might afford relief to his mother and brethren.
4. So he laid siege to the fortress, and was superior to Ptolemy in other respects, but was overcome by him as to the just affection [he had for his relations]; for when Ptolemy was distressed, he brought forth his mother, and his brethren, and set them upon the wall, and beat them with rods in every body's sight, and threatened, that unless he would go away immediately, he would throw them down headlong; at which sight Hyrcanus's commiseration and concern were too hard for his anger. But his mother was not dismayed, neither at the stripes she received, nor at the death with which she was threatened; but stretched out her hands, and prayed her son not to be moved with the injuries that she suffered to spare the wretch; since it was to her better to die by the means of Ptolemy, than to live ever so long, provided he might be punished for the injuries he done to their family. Now John's case was this: When he considered the courage of his mother, and heard her entreaty, he set about his attacks; but when he saw her beaten, and torn to pieces with the stripes, he grew feeble, and was entirely overcome by his affections. And as the siege was delayed by this means, the year of rest came on, upon which the Jews rest every seventh year as they do on every seventh day. On this year, therefore, Ptolemy was freed from being besieged, and slew the brethren of John, with their mother, and fled to Zeno, who was also called Cotylas, who was tyrant of Philadelphia.
5. And now Antiochus was so angry at what he had suffered from Simon, that he made an expedition into Judea, and sat down before Jerusalem and besieged Hyrcanus; but Hyrcanus opened the sepulcher of David, who was the richest of all kings, and took thence about three thousand talents in money, and induced Antiochus, by the promise of three thousand talents, to raise the siege. Moreover, he was the first of the Jews that had money enough, and began to hire foreign auxiliaries also.
6. However, at another time, when Antiochus was gone upon an expedition against the Medes, and so gave Hyrcanus an opportunity of being revenged upon him, he immediately made an attack upon the cities of Syria, as thinking, what proved to be the case with them, that he should find them empty of good troops. So he took Medaba and Samea, with the towns in their neighborhood, as also Shechem, and Gerizzim; and besides these, [he subdued] the nation of the Cutheans, who dwelt round about that temple which was built in imitation of the temple at Jerusalem; he also took a great many other cities of Idumea, with Adoreon and Marissa. 7. He also proceeded as far as Samaria, where is now the city Sebaste, which was built by Herod the king, and encompassed it all round with a wall, and set his sons, Aristobulus and Antigonus, over the siege; who pushed it on so hard, that a famine so far prevailed within the city, that they were forced to eat what never was esteemed food. They also invited Antiochus, who was called Cyzicenus, to come to their assistance; whereupon he got ready, and complied with their invitation, but was beaten by Aristobulus and Antigonus; and indeed he was pursued as far as Scythopolis by these brethren, and fled away from them. So they returned back to Samaria, and shut the multitude again within the wall; and when they had taken the city, they demolished it, and made slaves of its inhabitants. And as they had still great success in their undertakings, they did not suffer their zeal to cool, but marched with an army as far as Scythopolis, and made an incursion upon it, and laid waste all the country that lay within Mount Carmel.
8. But then these successes of John and of his sons made them be envied, and occasioned a sedition in the country; and many there were who got together, and would not be at rest till they brake out into open war, in which war they were beaten. So John lived the rest of his life very happily, and administered the government after a most extraordinary manner, and this for thirty-three entire years together. He died, leaving five sons behind him. He was certainly a very happy man, and afforded no occasion to have any complaint made of fortune on his account. He it was who alone had three of the most desirable things in the world,—the government of his nation, and the high priesthood, and the gift of prophecy. For the Deity conversed with him, and he was not ignorant of any thing that was to come afterward; insomuch that he foresaw and foretold that his two eldest sons would not continue masters of the government; and it will highly deserve our narration to describe their catastrophe, and how far inferior these men were to their father in felicity.
1Why this John, the son of Simon, the high priest and governor of the Jews, was called Hyrcanus, Josephus no where informs us; nor is he called other than John at the end of the First Book of the Maccabees. However, Sixtus Seuensis, when he gives us an epitome of the Greek version of the book here abridged by Josephus, or of the Chronicles of this John Hyrcanus, then extant, assures us that he was called Hyrcanus from his conquest of one of that name. See Authent. Rec. Part I. p. 207. But of this younger Antiochus, see Dean Aldrich's note here.
