Antiquities Book 14, Chapter 10
The Honors That Were Paid The Jews; And The Leagues That Were Made By The Romans And Other Nations, With Them.
1. Now when Cæsar was come to Rome, he was ready to sail into Africa to
fight against Scipio and Cato, when Hyrcanus sent ambassadors to him,
and by them desired that he would ratify that league of friendship and
mutual alliance which was between them, And it seems to me to be
necessary here to give an account of all the honors that the Romans and
their emperor paid to our nation, and of the leagues of mutual
assistance they have made with it, that all the rest of mankind may know
what regard the kings of Asia and Europe have had to us, and that they
have been abundantly satisfied of our courage and fidelity; for whereas
many will not believe what hath been written about us by the Persians
and Macedonians, because those writings are not every where to be met
with, nor do lie in public places, but among us ourselves, and certain
other barbarous nations, while there is no contradiction to be made
against the decrees of the Romans, for they are laid up in the public
places of the cities, and are extant still in the capitol, and engraven
upon pillars of brass; nay, besides this, Julius Cæsar made a pillar of
brass for the Jews at Alexandria, and declared publicly that they were
citizens of Alexandria. Out of these evidences will I demonstrate what I
say; and will now set down the decrees made both by the senate and by
Julius Cæsar, which relate to Hyrcanus and to our nation.
2. "Caius Julius Cæsar, imperator and high priest, and dictator the
second time, to the magistrates, senate, and people of Sidon, sendeth
greeting. If you be in health, it is well. I also and the army are well.
I have sent you a copy of that decree, registered on the tables, which
concerns Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and ethnarch of
the Jews, that it may be laid up among the public records; and I will
that it be openly proposed in a table of brass, both in Greek and in
Latin. It is as follows: I Julius Cæsar, imperator the second time, and
high priest, have made this decree, with the approbation of the senate.
Whereas Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander the Jew, hath demonstrated his
fidelity and diligence about our affairs, and this both now and in
former times, both in peace and in war, as many of our generals have
borne witness, and came to our assistance in the last Alexandrian war,
17 with fifteen hundred soldiers; and when he was sent by me to
Mithridates, showed himself superior in valor to all the rest of that
army;—for these reasons I will that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, and
his children, be ethnarchs of the Jews, and have the high priesthood of
the Jews for ever, according to the customs of their forefathers, and
that he and his sons be our confederates; and that besides this,
everyone of them be reckoned among our particular friends. I also ordain
that he and his children retain whatsoever privileges belong to the
office of high priest, or whatsoever favors have been hitherto granted
them; and if at any time hereafter there arise any questions about the
Jewish customs, I will that he determine the same. And I think it not
proper that they should be obliged to find us winter quarters, or that
any money should be required of them."
3. "The decrees of Caius Cæsar, consul, containing what hath been
granted and determined, are as follows: That Hyrcanus and his children
bear rule over the nation of the Jews, and have the profits of the
places to them bequeathed; and that he, as himself the high priest and
ethnarch of the Jews, defend those that are injured; and that
ambassadors be sent to Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest
of the Jews, that may discourse with him about a league of friendship
and mutual assistance; and that a table of brass, containing the
premises, be openly proposed in the capitol, and at Sidon, and Tyre, and
Askelon, and in the temple, engraven in Roman and Greek letters: that
this decree may also be communicated to the quaestors and praetors of
the several cities, and to the friends of the Jews; and that the
ambassadors may have presents made them; and that these decrees be sent
every where." 18
4. "Caius Cæsar, imperator, dictator, consul, hath granted, That out of
regard to the honor, and virtue, and kindness of the man, and for the
advantage of the senate, and of the people of Rome, Hyrcanus, the son of
Alexander, both he and his children, be high priests and priests of
Jerusalem, and of the Jewish nation, by the same right, and according to
the same laws, by which their progenitors have held the priesthood."
5. "Caius Cæsar, consul the fifth time, hath decreed, That the Jews
shall possess Jerusalem, and may encompass that city with walls; and
that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and ethnarch of the
Jews, retain it in the manner he himself pleases; and that the Jews be
allowed to deduct out of their tribute, every second year the land is
let [in the Sabbatic period], a corus of that tribute; and that the
tribute they pay be not let to farm, nor that they pay always the same
tribute."
6. "Caius Cæsar, imperator the second time, hath ordained, That all the
country of the Jews, excepting Joppa, do pay a tribute yearly for the
city Jerusalem, excepting the seventh, which they call the sabbatical
year, because thereon they neither receive the fruits of their trees,
nor do they sow their land; and that they pay their tribute in Sidon on
the second year [of that sabbatical period], the fourth part of what was
sown: and besides this, they are to pay the same tithes to Hyrcanus and
his sons which they paid to their forefathers. And that no one, neither
president, nor lieutenant, nor ambassador, raise auxiliaries within the
bounds of Judea; nor may soldiers exact money of them for winter
quarters, or under any other pretense; but that they be free from all
sorts of injuries; and that whatsoever they shall hereafter have, and
are in possession of, or have bought, they shall retain them all. It is
also our pleasure that the city Joppa, which the Jews had originally,
when they made a league of friendship with the Romans, shall belong to
them, as it formerly did; and that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, and
his sons, have as tribute of that city from those that occupy the land
for the country, and for what they export every year to Sidon, twenty
thousand six hundred and seventy-five modii every year, the seventh
year, which they call the Sabbatic year, excepted, whereon they neither
plough, nor receive the product of their trees. It is also the pleasure
of the senate, that as to the villages which are in the great plain,
which Hyrcanus and his forefathers formerly possessed, Hyrcanus and the
Jews have them with the same privileges with which they formerly had
them also; and that the same original ordinances remain still in force
which concern the Jews with regard to their high priests; and that they
enjoy the same benefits which they have had formerly by the concession
of the people, and of the senate; and let them enjoy the like privileges
in Lydda. It is the pleasure also of the senate that Hyrcanus the
ethnarch, and the Jews, retain those places, countries, and villages
which belonged to the kings of Syria and Phoenicia, the confederates of
the Romans, and which they had bestowed on them as their free gifts. It
is also granted to Hyrcanus, and to his sons, and to the ambassadors by
them sent to us, that in the fights between single gladiators, and in
those with beasts, they shall sit among the senators to see those shows;
and that when they desire an audience, they shall be introduced into the
senate by the dictator, or by the general of the horse; and when they
have introduced them, their answers shall be returned them in ten days
at the furthest, after the decree of the senate is made about their
affairs."
