Antiquities Book 13, Chapter 10
How Upon The Quarrel Between Antiochus Grypus And Antiochus Cyzicenus About The Kingdom Hyrcanus Tooksamaria, And Utterly Demolished It; And How Hyrcanus Joined Himself To The Sect Of The Sadducees, And Left That Of The Pharisees.
1. When Antiochus had taken the kingdom, he was afraid to make war
against Judea, because he heard that his brother by the same mother, who
was also called Antiochus, was raising an army against him out of
Cyzicum; so he staid in his own land, and resolved to prepare himself
for the attack he expected from his brother, who was called Cyzicenus,
because he had been brought up in that city. He was the son of Antiochus
that was called Soter, who died in Parthia. He was the brother of
Demetrius, the father of Grypus; for it had so happened, that one and
the same Cleopatra was married to two who were brethren, as we have
related elsewhere. But Antiochus Cyzicenus coming into Syria, continued
many years at war with his brother. Now Hyrcanus lived all this while in
peace; for after the death of Antiochus, he revolted from the
Macedonians, 27 nor did he any longer pay them the least regard, either
as their subject or their friend; but his affairs were in a very
improving and flourishing condition in the times of Alexander Zebina,
and especially under these brethren, for the war which they had with one
another gave Hyrcanus the opportunity of enjoying himself in Judea
quietly, insomuch that he got an immense quantity of money. How ever,
when Antiochus Cyzicenus distressed his land, he then openly showed what
he meant. And when he saw that Antiochus was destitute of Egyptian
auxiliaries, and that both he and his brother were in an ill condition
in the struggles they had one with another, he despised them both.
2. So he made an expedition against Samaria which was a very strong
city; of whose present name Sebaste, and its rebuilding by Herod, we
shall speak at a proper time; but he made his attack against it, and
besieged it with a great deal of pains; for he was greatly displeased
with the Samaritans for the injuries they had done to the people of
Merissa, a colony of the Jews, and confederate with them, and this in
compliance to the kings of Syria. When he had therefore drawn a ditch,
and built a double wall round the city, which was fourscore furlongs
long, he set his sons Antigonus and Arisrobulna over the siege; which
brought the Samaritans to that great distress by famine, that they were
forced to eat what used not to be eaten, and to call for Antiochus
Cyzicenus to help them, who came readily to their assistance, but was
beaten by Aristobulus; and when he was pursued as far as Scythopolis by
the two brethren, he got away. So they returned to Samaria, and shut
them again within the wall, till they were forced to send for the same
Antiochus a second time to help them, who procured about six thousand
men from Ptolemy Lathyrus, which were sent them without his mother's
consent, who had then in a manner turned him out of his government. With
these Egyptians Antiochus did at first overrun and ravage the country of
Hyrcanus after the manner of a robber, for he durst not meet him in the
face to fight with him, as not having an army sufficient for that
purpose, but only from this supposal, that by thus harassing his land he
should force Hyrcanus to raise the siege of Samaria; but because he fell
into snares, and lost many of his soldiers therein, he went away to
Tripoli, and committed the prosecution of the war against the Jews to
Callimander and Epicrates.
3. But as to Callimander, he attacked the enemy too rashly, and was put
to flight, and destroyed immediately; and as to Epicrates, he was such a
lover of money, that he openly betrayed Scythopolis, and other places
near it, to the Jews, but was not able to make them raise the siege of
Samaria. And when Hyrcanus had taken that city, which was not done till
after a year's siege, he was not contented with doing that only, but he
demolished it entirely, and brought rivulets to it to drown it, for he
dug such hollows as might let the water run under it; nay, he took away
the very marks that there had ever been such a city there. Now a very
surprising thing is related of this high priest Hyrcanus, how God came
to discourse with him; for they say that on the very same day on which
his sons fought with Antiochus Cyzicenus, he was alone in the temple, as
high priest, offering incense, and heard a voice, that his sons had just
then overcome Antiochus. And this he openly declared before all the
multitude upon his coming out of the temple; and it accordingly proved
true; and in this posture were the affairs of Hyrcanus.