CHAPTER III.
How Aristobulus was the first that put a diadem about his head; and after he had put his mother and brother to death, died himself, when he had reigned no more than a year.
1. For after the death of their father, the elder of them, Aristobulus, changed the government into a kingdom, and was the first that put a diadem upon his head, four hundred seventy and one years and three months after our people came down into this country, when they were set free from the Babylonian slavery. Now, of his brethren, he appeared to have an affection for Antigonus, who was next to him, and made him his equal; but for the rest, he bound them, and put them in prison. He also put his mother in bonds, for her contesting the government with him; for John had left her to be the governess of public affairs. He also proceeded to that degree of barbarity as to cause her to be pined to death in prison.
2. But vengeance circumvented him in the affair of his brother Antigonus, whom he loved, and whom he made his partner in the kingdom; for he slew him by the means of the calumnies which ill men about the palace contrived against him. At first, indeed, Aristobulus would not believe their reports, partly out of the affection he had for his brother, and partly because he thought that a great part of these tales were owing to the envy of their relaters: however, as Antigonus came once in a splendid manner from the army to that festival, wherein our ancient custom is to make tabernacles for God, it happened, in those days, that Aristobulus was sick, and that, at the conclusion of the feast, Antigonus came up to it, with his armed men about him; and this when he was adorned in the finest manner possible; and that, in a great measure, to pray to God on the behalf of his brother. Now at this very time it was that these ill men came to the king, and told him in what a pompous manner the armed men came, and with what insolence Antigonus marched, and that such his insolence was too great for a private person, and that accordingly he was come with a great band of men to kill him; for that he could not endure this bare enjoyment of royal honor, when it was in his power to take the kingdom himself.
3. Now Aristobulus, by degrees, and unwillingly, gave credit to these accusations; and accordingly he took care not to discover his suspicion openly, though he provided to be secure against any accidents; so he placed the guards of his body in a certain dark subterranean passage; for he lay sick in a place called formerly the Citadel, though afterwards its name was changed to Antonia; and he gave orders that if Antigonus came unarmed, they should let him alone; but if he came to him in his armor, they should kill him. He also sent some to let him know beforehand that he should come unarmed. But, upon this occasion, the queen very cunningly contrived the matter with those that plotted his ruin, for she persuaded those that were sent to conceal the king's message; but to tell Antigonus how his brother had heard he had got a very the suit of armor made with fine martial ornaments, in Galilee; and because his present sickness hindered him from coming and seeing all that finery, he very much desired to see him now in his armor; because, said he, in a little time thou art going away from me.
4. As soon as Antigonus heard this, the good temper of his brother not allowing him to suspect any harm from him, he came along with his armor on, to show it to his brother; but when he was going along that dark passage which was called Strato's Tower, he was slain by the body guards, and became an eminent instance how calumny destroys all good-will and natural affection, and how none of our good affections are strong enough to resist envy perpetually.
5. And truly any one would be surprised at Judas upon this occasion. He was of the sect of the Essens, and had never failed or deceived men in his predictions before. Now this man saw Antigonus as he was passing along by the temple, and cried out to his acquaintance, [they were not a few who attended upon him as his scholars,] "O strange!" said he, "it is good for me to die now, since truth is dead before me, and somewhat that I have foretold hath proved false; for this Antigonus is this day alive, who ought to have died this day; and the place where he ought to be slain, according to that fatal decree, was Strato's Tower, which is at the distance of six hundred furlongs from this place; and yet four hours of this day are over already; which point of time renders the prediction impossible to be fill filled." And when the old man had said this, he was dejected in his mind, and so continued. But in a little time news came that Antigonus was slain in a subterraneous place, which was itself also called Strato's Tower, by the same name with that Cesarea which lay by the sea-side; and this ambiguity it was which caused the prophet's disorder.
