Antiquities of the Jews — Book 14, Chapter 15

1. By this time Herod had sailed out of Italy to Ptolemais, and had
gotten together no small army, both of strangers and of his own
countrymen, and marched through Galilee against Antignus. Silo also, and
Ventidius, came and assisted him, being persuaded by Dellius, who was
sent by Antony to assist in bringing back Herod. Now for Ventidius, he
was employed in composing the disturbances that had been made in the
cities by the means of the Parthians; and for Silo, he was in Judea
indeed, but corrupted by Antigonus. However, as Herod went along his
army increased every day, and all Galilee, with some small exception,
joined him; but as he was to those that were in Masada, [for he was
obliged to endeavor to save those that were in that fortress now they
were besieged, because they were his relations,] Joppa was a hinderance
to him, for it was necessary for him to take that place first, it being
a city at variance with him, that no strong hold might be left in his
enemies' hands behind him when he should go to Jerusalem. And when Silo
made this a pretense for rising up from Jerusalem, and was thereupon
pursued by the Jews, Herod fell upon them with a small body of men, and
both put the Jews to flight and saved Silo, when he was very poorly able
to defend himself; but when Herod had taken Joppa, he made haste to set
free those of his family that were in Masada. Now of the people of the
country, some joined him because of the friendship they had had with his
father, and some because of the splendid appearance he made, and others
by way of requital for the benefits they had received from both of them;
but the greatest number came to him in hopes of getting somewhat from
him afterward, if he were once firmly settled in the kingdom.

2. Herod had now a strong army; and as he marched on, Antigonus laid
snares and ambushes in the passes and places most proper for them; but
in truth he thereby did little or no damage to the enemy. So Herod
received those of his family out of Masada, and the fortress Ressa, and
then went on for Jerusalem. The soldiery also that was with Silo
accompanied him all along, as did many of the citizens, being afraid of
his power; and as soon as he had pitched his camp on the west side of
the city, the soldiers that were set to guard that part shot their
arrows and threw their darts at him; and when some sallied out in a
crowd, and came to fight hand to hand with the first ranks of Herod's
army, he gave orders that they should, in the first place, make
proclamation about the wall, that he came for the good of the people,
and for the preservation of the city, and not to bear any old grudge at
even his most open enemies, but ready to forget the offenses which his
greatest adversaries had done him. But Antigonus, by way of reply to
what Herod had caused to be proclaimed, and this before the Romans, and
before Silo also, said that they would not do justly, if they gave the
kingdom to Herod, who was no more than a private man, and an Idumean,
i.e. a half Jew, 28 whereas they ought to bestow it on one of the royal
family, as their custom was; for that in case they at present bear an
ill-will to him, and had resolved to deprive him of the kingdom, as
having received it from the Parthians, yet were there many others of his
family that might by their law take it, and these such as had no way
offended the Romans; and being of the sacerdotal family, it would be an
unworthy thing to put them by. Now while they said thus one to another,
and fell to reproaching one another on both sides, Antigonus permitted
his own men that were upon the wall to defend themselves, who using
their bows, and showing great alacrity against their enemies, easily
drove them away from the towers.

3. And now it was that Silo discovered that he had taken bribes; for he
set a good number of his soldiers to complain aloud of the want of
provisions they were in, and to require money to buy them food; and that
it was fit to let them go into places proper for winter quarters, since
the places near the city were a desert, by reason that Antigonus's
soldiers had carried all away; so he set the army upon removing, and
endeavored to march away; but Herod pressed Silo not to depart, and
exhorted Silo's captains and soldiers not to desert him, when Cæsar, and
Antony, and the senate had sent him thither, for that he would provide
them plenty of all the things they wanted, and easily procure them a
great abundance of what they required; after which entreaty, he
immediately went out into the country, and left not the least pretense
to Silo for his departure; for he brought an unexpected quantity of
provisions, and sent to those friends of his who inhabited about Samaria
to bring down corn, and wine, and oil, and cattle, and all other
provisions, to Jericho, that those might be no want of a supply for the
soldiers for the time to come. Antigonus was sensible of this, and sent
presently over the country such as might restrain and lie in ambush for
those that went out for provisions. So these men obeyed the orders of
Antigonus, and got together a great number of armed men about Jericho,
and sat upon the mountains, and watched those that brought the
provisions. However, Herod was not idle in the mean time, for he took
ten bands of soldiers, of whom five were of the Romans, and five of the
Jews, with some mercenaries among them, and with some few horsemen, and
came to Jericho; and as they found the city deserted, but that five
hundred of them had settled themselves on the tops of the hills, with
their wives and children, those he took and sent away; but the Romans
fell upon the city, and plundered it, and found the houses full of all
sorts of good things. So the king left a garrison at Jericho, and came
back again, and sent the Roman army to take their winter quarters in the
countries that were come over to him, Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria.
And so much did Antigonus gain of Silo for the bribes he gave him, that
part of the army should be quartered at Lydda, in order to please
Antony. So the Romans laid their weapons aside, and lived in plenty of
all things.

