Antiquities Book 14, Chapter 11
How Marcus, Succeeded Sextus When He Had Been Slain By Bassus's Treachery; And How, After The Death Of Cæsar, Cassius Came Into Syria, And Distressed Judea; As Also How Malichus Slew Antipater And Was Himself Slain By Herod.
1. Now it so fell out, that about this very time the affairs of Syria
were in great disorder, and this on the occasion following: Cecilius
Bassus, one of Pompey's party, laid a treacherous design against Sextus
Cæsar, and slew him, and then took his army, and got the management of
public affairs into his own hand; so there arose a great war about
Apamia, while Cæsar's generals came against him with an army of horsemen
and footmen; to these Antipater also sent succors, and his sons with
them, as calling to mind the kindnesses they had received from Cæsar,
and on that account he thought it but just to require punishment for
him, and to take vengeance on the man that had murdered him. And as the
war was drawn out into a great length, Marcus 21 came from Rome to take
Sextus's government upon him. But Cæsar was slain by Cassius and Brutus
in the senate-house, after he had retained the government three years
and six months. This fact however, is related elsewhere.
2. As the war that arose upon the death of Cæsar was now begun, and the
principal men were all gone, some one way, and some another, to raise
armies, Cassius came from Rome into Syria, in order to receive the [army
that lay in the] camp at Apamia; and having raised the siege, he brought
over both Bassus and Marcus to his party. He then went over the cities,
and got together weapons and soldiers, and laid great taxes upon those
cities; and he chiefly oppressed Judea, and exacted of it seven hundred
talents: but Antipater, when he saw the state to be in so great
consternation and disorder, he divided the collection of that sum, and
appointed his two sons to gather it; and so that part of it was to be
exacted by Malichus, who was ill- disposed to him, and part by others.
And because Herod did exact what is required of him from Galilee before
others, he was in the greatest favor with Cassius; for he thought it a
part of prudence to cultivate a friendship with the Romans, and to gain
their goodwill at the expense of others; whereas the curators of the
other cities, with their citizens, were sold for slaves; and Cassius
reduced four cities into a state of slavery, the two most potent of
which were Gophna and Emmaus; and, besides these, Lydia and Thamna. Nay,
Cassius was so very angry at Malichus, that he had killed him, [for he
assaulted him,] had not Hyrcanus, by the means of Antipater, sent him a
hundred talents of his own, and thereby pacified his anger against him.
3. But after Cassius was gone out of Judea, Malichus laid snares for
Antipater, as thinking that his death would-be the preservation of
Hyrcanus's government; but his design was not unknown to Antipater,
which when he perceived, he retired beyond Jordan, and got together an
army, partly of Arabs, and partly of his own countrymen. However,
Malichus, being one of great cunning, denied that he had laid any snares
for him, and made his defense with an oath, both to himself and his
sons; and said that while Phasaelus had a garrison in Jerusalem, and
Herod had the weapons of war in his custody, he could never have a
thought of any such thing. So Antipater, perceiving the distress that
Malichus was in, was reconciled to him, and made an agreement with him:
this was when Marcus was president of Syria; who yet perceiving that
this Malichus was making a disturbance in Judea, proceeded so far that
he had almost killed him; but still, at the intercession of Antipater,
he saved him.
4. However, Antipater little thought that by saving Malichus he had
saved his own murderer; for now Cassius and Marcus had got together an
army, and intrusted the entire care of it with Herod, and made him
general of the forces of Celesyria, and gave him a fleet of ships, and
an army of horsemen and footmen; and promised him, that after the war
was over they would make him king of Judea; for a war was already begun
between Antony and the younger Cæsar: but as Malichus was most afraid of
Antipater, he took him out of the way; and by the offer of money,
persuaded the butler of Hyrcanus, with whom they were both to feast, to
kill him by poison. This being done, and he having armed men with him,
settled the affairs of the city. But when Antipater's sons, Herod and
Phasaelus, were acquainted with this conspiracy against their father,
and had indignation at it, Malichus denied all, and utterly renounced
any knowledge of the murder. And thus died Antipater, a man that had
distinguished himself for piety and justice, and love to his country.
And whereas one of his sons, Herod, resolved immediately to revenge
their father's death, and was coming upon Malichus with an army for that
purpose, the elder of his sons, Phasaelus, thought it best rather to get
this man into their hands by policy, lest they should appear to begin a
civil war in the country; so he accepted of Malichus's defense for
himself, and pretended to believe him that he had had no hand in the
violent death of Antipater his father, but erected a fine monument for
him. Herod also went to Samaria; and when he found them in great
distress, he revived their spirits, and composed their differences.
5. However, a little after this, Herod, upon the approach of a festival,
came with his soldiers into the city; whereupon Malichus was affrighted,
and persuaded Hyrcanus not to permit him to come into the city. Hyrcanus
complied; and, for a pretense of excluding him, alleged, that a rout of
strangers ought not to be admitted when the multitude were purifying
themselves. But Herod had little regard to the messengers that were sent
to him, and entered the city in the night time, and affrighted Malichus;
yet did he remit nothing of his former dissimulation, but wept for
Antipater, and bewailed him as a friend of his with a loud voice; but
Herod and his friends though, it proper not openly to contradict
Malichus's hypocrisy, but to give him tokens of mutual friendship, in
order to prevent his suspicion of them.