6. Hereupon Aristobulus repented of the great crime he had been guilty of, and this gave occasion to the increase of his distemper. He also grew worse and worse, and his soul was constantly disturbed at the thoughts of what he had done, till his very bowels being torn to pieces by the intolerable grief he was under, he threw up a great quantity of blood. And as one of those servants that attended him carried out that blood, he, by some supernatural providence, slipped and fell down in the very place where Antigonus had been slain; and so he spilt some of the murderer's blood upon the spots of the blood of him that had been murdered, which still appeared. Hereupon a lamentable cry arose among the spectators, as if the servant had spilled the blood on purpose in that place; and as the king heard that cry, he inquired what was the cause of it; and while nobody durst tell him, he pressed them so much the more to let him know what was the matter; so at length, when he had threatened them, and forced them to speak out, they told; whereupon he burst into tears, and groaned, and said, "So I perceive I am not like to escape the all-seeing eye of God, as to the great crimes I have committed; but the vengeance of the blood of my kinsman pursues me hastily. O thou most impudent body! how long wilt thou retain a soul that ought to die on account of that punishment it ought to suffer for a mother and a brother slain! How long shall I myself spend my blood drop by drop? let them take it all at once; and let their ghosts no longer be disappointed by a few parcels of my bowels offered to them." As soon as he had said these words, he presently died, when he had reigned no longer than a year.
CHAPTER IV.
What actions were done by Alexander Janneus, who reigned twenty-seven years.
1. And now the king's wife loosed the king's brethren, and made Alexander king, who appeared both elder in age, and more moderate in his temper than the rest; who, when he came to the government, slew one of his brethren, as affecting to govern himself; but had the other of them in great esteem, as loving a quiet life, without meddling with public affairs.
2. Now it happened that there was a battle between him and Ptolemy, who was called Lathyrus, who had taken the city Asochis. He indeed slew a great many of his enemies, but the victory rather inclined to Ptolemy. But when this Ptolemy was pursued by his mother Cleopatra, and retired into Egypt, Alexander besieged Gadara, and took it; as also he did Amathus, which was the strongest of all the fortresses that were about Jordan, and therein were the most precious of all the possessions of Theodorus, the son of Zeno. Whereupon Theodorus marched against him, and took what belonged to himself as well as the king's baggage, and slew ten thousand of the Jews. However, Alexander recovered this blow, and turned his force towards the maritime parts, and took Raphia and Gaza, with Anthedon also, which was afterwards called Agrippias by king Herod.
3. But when he had made slaves of the citizens of all these cities, the nation of the Jews made an insurrection against him at a festival; for at those feasts seditions are generally begun; and it looked as if he should not be able to escape the plot they had laid for him, had not his foreign auxiliaries, the Pisidians and Cilicians, assisted him; for as to the Syrians, he never admitted them among his mercenary troops, on account of their innate enmity against the Jewish nation. And when he had slain more than six thousand of the rebels, he made an incursion into Arabia; and when he had taken that country, together with the Gileadires and Moabites, he enjoined them to pay him tribute, and returned to Areathus; and as Theodorus was surprised at his great success, he took the fortress, and demolished it.
4. However, when he fought with Obodas, king of the Arabians, who had laid an ambush for him near Golan, and a plot against him, he lost his entire army, which was crowded together in a deep valley, and broken to pieces by the multitude of camels. And when he had made his escape to Jerusalem, he provoked the multitude, which hated him before, to make an insurrection against him, and this on account of the greatness of the calamity that he was under. However, he was then too hard for them; and, in the several battles that were fought on both sides, he slew not fewer than fifty thousand of the Jews in the interval of six years. Yet had he no reason to rejoice in these victories, since he did but consume his own kingdom; till at length he left off fighting, and endeavored to come to a composition with them, by talking with his subjects. But this mutability and irregularity of his conduct made them hate him still more. And when he asked them why they so hated him, and what he should do in order to appease them, they said, by killing himself; for that it would be then all they could do to be reconciled to him, who had done such tragical things to them, even when he was dead. At the same time they invited Demetrius, who was called Eucerus, to assist them; and as he readily complied with their requests, in hopes of great advantages, and came with his army, the Jews joined with those their auxiliaries about Shechem.