7. "Caius Cæsar, imperator, dictator the fourth time, and consul the
fifth time, declared to be perpetual dictator, made this speech
concerning the rights and privileges of Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander,
the high priest and ethnarch of the Jews. Since those imperators that
have been in the provinces before me have borne witness to Hyrcanus, the
high priest of the Jews, and to the Jews themselves, and this before the
senate and people of Rome, when the people and senate returned their
thanks to them, it is good that we now also remember the same, and
provide that a requital be made to Hyrcanus, to the nation of the Jews,
and to the sons of Hyrcanus, by the senate and people of Rome, and that
suitably to what good-will they have shown us, and to the benefits they
have bestowed upon us."
8. "Julius Caius, praetor [consul] of Rome, to the magistrates, senate,
and people of the Parians, sendeth greeting. The Jews of Delos, and some
other Jews that sojourn there, in the presence of your ambassadors,
signified to us, that, by a decree of yours, you forbid them to make use
of the customs of their forefathers, and their way of sacred worship.
Now it does not please me that such decrees should be made against our
friends and confederates, whereby they are forbidden to live according
to their own customs, or to bring in contributions for common suppers
and holy festivals, while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome
itself; for even Caius Cæsar, our imperator and consul, in that decree
wherein he forbade the Bacchanal rioters to meet in the city, did yet
permit these Jews, and these only, both to bring in their contributions,
and to make their common suppers. Accordingly, when I forbid other
Bacchanal rioters, I permit these Jews to gather themselves together,
according to the customs and laws of their forefathers, and to persist
therein. It will be therefore good for you, that if you have made any
decree against these our friends and confederates, to abrogate the same,
by reason of their virtue and kind disposition towards us."
9. Now after Caius was slain, when Marcus Antonius and Publius Dolabella
were consuls, they both assembled the senate, and introduced Hyrcanus's
ambassadors into it, and discoursed of what they desired, and made a
league of friendship with them. The senate also decreed to grant them
all they desired. I add the decree itself, that those who read the
present work may have ready by them a demonstration of the truth of what
we say. The decree was this:
10. "The decree of the senate, copied out of the treasury, from the
public tables belonging to the quaestors, when Quintus Rutilius and
Caius Cornelius were quaestors, and taken out of the second table of the
first class, on the third day before the Ides of April, in the temple of
Concord. There were present at the writing of this decree, Lucius
Calpurnius Piso of the Menenian tribe, Servius Papinins Potitus of the
Lemonian tribe, Caius Caninius Rebilius of the Terentine tribe, Publius
Tidetius, Lucius Apulinus, the son of Lucius, of the Sergian tribe,
Flavius, the son of Lucius, of the Lemonian tribe, Publius Platins, the
son of Publius, of the Papyrian tribe, Marcus Acilius, the son of
Marcus, of the Mecian tribe, Lucius Erucius, the son of Lucius, of the
Stellatine tribe, Mareils Quintus Plancillus, the son of Marcus, of the
Pollian tribe, and Publius Serius. Publius Dolabella and Marcus
Antonius, the consuls, made this reference to the senate, that as to
those things which, by the decree of the senate, Caius Cæsar had
adjudged about the Jews, and yet had not hitherto that decree been
brought into the treasury, it is our will, as it is also the desire of
Publius Dolabella and Marcus Antonius, our consuls, to have these
decrees put into the public tables, and brought to the city quaestors,
that they may take care to have them put upon the double tables. This
was done before the fifth of the Ides of February, in the temple of
Concord. Now the ambassadors from Hyrcanus the high priest were these:
Lysimachus, the son of Pausanias, Alexander, the son of Theodorus,
Patroclus, the son of Chereas, and Jonathan the son of Onias."
11. Hyrcanus sent also one of these ambassadors to Dolabella, who was
then the prefect of Asia, and desired him to dismiss the Jews from
military services, and to preserve to them the customs of their
forefathers, and to permit them to live according to them. And when
Dolabella had received Hyrcanus's letter, without any further
deliberation, he sent an epistle to all the Asiatics, and particularly
to the city of the Ephesians, the metropolis of Asia, about the Jews; a
copy of which epistle here follows:
12. "When Artermon was prytanis, on the first day of the month Leneon,
Dolabella, imperator, to the senate, and magistrates, and people of the
Ephesians, sendeth greeting. Alexander, the son of Theodorus, the
ambassador of Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and
ethnarch of the Jews, appeared before me, to show that his countrymen
could not go into their armies, because they are not allowed to bear
arms or to travel on the sabbath days, nor there to procure themselves
those sorts of food which they have been used to eat from the times of
their forefathers;—I do therefore grant them a freedom from going into
the army, as the former prefects have done, and permit them to use the
customs of their forefathers, in assembling together for sacred and
religious purposes, as their law requires, and for collecting oblations
necessary for sacrifices; and my will is, that you write this to the
several cities under your jurisdiction."