6. However, Herod sent to Cassius, and informed him of the murder of his
father; who knowing what sort of man Malichus was as to his morals, sent
him back word that he should revenge his father's death; and also sent
privately to the commanders of his army at Tyre, with orders to assist
Herod in the execution of a very just design of his. Now when Cassius
had taken Laodicea, they all went together to him, and carried him
garlands and money; and Herod thought that Malichus might be punished
while he was there; but he was somewhat apprehensive of the thing, and
designed to make some great attempt, and because his son was then a
hostage at Tyre, he went to that city, and resolved to steal him away
privately, and to march thence into Judea; and as Cassius was in haste
to march against Antony, he thought to bring the country to revolt, and
to procure the government for himself. But Providence opposed his
counsels; and Herod being a shrewd man, and perceiving what his
intention was, he sent thither beforehand a servant, in appearance
indeed to get a supper ready, for he had said before that he would feast
them all there, but in reality to the commanders of the army, whom he
persuaded to go out against Malichus, with their daggers. So they went
out and met the man near the city, upon the sea-shore, and there stabbed
him. Whereupon Hyrcanus was so astonished at what had happened, that his
speech failed him; and when, after some difficulty, he had recovered
himself, he asked Herod what the matter could be, and who it was that
slew Malichus; and when he said that it was done by the command of
Cassius, he commended the action; for that Malichus was a very wicked
man, and one that conspired against his own country. And this was the
punishment that was inflicted on Malichus for what he wickedly did to
Antipater.
7. But when Cassius was marched out of Syria, disturbances arose in
Judea; for Felix, who was left at Jerusalem with an army, made a sudden
attempt against Phasaelus, and the people themselves rose in arms; but
Herod went to Fabius, the prefect of Damascus, and was desirous to run
to his brother's assistance, but was hindered by a distemper that seized
upon him, till Phasaelus by himself had been too hard for Felix, and had
shut him up in the tower, and there, on certain conditions, dismissed
him. Phasaelus also complained of Hyrcanus, that although he had
received a great many benefits from them, yet did he support their
enemies; for Malichus's brother had made many places to revolt, and kept
garrisons in them, and particularly Masada, the strongest fortress of
them all. In the mean time, Herod was recovered of his disease, and came
and took from Felix all the places he had gotten; and, upon certain
conditions, dismissed him also.
were in great disorder, and this on the occasion following: Cecilius
Bassus, one of Pompey's party, laid a treacherous design against Sextus
Cæsar, and slew him, and then took his army, and got the management of
public affairs into his own hand; so there arose a great war about
Apamia, while Cæsar's generals came against him with an army of horsemen
and footmen; to these Antipater also sent succors, and his sons with
them, as calling to mind the kindnesses they had received from Cæsar,
and on that account he thought it but just to require punishment for
him, and to take vengeance on the man that had murdered him. And as the
war was drawn out into a great length, Marcus 21 came from Rome to take
Sextus's government upon him. But Cæsar was slain by Cassius and Brutus
in the senate-house, after he had retained the government three years
and six months. This fact however, is related elsewhere.
2. As the war that arose upon the death of Cæsar was now begun, and the
principal men were all gone, some one way, and some another, to raise
armies, Cassius came from Rome into Syria, in order to receive the [army
that lay in the] camp at Apamia; and having raised the siege, he brought
over both Bassus and Marcus to his party. He then went over the cities,
and got together weapons and soldiers, and laid great taxes upon those
cities; and he chiefly oppressed Judea, and exacted of it seven hundred
talents: but Antipater, when he saw the state to be in so great
consternation and disorder, he divided the collection of that sum, and
appointed his two sons to gather it; and so that part of it was to be
exacted by Malichus, who was ill- disposed to him, and part by others.
And because Herod did exact what is required of him from Galilee before
others, he was in the greatest favor with Cassius; for he thought it a
part of prudence to cultivate a friendship with the Romans, and to gain
their goodwill at the expense of others; whereas the curators of the
other cities, with their citizens, were sold for slaves; and Cassius
reduced four cities into a state of slavery, the two most potent of
which were Gophna and Emmaus; and, besides these, Lydia and Thamna. Nay,
Cassius was so very angry at Malichus, that he had killed him, [for he
assaulted him,] had not Hyrcanus, by the means of Antipater, sent him a
hundred talents of his own, and thereby pacified his anger against him.