4. Now it happened at this time, that not only those Jews who were at
Jerusalem and in Judea were in prosperity, but also those of them that
were at Alexandria, and in Egypt and Cyprus; for Cleopatra the queen was
at variance with her son Ptolemy, who was called Lathyrus, and appointed
for her generals Chelcias and Ananias, the sons of that Onias who built
the temple in the prefecture of Heliopolis, like to that at Jerusalem,
as we have elsewhere related. Cleopatra intrusted these men with her
army, and did nothing without their advice, as Strabo of Cappadocia
attests, when he saith thus, "Now the greater part, both those that came
to Cyprus with us, and those that were sent afterward thither, revolted
to Ptolemy immediately; only those that were called Onias's party, being
Jews, continued faithful, because their countrymen Chelcias and Ananias
were in chief favor with the queen." These are the words of Strabo.
5. However, this prosperous state of affairs moved the Jews to envy
Hyrcanus; but they that were the worst disposed to him were the
Pharisees, 28 who were one of the sects of the Jews, as we have informed
you already. These have so great a power over the multitude, that when
they say any thing against the king, or against the high priest, they
are presently believed. Now Hyrcanus was a disciple of theirs, and
greatly beloved by them. And when he once invited them to a feast, and
entertained them very kindly, when he saw them in a good humor, he began
to say to them, that they knew he was desirous to be a righteous man,
and to do all things whereby he might please God, which was the
profession of the Pharisees also. However, he desired, that if they
observed him offending in any point, and going out of the right way,
they would call him back and correct him. On which occasion they
attested to his being entirely virtuous; with which commendation he was
well pleased. But still there was one of his guests there, whose name
was Eleazar, a man of an ill temper, and delighting in seditious
practices. This man said, "Since thou desirest to know the truth, if
thou wilt be righteous in earnest, lay down the high priesthood, and
content thyself with the civil government of the people," And when he
desired to know for what cause he ought to lay down the high priesthood,
the other replied, "We have heard it from old men, that thy mother had
been a captive under the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. 29" This story
was false, and Hyrcanus was provoked against him; and all the Pharisees
had a very great indignation against him.
6. Now there was one Jonathan, a very great friend of Hyrcanus's, but of
the sect of the Sadducees, whose notions are quite contrary to those of
the Pharisees. He told Hyrcanus that Eleazar had cast such a reproach
upon him, according to the common sentiments of all the Pharisees, and
that this would be made manifest if he would but ask them the question,
What punishment they thought this man deserved? for that he might depend
upon it, that the reproach was not laid on him with their approbation,
if they were for punishing him as his crime deserved. So the Pharisees
made answer, that he deserved stripes and bonds, but that it did not
seem right to punish reproaches with death. And indeed the Pharisees,
even upon other occasions, are not apt to be severe in punishments. At
this gentle sentence, Hyrcanus was very angry, and thought that this man
reproached him by their approbation. It was this Jonathan who chiefly
irritated him, and influenced him so far, that he made him leave the
party of the Pharisees, and abolish the decrees they had imposed on the
people, and to punish those that observed them. From this source arose
that hatred which he and his sons met with from the multitude: but of
these matters we shall speak hereafter. What I would now explain is
this, that the Pharisees have delivered to the people a great many
observances by succession from their fathers, which are not written in
the laws of Moses; and for that reason it is that the Sadducees reject
them, and say that we are to esteem those observances to be obligatory
which are in the written word, but are not to observe what are derived
from the tradition of our forefathers. And concerning these things it is
that great disputes and differences have arisen among them, while the
Sadducees are able to persuade none but the rich, and have not the
populace obsequious to them, but the Pharisees have the multitude on
their side. But about these two sects, and that of the Essens, I have
treated accurately in the second book of Jewish affairs.