13. And these were the concessions that Dolabella made to our nation
when Hyrcanus sent an embassage to him. But Lucius the consul's decree
ran thus: "I have at my tribunal set these Jews, who are citizens of
Rome, and follow the Jewish religious rites, and yet live at Ephesus,
free from going into the army, on account of the superstition they are
under. This was done before the twelfth of the calends of October, when
Lucius Lentulus and Caius Marcellus were consuls, in the presence of
Titus Appius Balgus, the son of Titus, and lieutenant of the Horatian
tribe; of Titus Tongins, the son of Titus, of the Crustumine tribe; of
Quintus Resius, the son of Quintus; of Titus Pompeius Longinus, the son
of Titus; of Catus Servilius, the son of Caius, of the Terentine tribe;
of Bracchus the military tribune; of Publius Lucius Gallus, the son of
Publius, of the Veturian tribe; of Caius Sentins, the son of Caius, of
the Sabbatine tribe; of Titus Atilius Bulbus, the son of Titus,
lieutenant and vice-praetor to the magistrates, senate, and people of
the Ephesians, sendeth greeting. Lucius Lentulus the consul freed the
Jews that are in Asia from going into the armies, at my intercession for
them; and when I had made the same petition some time afterward to
Phanius the imperator, and to Lucius Antonius the vice-quaestor, I
obtained that privilege of them also; and my will is, that you take care
that no one give them any disturbance."
14. The decree of the Delians. "The answer of the praetors, when Beotus
was archon, on the twentieth day of the month Thargeleon. While Marcus
Piso the lieutenant lived in our city, who was also appointed over the
choice of the soldiers, he called us, and many other of the citizens,
and gave order, that if there be here any Jews who are Roman citizens,
no one is to give them any disturbance about going into the army,
because Cornelius Lentulus, the consul, freed the Jews from going into
the army, on account of the superstition they are under;—you are
therefore obliged to submit to the praetor." And the like decree was
made by the Sardians about us also.
15. "Caius Phanius, the son of Caius, imperator and consul, to the
magistrates of Cos, sendeth greeting. I would have you know that the
ambassadors of the Jews have been with me, and desired they might have
those decrees which the senate had made about them; which decrees are
here subjoined. My will is, that you have a regard to and take care of
these men, according to the senate's decree, that they may be safely
conveyed home through your country."
16. The declaration of Lucius Lentulus the consul: "I have dismissed
those Jews who are Roman citizens, and who appear to me to have their
religious rites, and to observe the laws of the Jews at Ephesus, on
account of the superstition they are under. This act was done before the
thirteenth of the calends of October."
17. "Lucius Antonius, the son of Marcus, vice-quaestor, and vice-
praetor, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Sardians, sendeth
greeting. Those Jews that are our fellow citizens of Rome came to me,
and demonstrated that they had an assembly of their own, according to
the laws of their forefathers, and this from the beginning, as also a
place of their own, wherein they determined their suits and
controversies with one another. Upon their petition therefore to me,
that these might be lawful for them, I gave order that these their
privileges be preserved, and they be permitted to do accordingly."
18. The declaration of Marcus Publius, the son of Spurius, and of
Marcus, the son of Marcus, and of Lucius, the son of Publius: "We went
to the proconsul, and informed him of what Dositheus, the son of
Cleopatrida of Alexandria, desired, that, if he thought good, he would
dismiss those Jews who were Roman citizens, and were wont to observe the
rites of the Jewish religion, on account of the superstition they were
under. Accordingly, he did dismiss them. This was done before the
thirteenth of the calends of October."
19. "In the month Quntius, when Lucius Lentulus and Caius Mercellus were
consuls; and there were present Titus Appius Balbus, the son of Titus,
lieutenant of the Horatian tribe, Titus Tongius of the Crustumine tribe,
Quintus Resius, the son of Quintus, Titus Pompeius, the son of Titus,
Cornelius Longinus, Caius Servilius Bracchus, the son of Caius, a
military tribune, of the Terentine tribe, Publius Clusius Gallus, the
son of Publius, of the Veturian tribe, Caius Teutius, the son of Caius,
a milital tribune, of the EmilJan tribe, Sextus Atilius Serranus, the
son of Sextus, of the Esquiline tribe, Caius Pompeius, the son of Caius,
of the Sabbatine tribe, Titus Appius Menander, the son of Titus, Publius
Servilius Strabo, the son of Publius, Lucius Paccius Capito, the son of
Lucius, of the Colline tribe, Aulus Furius Tertius, the son of Aulus,
and Appius Menus. In the presence of these it was that Lentulus
pronounced this decree: I have before the tribunal dismissed those Jews
that are Roman citizens, and are accustomed to observe the sacred rites
of the Jews at Ephesus, on account of the superstition they are under."
20. "The magistrates of the Laodiceans to Caius Rubilius, the son of
Caius, the consul, sendeth greeting. Sopater, the ambassador of Hyrcanus
the high priest, hath delivered us an epistle from thee, whereby he lets
us know that certain ambassadors were come from Hyrcanus, the high
priest of the Jews, and brought an epistle written concerning their
nation, wherein they desire that the Jews may be allowed to observe
their Sabbaths, and other sacred rites, according to the laws of their
forefathers, and that they may be under no command, because they are our
friends and confederates, and that nobody may injure them in our
provinces. Now although the Trallians there present contradicted them,
and were not pleased with these decrees, yet didst thou give order that
they should be observed, and informedst us that thou hadst been desired
to write this to us about them. We therefore, in obedience to the
injunctions we have received from thee, have received the epistle which
thou sentest us, and have laid it up by itself among our public records.
And as to the other things about which thou didst send to us, we will
take care that no complaint be made against us."
21. "Publius Servilius, the son of Publius, of the Galban tribe, the
proconsul, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Milesians,
sendeth greeting. Prytanes, the son of Hermes, a citizen of yours, came
to me when I was at Tralles, and held a court there, and informed me
that you used the Jews in a way different from my opinion, and forbade
them to celebrate their Sabbaths, and to perform the Sacred rites
received from their forefathers, and to manage the fruits of the land,
according to their ancient custom; and that he had himself been the
promulger of your decree, according as your laws require: I would
therefore have you know, that upon hearing the pleadings on both sides,
I gave sentence that the Jews should not be prohibited to make use of
their own customs."