4. But Herod was not pleased with lying still, but sent out his brother
Joseph against Idumea with two thousand armed footmen, and four hundred
horsemen, while he himself came to Samaria, and left his mother and his
other relations there, for they were already gone out of Masada, and
went into Galilee, to take certain places which were held by the
garrisons of Antigonus; and he passed on to Sepphoris, as God sent a
snow, while Antigonus's garrisons withdrew themselves, and had great
plenty of provisions. He also went thence, and resolved to destroy those
robbers that dwelt in the caves, and did much mischief in the country;
so he sent a troop of horsemen, and three companies of armed footmen,
against them. They were very near to a village called Arbela; and on the
fortieth day after, he came himself with his whole army: and as the
enemy sallied out boldly upon him, the left wing of his army gave way;
but he appearing with a body of men, put those to flight who were
already conquerors, and recalled his men that ran away. He also pressed
upon his enemies, and pursued them as far as the river Jordan, though
they ran away by different roads. So he brought over to him all Galilee,
excepting those that dwelt in the caves, and distributed money to every
one of his soldiers, giving them a hundred and fifty drachmae apiece,
and much more to their captains, and sent them into winter quarters; at
which time Silo came to him, and his commanders with him, because
Antigonus would not give them provisions any longer, for he supplied
them for no more than one month; nay, he had sent to all the country
about, and ordered them to carry off the provisions that were there, and
retire to the mountains, that the Romans might have no provisions to
live upon, and so might perish by famine. But Herod committed the care
of that matter to Pheroras, his youngest brother, and ordered him to
repair Alexandrium also. Accordingly, he quickly made the soldiers
abound with great plenty of provisions, and rebuilt Alexandrium, which
had been before desolate.

5. About this time it was that Antony continued some time at Athens, and
that Ventidius, who was now in Syria, sent for Silo, and commanded him
to assist Herod, in the first place, to finish the present war, and then
to send for their confederates for the war they were themselves engaged
in; but as for Herod, he went in haste against the robbers that were in
the caves, and sent Silo away to Ventidius, while he marched against
them. These caves were in mountains that were exceeding abrupt, and in
their middle were no other than precipices, with certain entrances into
the caves, and those caves were encompassed with sharp rocks, and in
these did the robbers lie concealed, with all their families about them;
but the king caused certain chests to be made, in order to destroy them,
and to be hung down, bound about with iron chains, by an engine, from
the top of the mountain, it being not possible to get up to them, by
reason of the sharp ascent of the mountains, nor to creep down to them
from above. Now these chests were filled with armed men, who had long
hooks in their hands, by which they might pull out such as resisted
them, and then tumble them down, and kill them by so doing; but the
letting the chests down proved to be a matter of great danger, because
of the vast depth they were to be let down, although they had their
provisions in the chests themselves. But when the chests were let down,
and not one of those in the mouths of the caves durst come near them,
but lay still out of fear, some of the armed men girt on their armor,
and by both their hands took hold of the chain by which the chests were
let down, and went into the mouths of the caves, because they fretted
that such delay was made by the robbers not daring to come out of the
caves; and when they were at any of those mouths, they first killed many
of those that were in the mouths with their darts, and afterwards pulled
those to them that resisted them with their hooks, and tumbled them down
the precipices, and afterwards went into the caves, and killed many
more, and then went into their chests again, and lay still there; but,
upon this, terror seized the rest, when they heard the lamentations that
were made, and they despaired of escaping. However, when the night came
on, that put an end to the whole work; and as the king proclaimed pardon
by a herald to such as delivered themselves up to him, many accepted of
the offer. The same method of assault was made use of the next day; and
they went further, and got out in baskets to fight them, and fought them
at their doors, and sent fire among them, and set their caves on fire,
for there was a great deal of combustible matter within them. Now there
was one old man who was caught within one of these caves, with seven
children and a wife; these prayed him to give them leave to go out, and
yield themselves up to the enemy; but he stood at the cave's mouth, and
always slew that child of his who went out, till he had destroyed them
every one, and after that he slew his wife, and cast their dead bodies
down the precipice, and himself after them, and so underwent death
rather than slavery: but before he did this, he greatly reproached Herod
with the meanness of his family, although he was then king. Herod also
saw what he was doing, and stretched out his hand, and offered him all
manner of security for his life; by which means all these caves were at
length subdued entirely.