3. But after Cassius was gone out of Judea, Malichus laid snares for
Antipater, as thinking that his death would-be the preservation of
Hyrcanus's government; but his design was not unknown to Antipater,
which when he perceived, he retired beyond Jordan, and got together an
army, partly of Arabs, and partly of his own countrymen. However,
Malichus, being one of great cunning, denied that he had laid any snares
for him, and made his defense with an oath, both to himself and his
sons; and said that while Phasaelus had a garrison in Jerusalem, and
Herod had the weapons of war in his custody, he could never have a
thought of any such thing. So Antipater, perceiving the distress that
Malichus was in, was reconciled to him, and made an agreement with him:
this was when Marcus was president of Syria; who yet perceiving that
this Malichus was making a disturbance in Judea, proceeded so far that
he had almost killed him; but still, at the intercession of Antipater,
he saved him.
4. However, Antipater little thought that by saving Malichus he had
saved his own murderer; for now Cassius and Marcus had got together an
army, and intrusted the entire care of it with Herod, and made him
general of the forces of Celesyria, and gave him a fleet of ships, and
an army of horsemen and footmen; and promised him, that after the war
was over they would make him king of Judea; for a war was already begun
between Antony and the younger Cæsar: but as Malichus was most afraid of
Antipater, he took him out of the way; and by the offer of money,
persuaded the butler of Hyrcanus, with whom they were both to feast, to
kill him by poison. This being done, and he having armed men with him,
settled the affairs of the city. But when Antipater's sons, Herod and
Phasaelus, were acquainted with this conspiracy against their father,
and had indignation at it, Malichus denied all, and utterly renounced
any knowledge of the murder. And thus died Antipater, a man that had
distinguished himself for piety and justice, and love to his country.
And whereas one of his sons, Herod, resolved immediately to revenge
their father's death, and was coming upon Malichus with an army for that
purpose, the elder of his sons, Phasaelus, thought it best rather to get
this man into their hands by policy, lest they should appear to begin a
civil war in the country; so he accepted of Malichus's defense for
himself, and pretended to believe him that he had had no hand in the
violent death of Antipater his father, but erected a fine monument for
him. Herod also went to Samaria; and when he found them in great
distress, he revived their spirits, and composed their differences.
5. However, a little after this, Herod, upon the approach of a festival,
came with his soldiers into the city; whereupon Malichus was affrighted,
and persuaded Hyrcanus not to permit him to come into the city. Hyrcanus
complied; and, for a pretense of excluding him, alleged, that a rout of
strangers ought not to be admitted when the multitude were purifying
themselves. But Herod had little regard to the messengers that were sent
to him, and entered the city in the night time, and affrighted Malichus;
yet did he remit nothing of his former dissimulation, but wept for
Antipater, and bewailed him as a friend of his with a loud voice; but
Herod and his friends though, it proper not openly to contradict
Malichus's hypocrisy, but to give him tokens of mutual friendship, in
order to prevent his suspicion of them.
6. However, Herod sent to Cassius, and informed him of the murder of his
father; who knowing what sort of man Malichus was as to his morals, sent
him back word that he should revenge his father's death; and also sent
privately to the commanders of his army at Tyre, with orders to assist
Herod in the execution of a very just design of his. Now when Cassius
had taken Laodicea, they all went together to him, and carried him
garlands and money; and Herod thought that Malichus might be punished
while he was there; but he was somewhat apprehensive of the thing, and
designed to make some great attempt, and because his son was then a
hostage at Tyre, he went to that city, and resolved to steal him away
privately, and to march thence into Judea; and as Cassius was in haste
to march against Antony, he thought to bring the country to revolt, and
to procure the government for himself. But Providence opposed his
counsels; and Herod being a shrewd man, and perceiving what his
intention was, he sent thither beforehand a servant, in appearance
indeed to get a supper ready, for he had said before that he would feast
them all there, but in reality to the commanders of the army, whom he
persuaded to go out against Malichus, with their daggers. So they went
out and met the man near the city, upon the sea-shore, and there stabbed
him. Whereupon Hyrcanus was so astonished at what had happened, that his
speech failed him; and when, after some difficulty, he had recovered
himself, he asked Herod what the matter could be, and who it was that
slew Malichus; and when he said that it was done by the command of
Cassius, he commended the action; for that Malichus was a very wicked
man, and one that conspired against his own country. And this was the
punishment that was inflicted on Malichus for what he wickedly did to
Antipater.
7. But when Cassius was marched out of Syria, disturbances arose in
Judea; for Felix, who was left at Jerusalem with an army, made a sudden
attempt against Phasaelus, and the people themselves rose in arms; but
Herod went to Fabius, the prefect of Damascus, and was desirous to run
to his brother's assistance, but was hindered by a distemper that seized
upon him, till Phasaelus by himself had been too hard for Felix, and had
shut him up in the tower, and there, on certain conditions, dismissed
him. Phasaelus also complained of Hyrcanus, that although he had
received a great many benefits from them, yet did he support their
enemies; for Malichus's brother had made many places to revolt, and kept
garrisons in them, and particularly Masada, the strongest fortress of
them all. In the mean time, Herod was recovered of his disease, and came
and took from Felix all the places he had gotten; and, upon certain
conditions, dismissed him also.