7. But when Hyrcanus had put an end to this sedition, he after that
lived happily, and administered the government in the best manner for
thirty-one years, and then died, 30 leaving behind him five sons. He was
esteemed by God worthy of three of the greatest privileges,—the
government of his nation, the dignity of the high priesthood, and
prophecy; for God was with him, and enabled him to know futurities; and
to foretell this in particular, that, as to his two eldest sons, he
foretold that they would not long continue in the government of public
affairs; whose unhappy catastrophe will be worth our description, that
we may thence learn how very much they were inferior to their father's
happiness.
against Judea, because he heard that his brother by the same mother, who
was also called Antiochus, was raising an army against him out of
Cyzicum; so he staid in his own land, and resolved to prepare himself
for the attack he expected from his brother, who was called Cyzicenus,
because he had been brought up in that city. He was the son of Antiochus
that was called Soter, who died in Parthia. He was the brother of
Demetrius, the father of Grypus; for it had so happened, that one and
the same Cleopatra was married to two who were brethren, as we have
related elsewhere. But Antiochus Cyzicenus coming into Syria, continued
many years at war with his brother. Now Hyrcanus lived all this while in
peace; for after the death of Antiochus, he revolted from the
Macedonians, 27 nor did he any longer pay them the least regard, either
as their subject or their friend; but his affairs were in a very
improving and flourishing condition in the times of Alexander Zebina,
and especially under these brethren, for the war which they had with one
another gave Hyrcanus the opportunity of enjoying himself in Judea
quietly, insomuch that he got an immense quantity of money. How ever,
when Antiochus Cyzicenus distressed his land, he then openly showed what
he meant. And when he saw that Antiochus was destitute of Egyptian
auxiliaries, and that both he and his brother were in an ill condition
in the struggles they had one with another, he despised them both.
2. So he made an expedition against Samaria which was a very strong
city; of whose present name Sebaste, and its rebuilding by Herod, we
shall speak at a proper time; but he made his attack against it, and
besieged it with a great deal of pains; for he was greatly displeased
with the Samaritans for the injuries they had done to the people of
Merissa, a colony of the Jews, and confederate with them, and this in
compliance to the kings of Syria. When he had therefore drawn a ditch,
and built a double wall round the city, which was fourscore furlongs
long, he set his sons Antigonus and Arisrobulna over the siege; which
brought the Samaritans to that great distress by famine, that they were
forced to eat what used not to be eaten, and to call for Antiochus
Cyzicenus to help them, who came readily to their assistance, but was
beaten by Aristobulus; and when he was pursued as far as Scythopolis by
the two brethren, he got away. So they returned to Samaria, and shut
them again within the wall, till they were forced to send for the same
Antiochus a second time to help them, who procured about six thousand
men from Ptolemy Lathyrus, which were sent them without his mother's
consent, who had then in a manner turned him out of his government. With
these Egyptians Antiochus did at first overrun and ravage the country of
Hyrcanus after the manner of a robber, for he durst not meet him in the
face to fight with him, as not having an army sufficient for that
purpose, but only from this supposal, that by thus harassing his land he
should force Hyrcanus to raise the siege of Samaria; but because he fell
into snares, and lost many of his soldiers therein, he went away to
Tripoli, and committed the prosecution of the war against the Jews to
Callimander and Epicrates.
3. But as to Callimander, he attacked the enemy too rashly, and was put
to flight, and destroyed immediately; and as to Epicrates, he was such a
lover of money, that he openly betrayed Scythopolis, and other places
near it, to the Jews, but was not able to make them raise the siege of
Samaria. And when Hyrcanus had taken that city, which was not done till
after a year's siege, he was not contented with doing that only, but he
demolished it entirely, and brought rivulets to it to drown it, for he
dug such hollows as might let the water run under it; nay, he took away
the very marks that there had ever been such a city there. Now a very
surprising thing is related of this high priest Hyrcanus, how God came
to discourse with him; for they say that on the very same day on which
his sons fought with Antiochus Cyzicenus, he was alone in the temple, as
high priest, offering incense, and heard a voice, that his sons had just
then overcome Antiochus. And this he openly declared before all the
multitude upon his coming out of the temple; and it accordingly proved
true; and in this posture were the affairs of Hyrcanus.