22. The decree of those of Pergamus. "When Cratippus was prytanis, on
the first day of the month Desius, the decree of the praetors was this:
Since the Romans, following the conduct of their ancestors, undertake
dangers for the common safety of all mankind, and are ambitious to
settle their confederates and friends in happiness, and in firm peace,
and since the nation of the Jews, and their high priest Hyrcanus, sent
as ambassadors to them, Strato, the son of Theodatus, and Apollonius,
the son of Alexander, and Eneas, the son of Antipater, and Aristobulus,
the son of Amyntas, and Sosipater, the son of Philip, worthy and good
men, who gave a particular account of their affairs, the senate
thereupon made a decree about what they had desired of them, that
Antiochus the king, the son of Antiochus, should do no injury to the
Jews, the confederates of the Romans; and that the fortresses, and the
havens, and the country, and whatsoever else he had taken from them,
should be restored to them; and that it may be lawful for them to export
their goods out of their own havens; and that no king nor people may
have leave to export any goods, either out of the country of Judea, or
out of their havens, without paying customs, but only Ptolemy, the king
of Alexandria, because he is our confederate and friend; and that,
according to their desire, the garrison that is in Joppa may be ejected.
Now Lucius Pettius, one of our senators, a worthy and good man, gave
order that we should take care that these things should be done
according to the senate's decree; and that we should take care also that
their ambassadors might return home in safety. Accordingly, we admitted
Theodorus into our senate and assembly, and took the epistle out his
hands, as well as the decree of the senate. And as he discoursed with
great zeal about the Jews, and described Hyrcanus's virtue and
generosity, and how he was a benefactor to all men in common, and
particularly to every body that comes to him, we laid up the epistle in
our public records; and made a decree ourselves, that since we also are
in confederacy with the Romans, we would do every thing we could for the
Jews, according to the senate's decree. Theodorus also, who brought the
epistle, desired of our praetors, that they would send Hyrcanus a copy
of that decree, as also ambassadors to signify to him the affection of
our people to him, and to exhort them to preserve and augment their
friendship for us, and be ready to bestow other benefits upon us, as
justly expecting to receive proper requitals from us; and desiring them
to remember that our ancestors 19 were friendly to the Jews even in the
days of Abraham, who was the father of all the Hebrews, as we have
[also] found it set down in our public records."
23. The decree of those of Halicarnassus. "When Memnon, the son of
Orestidas by descent, but by adoption of Euonymus, was priest, on the ——
day of the month Aristerion, the decree of the people, upon the
representation of Marcus Alexander, was this: Since we have ever a great
regard to piety towards God, and to holiness; and since we aim to follow
the people of the Romans, who are the benefactors of all men, and what
they have written to us about a league of friendship and mutual
assistance between the Jews and our city, and that their sacred offices
and accustomed festivals and assemblies may be observed by them; we have
decreed, that as many men and women of the Jews as are willing so to do,
may celebrate their Sabbaths, and perform their holy offices, according
to Jewish laws; and may make their proseuchae at the sea-side, according
to the customs of their forefathers; and if any one, whether he be a
magistrate or private person, hindereth them from so doing, he shall be
liable to a fine, to be applied to the uses of the city."
24. The decree of the Sardians. "This decree was made by the senate and
people, upon the representation of the praetors: Whereas those Jews who
are fellow citizens, and live with us in this city, have ever had great
benefits heaped upon them by the people, and have come now into the
senate, and desired of the people, that upon the restitution of their
law and their liberty, by the senate and people of Rome, they may
assemble together, according to their ancient legal custom, and that we
will not bring any suit against them about it; and that a place may be
given them where they may have their congregations, with their wives and
children, and may offer, as did their forefathers, their prayers and
sacrifices to God. Now the senate and people have decreed to permit them
to assemble together on the days formerly appointed, and to act
according to their own laws; and that such a place be set apart for them
by the praetors, for the building and inhabiting the same, as they shall
esteem fit for that purpose; and that those that take care of the
provision for the city, shall take care that such sorts of food as they
esteem fit for their eating may be imported into the city."
25. The decree of the Ephesians. "When Menophilus was prytanis, on the
first day of the month Artemisius, this decree was made by the people:
Nicanor, the son of Euphemus, pronounced it, upon the representation of
the praetors. Since the Jews that dwell in this city have petitioned
Marcus Julius Pompeius, the son of Brutus, the proconsul, that they
might be allowed to observe their Sabbaths, and to act in all things
according to the customs of their forefathers, without impediment from
any body, the praetor hath granted their petition. Accordingly, it was
decreed by the senate and people, that in this affair that concerned the
Romans, no one of them should be hindered from keeping the sabbath day,
nor be fined for so doing, but that they may be allowed to do all things
according to their own laws."