5. Yet did Alexander meet both these forces with one thousand horsemen, and eight thousand mercenaries that were on foot. He had also with him that part of the Jews which favored him, to the number of ten thousand; while the adverse party had three thousand horsemen, and fourteen thousand footmen. Now, before they joined battle, the kings made proclamation, and endeavored to draw off each other's soldiers, and make them revolt; while Demetrius hoped to induce Alexander's mercenaries to leave him, and Alexander hoped to induce the Jews that were with Demetrius to leave him. But since neither the Jews would leave off their rage, nor the Greeks prove unfaithful, they came to an engagement, and to a close fight with their weapons. In which battle Demetrius was the conqueror, although Alexander's mercenaries showed the greatest exploits, both in soul and body. Yet did the upshot of this battle prove different from what was expected, as to both of them; for neither did those that invited Demetrius to come to them continue firm to him, though he was conqueror; and six thousand Jews, out of pity to the change of Alexander's condition, when he was fled to the mountains, came over to him. Yet could not Demetrius bear this turn of affairs; but supposing that Alexander was already become a match for him again, and that all the nation would [at length] run to him, he left the country, and went his way.
6. However, the rest of the [Jewish] multitude did not lay aside their quarrels with him, when the [foreign] auxiliaries were gone; but they had a perpetual war with Alexander, until he had slain the greatest part of them, and driven the rest into the city Berneselis; and when he had demolished that city, he carried the captives to Jerusalem. Nay, his rage was grown so extravagant, that his barbarity proceeded to the degree of impiety; for when he had ordered eight hundred to be hung upon crosses in the midst of the city, he had the throats of their wives and children cut before their eyes; and these executions he saw as he was drinking and lying down with his concubines. Upon which so deep a surprise seized on the people, that eight thousand of his opposers fled away the very next night, out of all Judea, whose flight was only terminated by Alexander's death; so at last, though not till late, and with great difficulty, he, by such actions, procured quiet to his kingdom, and left off fighting any more.
7. Yet did that Antiochus, who was also called Dionysius, become an origin of troubles again. This man was the brother of Demetrius, and the last of the race of the Seleucidae. 1 Alexander was afraid of him, when he was marching against the Arabians; so he cut a deep trench between Antipatris, which was near the mountains, and the shores of Joppa; he also erected a high wall before the trench, and built wooden towers, in order to hinder any sudden approaches. But still he was not able to exclude Antiochus, for he burnt the towers, and filled up the trenches, and marched on with his army. And as he looked upon taking his revenge on Alexander, for endeavoring to stop him, as a thing of less consequence, he marched directly against the Arabians, whose king retired into such parts of the country as were fittest for engaging the enemy, and then on the sudden made his horse turn back, which were in number ten thousand, and fell upon Antiochus's army while they were in disorder, and a terrible battle ensued. Antiochus's troops, so long as he was alive, fought it out, although a mighty slaughter was made among them by the Arabians; but when he fell, for he was in the forefront, in the utmost danger, in rallying his troops, they all gave ground, and the greatest part of his army were destroyed, either in the action or the flight; and for the rest, who fled to the village of Cana, it happened that they were all consumed by want of necessaries, a few only excepted.
8. About this time it was that the people of Damascus, out of their hatred to Ptolemy, the son of Menhens, invited Aretas [to take the government], and made him king of Celesyria. This man also made an expedition against Judea, and beat Alexander in battle; but afterwards retired by mutual agreement. But Alexander, when he had taken Pella, marched to Gerasa again, out of the covetous desire he had of Theodorus's possessions; and when he had built a triple wall about the garrison, he took the place by force. He also demolished Golan, and Seleucia, and what was called the Valley of Antiochus; besides which, he took the strong fortress of Gamala, and stripped Demetrius, who was governor therein, of what he had, on account of the many crimes laid to his charge, and then returned into Judea, after he had been three whole years in this expedition. And now he was kindly received of the nation, because of the good success he had. So when he was at rest from war, he fell into a distemper; for he was afflicted with a quartan ague, and supposed that, by exercising himself again in martial affairs, he should get rid of this distemper; but by making such expeditions at unseasonable times, and forcing his body to undergo greater hardships than it was able to bear, he brought himself to his end. He died, therefore, in the midst of his troubles, after he had reigned seven and twenty years.
1Josephus here calls this Antiochus the last of the Seleucidae, although there remained still a shadow of another king of that family, Antiochus Asiaticus, or Commagenus, who reigned, or rather lay hid, till Pompey quite turned him out, as Dean Aldrich here notes from Appian and Justin.
CHAPTER V.
Alexandra reigns nine years, during which time the pharisees were the real rulers of the nation.