6. And when the king had set Ptolemy over these parts of the country as
his general, he went to Samaria, with six hundred horsemen, and three
thousand armed footmen, as intending to fight Antigonus. But still this
command of the army did not succeed well with Ptolemy, but those that
had been troublesome to Galilee before attacked him, and slew him; and
when they had done this, they fled among the lakes and places almost
inaccessible laying waste and plundering whatsoever they could come at
in those places. But Herod soon returned, and punished them for what
they had done; for some of these rebels he slew, and others of them, who
had fled to the strong holds he besieged, and both slew them, and
demolished their strong holds. And when he had thus put an end to their
rebellion, he laid a fine upon the cities of a hundred talents.

7. In the mean time, Pacorus was fallen in a battle, and the Parthians
were defeated, when Ventidius sent Macheras to the assistance of Herod,
with two legions, and a thousand horsemen, while Antony encouraged him
to make haste. But Macheras, at the instigation of Antigonus, without
the approbation of Herod, as being corrupted by money, went about to
take a view of his affairs; but Antigonus suspecting this intention of
his coming, did not admit him into the city, but kept him at a distance,
with throwing stones at him, and plainly showed what he himself meant.
But when Macheras was sensible that Herod had given him good advice, and
that he had made a mistake himself in not hearkening to that advice, he
retired to the city Emmaus; and what Jews he met with he slew them,
whether they were enemies or friends, out of the rage he was in at what
hardships he had undergone. The king was provoked at this conduct of
his, and went to Samaria, and resolved to go to Antony about these
affairs, and to inform him that he stood in no need of such helpers, who
did him more mischief than they did his enemies; and that he was able of
himself to beat Antigonus. But Macheras followed him, and desired that
he would not go to Antony; or if he was resolved to go, that he would
join his brother Joseph with them, and let them fight against Antigonus.
So he was reconciled to Macheras, upon his earnest entreaties.
Accordingly, he left Joseph there with his army, but charged him to run
no hazards, nor to quarrel with Macheras.

8. But for his own part, he made haste to Antony [who was then at the
siege of Samosata, a place upon Euphrates] with his troops, both
horsemen and footmen, to be auxiliaries to him. And when he came to
Antioch, and met there a great number of men gotten together that were
very desirous to go to Antony, but durst not venture to go, out of fear,
because the barbarians fell upon men on the road, and slew many, so he
encouraged them, and became their conductor upon the road. Now when they
were within two days' march of Samosata, the barbarians had laid an
ambush there to disturb those that came to Antony, and where the woods
made the passes narrow, as they led to the plains, there they laid not a
few of their horsemen, who were to lie still until those passengers were
gone by into the wide place. Now as soon as the first ranks were gone
by, [for Herod brought on the rear,] those that lay in ambush, who were
about five hundred, fell upon them on the sudden, and when they had put
the foremost to flight, the king came riding hard, with the forces that
were about him, and immediately drove back the enemy; by which means he
made the minds of his own men courageous, and imboldened them to go on,
insomuch that those who ran away before now returned back, and the
barbarians were slain on all sides. The king also went on killing them,
and recovered all the baggage, among which were a great number of beasts
for burden, and of slaves, and proceeded on in his march; and whereas
there were a great number of those in the woods that attacked them, and
were near the passage that led into the plain, he made a sally upon
these also with a strong body of men, and put them to flight, and slew
many of them, and thereby rendered the way safe for those that came
after; and these called Herod their savior and protector.

9. And when he was near to Samosata, Antony sent out his army in all
their proper habiliments to meet him, in order to pay Herod this
respect, and because of the assistance he had given him; for he had
heard what attacks the barbarians had made upon him [in Judea]. He also
was very glad to see him there, as having been made acquainted with the
great actions he had performed upon the road. So he entertained him very
kindly, and could not but admire his courage. Antony also embraced him
as soon as he saw him, and saluted him after a most affectionate manner,
and gave him the upper hand, as having himself lately made him a king;
and in a little time Antiochus delivered up the fortress, and on that
account this war was at an end; then Antony committed the rest to
Sosius, and gave him orders to assist Herod, and went himself to Egypt.
Accordingly, Sosius sent two legions before into Judea to the assistance
of Herod, and he followed himself with the body of the army.