26. Now there are many such decrees of the senate and imperators of the
Romans 20 and those different from these before us, which have been made
in favor of Hyrcanus, and of our nation; as also, there have been more
decrees of the cities, and rescripts of the praetors, to such epistles
as concerned our rights and privileges; and certainly such as are not
ill-disposed to what we write may believe that they are all to this
purpose, and that by the specimens which we have inserted; for since we
have produced evident marks that may still be seen of the friendship we
have had with the Romans, and demonstrated that those marks are engraven
upon columns and tables of brass in the capitol, that axe still in
being, and preserved to this day, we have omitted to set them all down,
as needless and disagreeable; for I cannot suppose any one so perverse
as not to believe the friendship we have had with the Romans, while they
have demonstrated the same by such a great number of their decrees
relating to us; nor will they doubt of our fidelity as to the rest of
those decrees, since we have shown the same in those we have produced,
And thus have we sufficiently explained that friendship and confederacy
we at those times had with the Romans.
fight against Scipio and Cato, when Hyrcanus sent ambassadors to him,
and by them desired that he would ratify that league of friendship and
mutual alliance which was between them, And it seems to me to be
necessary here to give an account of all the honors that the Romans and
their emperor paid to our nation, and of the leagues of mutual
assistance they have made with it, that all the rest of mankind may know
what regard the kings of Asia and Europe have had to us, and that they
have been abundantly satisfied of our courage and fidelity; for whereas
many will not believe what hath been written about us by the Persians
and Macedonians, because those writings are not every where to be met
with, nor do lie in public places, but among us ourselves, and certain
other barbarous nations, while there is no contradiction to be made
against the decrees of the Romans, for they are laid up in the public
places of the cities, and are extant still in the capitol, and engraven
upon pillars of brass; nay, besides this, Julius Cæsar made a pillar of
brass for the Jews at Alexandria, and declared publicly that they were
citizens of Alexandria. Out of these evidences will I demonstrate what I
say; and will now set down the decrees made both by the senate and by
Julius Cæsar, which relate to Hyrcanus and to our nation.
2. "Caius Julius Cæsar, imperator and high priest, and dictator the
second time, to the magistrates, senate, and people of Sidon, sendeth
greeting. If you be in health, it is well. I also and the army are well.
I have sent you a copy of that decree, registered on the tables, which
concerns Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and ethnarch of
the Jews, that it may be laid up among the public records; and I will
that it be openly proposed in a table of brass, both in Greek and in
Latin. It is as follows: I Julius Cæsar, imperator the second time, and
high priest, have made this decree, with the approbation of the senate.
Whereas Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander the Jew, hath demonstrated his
fidelity and diligence about our affairs, and this both now and in
former times, both in peace and in war, as many of our generals have
borne witness, and came to our assistance in the last Alexandrian war,
17 with fifteen hundred soldiers; and when he was sent by me to
Mithridates, showed himself superior in valor to all the rest of that
army;—for these reasons I will that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, and
his children, be ethnarchs of the Jews, and have the high priesthood of
the Jews for ever, according to the customs of their forefathers, and
that he and his sons be our confederates; and that besides this,
everyone of them be reckoned among our particular friends. I also ordain
that he and his children retain whatsoever privileges belong to the
office of high priest, or whatsoever favors have been hitherto granted
them; and if at any time hereafter there arise any questions about the
Jewish customs, I will that he determine the same. And I think it not
proper that they should be obliged to find us winter quarters, or that
any money should be required of them."
3. "The decrees of Caius Cæsar, consul, containing what hath been
granted and determined, are as follows: That Hyrcanus and his children
bear rule over the nation of the Jews, and have the profits of the
places to them bequeathed; and that he, as himself the high priest and
ethnarch of the Jews, defend those that are injured; and that
ambassadors be sent to Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest
of the Jews, that may discourse with him about a league of friendship
and mutual assistance; and that a table of brass, containing the
premises, be openly proposed in the capitol, and at Sidon, and Tyre, and
Askelon, and in the temple, engraven in Roman and Greek letters: that
this decree may also be communicated to the quaestors and praetors of
the several cities, and to the friends of the Jews; and that the
ambassadors may have presents made them; and that these decrees be sent
every where." 18
4. "Caius Cæsar, imperator, dictator, consul, hath granted, That out of
regard to the honor, and virtue, and kindness of the man, and for the
advantage of the senate, and of the people of Rome, Hyrcanus, the son of
Alexander, both he and his children, be high priests and priests of
Jerusalem, and of the Jewish nation, by the same right, and according to
the same laws, by which their progenitors have held the priesthood."
5. "Caius Cæsar, consul the fifth time, hath decreed, That the Jews
shall possess Jerusalem, and may encompass that city with walls; and
that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and ethnarch of the
Jews, retain it in the manner he himself pleases; and that the Jews be
allowed to deduct out of their tribute, every second year the land is
let [in the Sabbatic period], a corus of that tribute; and that the
tribute they pay be not let to farm, nor that they pay always the same
tribute."
6. "Caius Cæsar, imperator the second time, hath ordained, That all the
country of the Jews, excepting Joppa, do pay a tribute yearly for the
city Jerusalem, excepting the seventh, which they call the sabbatical
year, because thereon they neither receive the fruits of their trees,
nor do they sow their land; and that they pay their tribute in Sidon on
the second year [of that sabbatical period], the fourth part of what was
sown: and besides this, they are to pay the same tithes to Hyrcanus and
his sons which they paid to their forefathers. And that no one, neither
president, nor lieutenant, nor ambassador, raise auxiliaries within the
bounds of Judea; nor may soldiers exact money of them for winter
quarters, or under any other pretense; but that they be free from all
sorts of injuries; and that whatsoever they shall hereafter have, and
are in possession of, or have bought, they shall retain them all. It is
also our pleasure that the city Joppa, which the Jews had originally,
when they made a league of friendship with the Romans, shall belong to
them, as it formerly did; and that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, and
his sons, have as tribute of that city from those that occupy the land
for the country, and for what they export every year to Sidon, twenty
thousand six hundred and seventy-five modii every year, the seventh
year, which they call the Sabbatic year, excepted, whereon they neither
plough, nor receive the product of their trees. It is also the pleasure
of the senate, that as to the villages which are in the great plain,
which Hyrcanus and his forefathers formerly possessed, Hyrcanus and the
Jews have them with the same privileges with which they formerly had
them also; and that the same original ordinances remain still in force
which concern the Jews with regard to their high priests; and that they
enjoy the same benefits which they have had formerly by the concession
of the people, and of the senate; and let them enjoy the like privileges
in Lydda. It is the pleasure also of the senate that Hyrcanus the
ethnarch, and the Jews, retain those places, countries, and villages
which belonged to the kings of Syria and Phoenicia, the confederates of
the Romans, and which they had bestowed on them as their free gifts. It
is also granted to Hyrcanus, and to his sons, and to the ambassadors by
them sent to us, that in the fights between single gladiators, and in
those with beasts, they shall sit among the senators to see those shows;
and that when they desire an audience, they shall be introduced into the
senate by the dictator, or by the general of the horse; and when they
have introduced them, their answers shall be returned them in ten days
at the furthest, after the decree of the senate is made about their
affairs."
