Antiquities of the Jews — Book 12, Chapter 3

1. The Jews also obtained honors from the kings of Asia when they became
their auxiliaries; for Seleucus Nicator made them citizens in those
cities which he built in Asia, and in the lower Syria, and in the
metropolis itself, Antioch; and gave them privileges equal to those of
the Macedonians and Greeks, who were the inhabitants, insomuch that
these privileges continue to this very day: an argument for which you
have in this, that whereas the Jews do not make use of oil prepared by
foreigners, 11 they receive a certain sum of money from the proper
officers belonging to their exercises as the value of that oil; which
money, when the people of Antioch would have deprived them of, in the
last war, Mucianus, who was then president of Syria, preserved it to
them. And when the people of Alexandria and of Antioch did after that,
at the time that Vespasian and Titus his son governed the habitable
earth, pray that these privileges of citizens might be taken away, they
did not obtain their request in which behavior any one may discern the
equity and generosity of the Romans, 12 especially of Vespasian and
Titus, who, although they had been at a great deal of pains in the war
against the Jews, and were exasperated against them, because they did
not deliver up their weapons to them, but continued the war to the very
last, yet did not they take away any of their forementioned privileges
belonging to them as citizens, but restrained their anger, and overcame
the prayers of the Alexandrians and Antiochians, who were a very
powerful people, insomuch that they did not yield to them, neither out
of their favor to these people, nor out of their old grudge at those
whose wicked opposition they had subdued in the war; nor would they
alter any of the ancient favors granted to the Jews, but said, that
those who had borne arms against them, and fought them, had suffered
punishment already, and that it was not just to deprive those that had
not offended of the privileges they enjoyed.

2. We also know that Marcus Agrippa was of the like disposition towards
the Jews: for when the people of Ionia were very angry at them, and
besought Agrippa that they, and they only, might have those privileges
of citizens which Antiochus, the grandson of Seleucus, [who by the
Greeks was called The God,] had bestowed on them, and desired that, if
the Jews were to be joint-partakers with them, they might be obliged to
worship the gods they themselves worshipped: but when these matters were
brought to the trial, the Jews prevailed, and obtained leave to make use
of their own customs, and this under the patronage of Nicolaus of
Damascus; for Agrippa gave sentence that he could not innovate. And if
any one hath a mind to know this matter accurately, let him peruse the
hundred and twenty-third and hundred and twenty-fourth books of the
history of this Nicolaus. Now as to this determination of Agrippa, it is
not so much to be admired, for at that time our nation had not made war
against the Romans. But one may well be astonished at the generosity of
Vespasian and Titus, that after so great wars and contests which they
had from us, they should use such moderation. But I will now return to
that part of my history whence I made the present digression.

3. Now it happened that in the reign of Antiochus the Great, who ruled
over all Asia, that the Jews, as well as the inhabitants of Celesyria,
suffered greatly, and their land was sorely harassed; for while he was
at war with Ptolemy Philopater, and with his son, who was called
Epiphanes, it fell out that these nations were equally sufferers, both
when he was beaten, and when he beat the others: so that they were very
like to a ship in a storm, which is tossed by the waves on both sides;
and just thus were they in their situation in the middle between
Antiochus's prosperity and its change to adversity. But at length, when
Antiochus had beaten Ptolemy, he seized upon Judea; and when Philopater
was dead, his son sent out a great army under Scopas, the general of his
forces, against the inhabitants of Celesyria, who took many of their
cities, and in particular our nation; which when he fell upon them, went
over to him. Yet was it not long afterward when Antiochus overcame
Scopas, in a battle fought at the fountains of Jordan, and destroyed a
great part of his army. But afterward, when Antiochus subdued those
cities of Celesyria which Scopas had gotten into his possession, and
Samaria with them, the Jews, of their own accord, went over to him, and
received him into the city [Jerusalem], and gave plentiful provision to
all his army, and to his elephants, and readily assisted him when he
besieged the garrison which was in the citadel of Jerusalem. Wherefore
Antiochus thought it but just to requite the Jews' diligence and zeal in
his service. So he wrote to the generals of his armies, and to his
friends, and gave testimony to the good behavior of the Jews towards
him, and informed them what rewards he had resolved to bestow on them
for that their behavior. I will set down presently the epistles
themselves which he wrote to the generals concerning them, but will
first produce the testimony of Polybius of Megalopolis; for thus does he
speak, in the sixteenth book of his history: "Now Scopas, the general of
Ptolemy's army, went in haste to the superior parts of the country, and
in the winter time overthrew the nation of the Jews?" He also saith, in
the same book, that "when Seopas was conquered by Antiochus, Antiochus
received Batanea, and Samaria, and Abila, and Gadara; and that, a while
afterwards, there came in to him those Jews that inhabited near that
temple which was called Jerusalem; concerning which, although I have
more to say, and particularly concerning the presence of God about that
temple, yet do I put off that history till another opportunity." This it
is which Polybius relates. But we will return to the series of the
history, when we have first produced the epistles of king Antiochus.