1. Now Alexander left the kingdom to Alexandra his wife, and depended upon it that the Jews would now very readily submit to her, because she had been very averse to such cruelty as he had treated them with, and had opposed his violation of their laws, and had thereby got the good-will of the people. Nor was he mistaken as to his expectations; for this woman kept the dominion, by the opinion that the people had of her piety; for she chiefly studied the ancient customs of her country, and cast those men out of the government that offended against their holy laws. And as she had two sons by Alexander, she made Hyrcanus the elder high priest, on account of his age, as also, besides that, on account of his inactive temper, no way disposing him to disturb the public. But she retained the younger, Aristobulus, with her as a private person, by reason of the warmth of his temper.
2. And now the Pharisees joined themselves to her, to assist her in the government. These are a certain sect of the Jews that appear more religious than others, and seem to interpret the laws more accurately. Now Alexandra hearkened to them to an extraordinary degree, as being herself a woman of great piety towards God. But these Pharisees artfully insinuated themselves into her favor by little and little, and became themselves the real administrators of the public affairs: they banished and reduced whom they pleased; they bound and loosed [men] at their pleasure; 1 and, to say all at once, they had the enjoyment of the royal authority, whilst the expenses and the difficulties of it belonged to Alexandra. She was a sagacious woman in the management of great affairs, and intent always upon gathering soldiers together; so that she increased the army the one half, and procured a great body of foreign troops, till her own nation became not only very powerful at home, but terrible also to foreign potentates, while she governed other people, and the Pharisees governed her.
3. Accordingly, they themselves slew Diogenes, a person of figure, and one that had been a friend to Alexander; and accused him as having assisted the king with his advice, for crucifying the eight hundred men [before mentioned.] They also prevailed with Alexandra to put to death the rest of those who had irritated him against them. Now she was so superstitious as to comply with their desires, and accordingly they slew whom they pleased themselves. But the principal of those that were in danger fled to Aristobulus, who persuaded his mother to spare the men on account of their dignity, but to expel them out of the city, unless she took them to be innocent; so they were suffered to go unpunished, and were dispersed all over the country. But when Alexandra sent out her army to Damascus, under pretense that Ptolemy was always oppressing that city, she got possession of it; nor did it make any considerable resistance. She also prevailed with Tigranes, king of Armenia, who lay with his troops about Ptolemais, and besieged Cleopatra, 2 by agreements and presents, to go away. Accordingly, Tigranes soon arose from the siege, by reason of those domestic tumults which happened upon Lucullus's expedition into Armenia.
4. In the mean time, Alexandra fell sick, and Aristobulus, her younger son, took hold of this opportunity, with his domestics, of which he had a great many, who were all of them his friends, on account of the warmth of their youth, and got possession of all the fortresses. He also used the sums of money he found in them to get together a number of mercenary soldiers, and made himself king; and besides this, upon Hyrcanus's complaint to his mother, she compassionated his case, and put Aristobulus's wife and sons under restraint in Antonia, which was a fortress that joined to the north part of the temple. It was, as I have already said, of old called the Citadel; but afterwards got the name of Antonia, when Antony was [lord of the East], just as the other cities, Sebaste and Agrippias, had their names changed, and these given them from Sebastus and Agrippa. But Alexandra died before she could punish Aristobulus for his disinheriting his brother, after she had reigned nine years.
1Matthew 16:19; 18:18. Here we have the oldest and most authentic Jewish exposition of binding and loosing, for punishing or absolving men, not for declaring actions lawful or unlawful, as some more modern Jews and Christians vainly pretend.
2Strabo, B. XVI. p. 740, relates, that this Selene Cleopatra was besieged by Tigranes, not in Ptolemais, as here, but after she had left Syria, in Seleucia, a citadel in Mesopotamia; and adds, that when he had kept her a while in prison, he put her to death. Dean Aldrich supposes here that Strabo contradicts Josephus, which does not appear to me; for although Josephus says both here and in the Antiquities, B. XIII. ch. 16. sect. 4, that Tigranes besieged her now in Ptolemais, and that he took the city, as the Antiquities inform us, yet does he no where intimate that he now took the queen herself; so that both the narrations of Strabo and Josephus may still be true notwithstanding.