7. "Caius Cæsar, imperator, dictator the fourth time, and consul the
fifth time, declared to be perpetual dictator, made this speech
concerning the rights and privileges of Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander,
the high priest and ethnarch of the Jews. Since those imperators that
have been in the provinces before me have borne witness to Hyrcanus, the
high priest of the Jews, and to the Jews themselves, and this before the
senate and people of Rome, when the people and senate returned their
thanks to them, it is good that we now also remember the same, and
provide that a requital be made to Hyrcanus, to the nation of the Jews,
and to the sons of Hyrcanus, by the senate and people of Rome, and that
suitably to what good-will they have shown us, and to the benefits they
have bestowed upon us."
8. "Julius Caius, praetor [consul] of Rome, to the magistrates, senate,
and people of the Parians, sendeth greeting. The Jews of Delos, and some
other Jews that sojourn there, in the presence of your ambassadors,
signified to us, that, by a decree of yours, you forbid them to make use
of the customs of their forefathers, and their way of sacred worship.
Now it does not please me that such decrees should be made against our
friends and confederates, whereby they are forbidden to live according
to their own customs, or to bring in contributions for common suppers
and holy festivals, while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome
itself; for even Caius Cæsar, our imperator and consul, in that decree
wherein he forbade the Bacchanal rioters to meet in the city, did yet
permit these Jews, and these only, both to bring in their contributions,
and to make their common suppers. Accordingly, when I forbid other
Bacchanal rioters, I permit these Jews to gather themselves together,
according to the customs and laws of their forefathers, and to persist
therein. It will be therefore good for you, that if you have made any
decree against these our friends and confederates, to abrogate the same,
by reason of their virtue and kind disposition towards us."
9. Now after Caius was slain, when Marcus Antonius and Publius Dolabella
were consuls, they both assembled the senate, and introduced Hyrcanus's
ambassadors into it, and discoursed of what they desired, and made a
league of friendship with them. The senate also decreed to grant them
all they desired. I add the decree itself, that those who read the
present work may have ready by them a demonstration of the truth of what
we say. The decree was this:
10. "The decree of the senate, copied out of the treasury, from the
public tables belonging to the quaestors, when Quintus Rutilius and
Caius Cornelius were quaestors, and taken out of the second table of the
first class, on the third day before the Ides of April, in the temple of
Concord. There were present at the writing of this decree, Lucius
Calpurnius Piso of the Menenian tribe, Servius Papinins Potitus of the
Lemonian tribe, Caius Caninius Rebilius of the Terentine tribe, Publius
Tidetius, Lucius Apulinus, the son of Lucius, of the Sergian tribe,
Flavius, the son of Lucius, of the Lemonian tribe, Publius Platins, the
son of Publius, of the Papyrian tribe, Marcus Acilius, the son of
Marcus, of the Mecian tribe, Lucius Erucius, the son of Lucius, of the
Stellatine tribe, Mareils Quintus Plancillus, the son of Marcus, of the
Pollian tribe, and Publius Serius. Publius Dolabella and Marcus
Antonius, the consuls, made this reference to the senate, that as to
those things which, by the decree of the senate, Caius Cæsar had
adjudged about the Jews, and yet had not hitherto that decree been
brought into the treasury, it is our will, as it is also the desire of
Publius Dolabella and Marcus Antonius, our consuls, to have these
decrees put into the public tables, and brought to the city quaestors,
that they may take care to have them put upon the double tables. This
was done before the fifth of the Ides of February, in the temple of
Concord. Now the ambassadors from Hyrcanus the high priest were these:
Lysimachus, the son of Pausanias, Alexander, the son of Theodorus,
Patroclus, the son of Chereas, and Jonathan the son of Onias."
11. Hyrcanus sent also one of these ambassadors to Dolabella, who was
then the prefect of Asia, and desired him to dismiss the Jews from
military services, and to preserve to them the customs of their
forefathers, and to permit them to live according to them. And when
Dolabella had received Hyrcanus's letter, without any further
deliberation, he sent an epistle to all the Asiatics, and particularly
to the city of the Ephesians, the metropolis of Asia, about the Jews; a
copy of which epistle here follows:
12. "When Artermon was prytanis, on the first day of the month Leneon,
Dolabella, imperator, to the senate, and magistrates, and people of the
Ephesians, sendeth greeting. Alexander, the son of Theodorus, the
ambassador of Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and
ethnarch of the Jews, appeared before me, to show that his countrymen
could not go into their armies, because they are not allowed to bear
arms or to travel on the sabbath days, nor there to procure themselves
those sorts of food which they have been used to eat from the times of
their forefathers;—I do therefore grant them a freedom from going into
the army, as the former prefects have done, and permit them to use the
customs of their forefathers, in assembling together for sacred and
religious purposes, as their law requires, and for collecting oblations
necessary for sacrifices; and my will is, that you write this to the
several cities under your jurisdiction."