4. Now it happened at this time, that not only those Jews who were at
Jerusalem and in Judea were in prosperity, but also those of them that
were at Alexandria, and in Egypt and Cyprus; for Cleopatra the queen was
at variance with her son Ptolemy, who was called Lathyrus, and appointed
for her generals Chelcias and Ananias, the sons of that Onias who built
the temple in the prefecture of Heliopolis, like to that at Jerusalem,
as we have elsewhere related. Cleopatra intrusted these men with her
army, and did nothing without their advice, as Strabo of Cappadocia
attests, when he saith thus, "Now the greater part, both those that came
to Cyprus with us, and those that were sent afterward thither, revolted
to Ptolemy immediately; only those that were called Onias's party, being
Jews, continued faithful, because their countrymen Chelcias and Ananias
were in chief favor with the queen." These are the words of Strabo.
5. However, this prosperous state of affairs moved the Jews to envy
Hyrcanus; but they that were the worst disposed to him were the
Pharisees, 28 who were one of the sects of the Jews, as we have informed
you already. These have so great a power over the multitude, that when
they say any thing against the king, or against the high priest, they
are presently believed. Now Hyrcanus was a disciple of theirs, and
greatly beloved by them. And when he once invited them to a feast, and
entertained them very kindly, when he saw them in a good humor, he began
to say to them, that they knew he was desirous to be a righteous man,
and to do all things whereby he might please God, which was the
profession of the Pharisees also. However, he desired, that if they
observed him offending in any point, and going out of the right way,
they would call him back and correct him. On which occasion they
attested to his being entirely virtuous; with which commendation he was
well pleased. But still there was one of his guests there, whose name
was Eleazar, a man of an ill temper, and delighting in seditious
practices. This man said, "Since thou desirest to know the truth, if
thou wilt be righteous in earnest, lay down the high priesthood, and
content thyself with the civil government of the people," And when he
desired to know for what cause he ought to lay down the high priesthood,
the other replied, "We have heard it from old men, that thy mother had
been a captive under the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. 29" This story
was false, and Hyrcanus was provoked against him; and all the Pharisees
had a very great indignation against him.
6. Now there was one Jonathan, a very great friend of Hyrcanus's, but of
the sect of the Sadducees, whose notions are quite contrary to those of
the Pharisees. He told Hyrcanus that Eleazar had cast such a reproach
upon him, according to the common sentiments of all the Pharisees, and
that this would be made manifest if he would but ask them the question,
What punishment they thought this man deserved? for that he might depend
upon it, that the reproach was not laid on him with their approbation,
if they were for punishing him as his crime deserved. So the Pharisees
made answer, that he deserved stripes and bonds, but that it did not
seem right to punish reproaches with death. And indeed the Pharisees,
even upon other occasions, are not apt to be severe in punishments. At
this gentle sentence, Hyrcanus was very angry, and thought that this man
reproached him by their approbation. It was this Jonathan who chiefly
irritated him, and influenced him so far, that he made him leave the
party of the Pharisees, and abolish the decrees they had imposed on the
people, and to punish those that observed them. From this source arose
that hatred which he and his sons met with from the multitude: but of
these matters we shall speak hereafter. What I would now explain is
this, that the Pharisees have delivered to the people a great many
observances by succession from their fathers, which are not written in
the laws of Moses; and for that reason it is that the Sadducees reject
them, and say that we are to esteem those observances to be obligatory
which are in the written word, but are not to observe what are derived
from the tradition of our forefathers. And concerning these things it is
that great disputes and differences have arisen among them, while the
Sadducees are able to persuade none but the rich, and have not the
populace obsequious to them, but the Pharisees have the multitude on
their side. But about these two sects, and that of the Essens, I have
treated accurately in the second book of Jewish affairs.
7. But when Hyrcanus had put an end to this sedition, he after that
lived happily, and administered the government in the best manner for
thirty-one years, and then died, 30 leaving behind him five sons. He was
esteemed by God worthy of three of the greatest privileges,—the
government of his nation, the dignity of the high priesthood, and
prophecy; for God was with him, and enabled him to know futurities; and
to foretell this in particular, that, as to his two eldest sons, he
foretold that they would not long continue in the government of public
affairs; whose unhappy catastrophe will be worth our description, that
we may thence learn how very much they were inferior to their father's
happiness.