King Antiochus To Ptolemy, Sendeth Greeting.

"Since the Jews, upon our first entrance on their country, demonstrated
their friendship towards us, and when we came to their city [Jerusalem],
received us in a splendid manner, and came to meet us with their senate,
and gave abundance of provisions to our soldiers, and to the elephants,
and joined with us in ejecting the garrison of the Egyptians that were
in the citadel, we have thought fit to reward them, and to retrieve the
condition of their city, which hath been greatly depopulated by such
accidents as have befallen its inhabitants, and to bring those that have
been scattered abroad back to the city. And, in the first place, we have
determined, on account of their piety towards God, to bestow on them, as
a pension, for their sacrifices of animals that are fit for sacrifice,
for wine, and oil, and frankincense, the value of twenty thousand pieces
of silver, and [six] sacred artabrae of fine flour, with one thousand
four hundred and sixty medimni of wheat, and three hundred and seventy-
five medimni of salt. And these payments I would have fully paid them,
as I have sent orders to you. I would also have the work about the
temple finished, and the cloisters, and if there be any thing else that
ought to be rebuilt. And for the materials of wood, let it be brought
them out of Judea itself and out of the other countries, and out of
Libanus tax free; and the same I would have observed as to those other
materials which will be necessary, in order to render the temple more
glorious; and let all of that nation live according to the laws of their
own country; and let the senate, and the priests, and the scribes of the
temple, and the sacred singers, be discharged from poll-money and the
crown tax and other taxes also. And that the city may the sooner recover
its inhabitants, I grant a discharge from taxes for three years to its
present inhabitants, and to such as shall come to it, until the month
Hyperheretus. We also discharge them for the future from a third part of
their taxes, that the losses they have sustained may be repaired. And
all those citizens that have been carried away, and are become slaves,
we grant them and their children their freedom, and give order that
their substance be restored to them."

4. And these were the contents of this epistle. He also published a
decree through all his kingdom in honor of the temple, which contained
what follows: "It shall be lawful for no foreigner to come within the
limits of the temple round about; which thing is forbidden also to the
Jews, unless to those who, according to their own custom, have purified
themselves. Nor let any flesh of horses, or of mules, or of asses, he
brought into the city, whether they be wild or tame; nor that of
leopards, or foxes, or hares; and, in general, that of any animal which
is forbidden for the Jews to eat. Nor let their skins be brought into
it; nor let any such animal be bred up in the city. Let them only be
permitted to use the sacrifices derived from their forefathers, with
which they have been obliged to make acceptable atonements to God. And
he that transgresseth any of these orders, let him pay to the priests
three thousand drachmae of silver." Moreover, this Antiochus bare
testimony to our piety and fidelity, in an epistle of his, written when
he was informed of a sedition in Phrygia and Lydia, at which time he was
in the superior provinces, wherein he commanded Zenxis, the general of
his forces, and his most intimate friend, to send some of our nation out
of Babylon into Phrygia. The epistle was this:

King Antiochus To Zeuxis His Father, Sendeth Greeting.

"If you are in health, it is well. I also am in health. Having been
informed that a sedition is arisen in Lydia and Phrygia, I thought that
matter required great care; and upon advising with my friends what was
fit to be done, it hath been thought proper to remove two thousand
families of Jews, with their effects, out of Mesopotamia and Babylon,
unto the castles and places that lie most convenient; for I am persuaded
that they will be well-disposed guardians of our possessions, because of
their piety towards God, and because I know that my predecessors have
borne witness to them, that they are faithful, and with alacrity do what
they are desired to do. I will, therefore, though it be a laborious
work, that thou remove these Jews, under a promise, that they shall be
permitted to use their own laws. And when thou shalt have brought them
to the places forementioned, thou shalt give everyone of their families
a place for building their houses, and a portion of the land for their
husbandry, and for the plantation of their vines; and thou shalt
discharge them from paying taxes of the fruits of the earth for ten
years; and let them have a proper quantity of wheat for the maintenance
of their servants, until they receive bread corn out of the earth; also
let a sufficient share be given to such as minister to them in the
necessaries of life, that by enjoying the effects of our humanity, they
may show themselves the more willing and ready about our affairs. Take
care likewise of that nation, as far as thou art able, that they may not
have any disturbance given them by any one." Now these testimonials
which I have produced are sufficient to declare the friendship that
Antiochus the Great bare to the Jews.