13. And these were the concessions that Dolabella made to our nation
when Hyrcanus sent an embassage to him. But Lucius the consul's decree
ran thus: "I have at my tribunal set these Jews, who are citizens of
Rome, and follow the Jewish religious rites, and yet live at Ephesus,
free from going into the army, on account of the superstition they are
under. This was done before the twelfth of the calends of October, when
Lucius Lentulus and Caius Marcellus were consuls, in the presence of
Titus Appius Balgus, the son of Titus, and lieutenant of the Horatian
tribe; of Titus Tongins, the son of Titus, of the Crustumine tribe; of
Quintus Resius, the son of Quintus; of Titus Pompeius Longinus, the son
of Titus; of Catus Servilius, the son of Caius, of the Terentine tribe;
of Bracchus the military tribune; of Publius Lucius Gallus, the son of
Publius, of the Veturian tribe; of Caius Sentins, the son of Caius, of
the Sabbatine tribe; of Titus Atilius Bulbus, the son of Titus,
lieutenant and vice-praetor to the magistrates, senate, and people of
the Ephesians, sendeth greeting. Lucius Lentulus the consul freed the
Jews that are in Asia from going into the armies, at my intercession for
them; and when I had made the same petition some time afterward to
Phanius the imperator, and to Lucius Antonius the vice-quaestor, I
obtained that privilege of them also; and my will is, that you take care
that no one give them any disturbance."
14. The decree of the Delians. "The answer of the praetors, when Beotus
was archon, on the twentieth day of the month Thargeleon. While Marcus
Piso the lieutenant lived in our city, who was also appointed over the
choice of the soldiers, he called us, and many other of the citizens,
and gave order, that if there be here any Jews who are Roman citizens,
no one is to give them any disturbance about going into the army,
because Cornelius Lentulus, the consul, freed the Jews from going into
the army, on account of the superstition they are under;—you are
therefore obliged to submit to the praetor." And the like decree was
made by the Sardians about us also.
15. "Caius Phanius, the son of Caius, imperator and consul, to the
magistrates of Cos, sendeth greeting. I would have you know that the
ambassadors of the Jews have been with me, and desired they might have
those decrees which the senate had made about them; which decrees are
here subjoined. My will is, that you have a regard to and take care of
these men, according to the senate's decree, that they may be safely
conveyed home through your country."
16. The declaration of Lucius Lentulus the consul: "I have dismissed
those Jews who are Roman citizens, and who appear to me to have their
religious rites, and to observe the laws of the Jews at Ephesus, on
account of the superstition they are under. This act was done before the
thirteenth of the calends of October."
17. "Lucius Antonius, the son of Marcus, vice-quaestor, and vice-
praetor, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Sardians, sendeth
greeting. Those Jews that are our fellow citizens of Rome came to me,
and demonstrated that they had an assembly of their own, according to
the laws of their forefathers, and this from the beginning, as also a
place of their own, wherein they determined their suits and
controversies with one another. Upon their petition therefore to me,
that these might be lawful for them, I gave order that these their
privileges be preserved, and they be permitted to do accordingly."
18. The declaration of Marcus Publius, the son of Spurius, and of
Marcus, the son of Marcus, and of Lucius, the son of Publius: "We went
to the proconsul, and informed him of what Dositheus, the son of
Cleopatrida of Alexandria, desired, that, if he thought good, he would
dismiss those Jews who were Roman citizens, and were wont to observe the
rites of the Jewish religion, on account of the superstition they were
under. Accordingly, he did dismiss them. This was done before the
thirteenth of the calends of October."
19. "In the month Quntius, when Lucius Lentulus and Caius Mercellus were
consuls; and there were present Titus Appius Balbus, the son of Titus,
lieutenant of the Horatian tribe, Titus Tongius of the Crustumine tribe,
Quintus Resius, the son of Quintus, Titus Pompeius, the son of Titus,
Cornelius Longinus, Caius Servilius Bracchus, the son of Caius, a
military tribune, of the Terentine tribe, Publius Clusius Gallus, the
son of Publius, of the Veturian tribe, Caius Teutius, the son of Caius,
a milital tribune, of the EmilJan tribe, Sextus Atilius Serranus, the
son of Sextus, of the Esquiline tribe, Caius Pompeius, the son of Caius,
of the Sabbatine tribe, Titus Appius Menander, the son of Titus, Publius
Servilius Strabo, the son of Publius, Lucius Paccius Capito, the son of
Lucius, of the Colline tribe, Aulus Furius Tertius, the son of Aulus,
and Appius Menus. In the presence of these it was that Lentulus
pronounced this decree: I have before the tribunal dismissed those Jews
that are Roman citizens, and are accustomed to observe the sacred rites
of the Jews at Ephesus, on account of the superstition they are under."
20. "The magistrates of the Laodiceans to Caius Rubilius, the son of
Caius, the consul, sendeth greeting. Sopater, the ambassador of Hyrcanus
the high priest, hath delivered us an epistle from thee, whereby he lets
us know that certain ambassadors were come from Hyrcanus, the high
priest of the Jews, and brought an epistle written concerning their
nation, wherein they desire that the Jews may be allowed to observe
their Sabbaths, and other sacred rites, according to the laws of their
forefathers, and that they may be under no command, because they are our
friends and confederates, and that nobody may injure them in our
provinces. Now although the Trallians there present contradicted them,
and were not pleased with these decrees, yet didst thou give order that
they should be observed, and informedst us that thou hadst been desired
to write this to us about them. We therefore, in obedience to the
injunctions we have received from thee, have received the epistle which
thou sentest us, and have laid it up by itself among our public records.
And as to the other things about which thou didst send to us, we will
take care that no complaint be made against us."
21. "Publius Servilius, the son of Publius, of the Galban tribe, the
proconsul, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Milesians,
sendeth greeting. Prytanes, the son of Hermes, a citizen of yours, came
to me when I was at Tralles, and held a court there, and informed me
that you used the Jews in a way different from my opinion, and forbade
them to celebrate their Sabbaths, and to perform the Sacred rites
received from their forefathers, and to manage the fruits of the land,
according to their ancient custom; and that he had himself been the
promulger of your decree, according as your laws require: I would
therefore have you know, that upon hearing the pleadings on both sides,
I gave sentence that the Jews should not be prohibited to make use of
their own customs."
22. The decree of those of Pergamus. "When Cratippus was prytanis, on
the first day of the month Desius, the decree of the praetors was this:
Since the Romans, following the conduct of their ancestors, undertake
dangers for the common safety of all mankind, and are ambitious to
settle their confederates and friends in happiness, and in firm peace,
and since the nation of the Jews, and their high priest Hyrcanus, sent
as ambassadors to them, Strato, the son of Theodatus, and Apollonius,
the son of Alexander, and Eneas, the son of Antipater, and Aristobulus,
the son of Amyntas, and Sosipater, the son of Philip, worthy and good
men, who gave a particular account of their affairs, the senate
thereupon made a decree about what they had desired of them, that
Antiochus the king, the son of Antiochus, should do no injury to the
Jews, the confederates of the Romans; and that the fortresses, and the
havens, and the country, and whatsoever else he had taken from them,
should be restored to them; and that it may be lawful for them to export
their goods out of their own havens; and that no king nor people may
have leave to export any goods, either out of the country of Judea, or
out of their havens, without paying customs, but only Ptolemy, the king
of Alexandria, because he is our confederate and friend; and that,
according to their desire, the garrison that is in Joppa may be ejected.
Now Lucius Pettius, one of our senators, a worthy and good man, gave
order that we should take care that these things should be done
according to the senate's decree; and that we should take care also that
their ambassadors might return home in safety. Accordingly, we admitted
Theodorus into our senate and assembly, and took the epistle out his
hands, as well as the decree of the senate. And as he discoursed with
great zeal about the Jews, and described Hyrcanus's virtue and
generosity, and how he was a benefactor to all men in common, and
particularly to every body that comes to him, we laid up the epistle in
our public records; and made a decree ourselves, that since we also are
in confederacy with the Romans, we would do every thing we could for the
Jews, according to the senate's decree. Theodorus also, who brought the
epistle, desired of our praetors, that they would send Hyrcanus a copy
of that decree, as also ambassadors to signify to him the affection of
our people to him, and to exhort them to preserve and augment their
friendship for us, and be ready to bestow other benefits upon us, as
justly expecting to receive proper requitals from us; and desiring them
to remember that our ancestors 19 were friendly to the Jews even in the
days of Abraham, who was the father of all the Hebrews, as we have
[also] found it set down in our public records."
23. The decree of those of Halicarnassus. "When Memnon, the son of
Orestidas by descent, but by adoption of Euonymus, was priest, on the ——
day of the month Aristerion, the decree of the people, upon the
representation of Marcus Alexander, was this: Since we have ever a great
regard to piety towards God, and to holiness; and since we aim to follow
the people of the Romans, who are the benefactors of all men, and what
they have written to us about a league of friendship and mutual
assistance between the Jews and our city, and that their sacred offices
and accustomed festivals and assemblies may be observed by them; we have
decreed, that as many men and women of the Jews as are willing so to do,
may celebrate their Sabbaths, and perform their holy offices, according
to Jewish laws; and may make their proseuchae at the sea-side, according
to the customs of their forefathers; and if any one, whether he be a
magistrate or private person, hindereth them from so doing, he shall be
liable to a fine, to be applied to the uses of the city."
24. The decree of the Sardians. "This decree was made by the senate and
people, upon the representation of the praetors: Whereas those Jews who
are fellow citizens, and live with us in this city, have ever had great
benefits heaped upon them by the people, and have come now into the
senate, and desired of the people, that upon the restitution of their
law and their liberty, by the senate and people of Rome, they may
assemble together, according to their ancient legal custom, and that we
will not bring any suit against them about it; and that a place may be
given them where they may have their congregations, with their wives and
children, and may offer, as did their forefathers, their prayers and
sacrifices to God. Now the senate and people have decreed to permit them
to assemble together on the days formerly appointed, and to act
according to their own laws; and that such a place be set apart for them
by the praetors, for the building and inhabiting the same, as they shall
esteem fit for that purpose; and that those that take care of the
provision for the city, shall take care that such sorts of food as they
esteem fit for their eating may be imported into the city."
25. The decree of the Ephesians. "When Menophilus was prytanis, on the
first day of the month Artemisius, this decree was made by the people:
Nicanor, the son of Euphemus, pronounced it, upon the representation of
the praetors. Since the Jews that dwell in this city have petitioned
Marcus Julius Pompeius, the son of Brutus, the proconsul, that they
might be allowed to observe their Sabbaths, and to act in all things
according to the customs of their forefathers, without impediment from
any body, the praetor hath granted their petition. Accordingly, it was
decreed by the senate and people, that in this affair that concerned the
Romans, no one of them should be hindered from keeping the sabbath day,
nor be fined for so doing, but that they may be allowed to do all things
according to their own laws."
26. Now there are many such decrees of the senate and imperators of the
Romans 20 and those different from these before us, which have been made
in favor of Hyrcanus, and of our nation; as also, there have been more
decrees of the cities, and rescripts of the praetors, to such epistles
as concerned our rights and privileges; and certainly such as are not
ill-disposed to what we write may believe that they are all to this
purpose, and that by the specimens which we have inserted; for since we
have produced evident marks that may still be seen of the friendship we
have had with the Romans, and demonstrated that those marks are engraven
upon columns and tables of brass in the capitol, that axe still in
being, and preserved to this day, we have omitted to set them all down,
as needless and disagreeable; for I cannot suppose any one so perverse
as not to believe the friendship we have had with the Romans, while they
have demonstrated the same by such a great number of their decrees
relating to us; nor will they doubt of our fidelity as to the rest of
those decrees, since we have shown the same in those we have produced,
And thus have we sufficiently explained that friendship and confederacy
we at those times had with the Romans.