10. Now Joseph was already slain in Judea, in the manner following: He
forgot what charge his brother Herod had given him when he went to
Antony; and when he had pitched his camp among the mountains, for
Macheras had lent him five regiments, with these he went hastily to
Jericho, in order to reap the corn thereto belonging; and as the Roman
regiments were but newly raised, and were unskillful in war, for they
were in great part collected out of Syria, he was attacked by the enemy,
and caught in those places of difficulty, and was himself slain, as he
was fighting bravely, and the whole army was lost, for there were six
regiments slain. So when Antigonus had got possession of the dead
bodies, he cut off Joseph's head, although Pheroras his brother would
have redeemed it at the price of fifty talents. After which defeat, the
Galileans revolted from their commanders, and took those of Herod's
party, and drowned them in the lake, and a great part of Judea was
become seditious; but Macheras fortified the place Gitta [in Samaria].

11. At this time messengers came to Herod, and informed him of what had
been done; and when he was come to Daphne by Antioch, they told him of
the ill fortune that had befallen his brother; which yet he expected,
from certain visions that appeared to him in his dreams, which clearly
foreshowed his brother's death. So he hastened his march; and when he
came to Mount Libanus, he received about eight hundred of the men of
that place, having already with him also one Roman legion, and with
these he came to Ptolemais. He also marched thence by night with his
army, and proceeded along Galilee. Here it was that the enemy met him,
and fought him, and were beaten, and shut up in the same place of
strength whence they had sallied out the day before. So he attacked the
place in the morning; but by reason of a great storm that was then very
violent, he was able to do nothing, but drew off his army into the
neighboring villages; yet as soon as the other legion that Antony sent
him was come to his assistance, those that were in garrison in the place
were afraid, and deserted it in the night time. Then did the king march
hastily to Jericho, intending to avenge himself on the enemy for the
slaughter of his brother; and when he had pitched his tents, he made a
feast for the principal commanders; and after this collation was over,
and he had dismissed his guests, he retired to his own chamber; and here
may one see what kindness God had for the king, for the upper part of
the house fell down when nobody was in it, and so killed none, insomuch
that all the people believed that Herod was beloved of God, since he had
escaped such a great and surprising danger.

12. But the next day six thousand of the enemy came down from the tops
of the mountains to fight the Romans, which greatly terrified them; and
the soldiers that were in light armor came near, and pelted the king's
guards that were come out with darts and stones, and one of them hit him
on the side with a dart. Antigonus also sent a commander against
Samaria, whose name was Pappus, with some forces, being desirous to show
the enemy how potent he was, and that he had men to spare in his war
with them. He sat down to oppose Macheras; but Herod, when he had taken
five cities, took such as were left in them, being about two thousand,
and slew them, and burnt the cities themselves, and then returned to go
against Pappus, who was encamped at a village called Isanas; and there
ran in to him many out of Jericho and Judea, near to which places he
was, and the enemy fell upon his men, so stout were they at this time,
and joined battle with them, but he beat them in the fight; and in order
to be revenged on them for the slaughter of his brother, he pursued them
sharply, and killed them as they ran away; and as the houses were full
of armed men, 29 and many of them ran as far as the tops of the houses,
he got them under his power, and pulled down the roofs of the houses,
and saw the lower rooms full of soldiers that were caught, and lay all
on a heap; so they threw stones down upon them as they lay piled one
upon another, and thereby killed them; nor was there a more frightful
spectacle in all the war than this, where beyond the walls an immense
multitude of dead men lay heaped one upon another. This action it was
which chiefly brake the spirits of the enemy, who expected now what
would come; for there appeared a mighty number of people that came from
places far distant, that were now about the village, but then ran away;
and had it not been for the depth of winter, which then restrained them,
the king's army had presently gone to Jerusalem, as being very
courageous at this good success, and the whole work had been done
immediately; for Antigonus was already looking about how he might fly
away and leave the city.

13. At this time the king gave order that the soldiers should go to
supper, for it was late at night, while he went into a chamber to use
the bath, for he was very weary; and here it was that he was in the
greatest danger, which yet, by God's providence, he escaped; for as he
was naked, and had but one servant that followed him, to be with him
while he was bathing in an inner room, certain of the enemy, who were in
their armor, and had fled thither, out of fear, were then in the place;
and as he was bathing, the first of them came out with his naked sword
drawn, and went out at the doors, and after him a second, and a third,
armed in like manner, and were under such a consternation, that they did
no hurt to the king, and thought themselves to have come off very well
ill suffering no harm themselves in their getting out of the house.
However, on the next day, he cut off the head of Pappus, for he was
already slain, and sent it to Pheroras, as a punishment of what their
brother had suffered by his means, for he was the man that slew him with
his own hand.

14. When the rigor of winter was over, Herod removed his army, and came
near to Jerusalem, and pitched his camp hard by the city. Now this was
the third year since he had been made king at Rome; and as he removed
his camp, and came near that part of the wall where it could be most
easily assaulted, he pitched that camp before the temple, intending to
make his attacks in the same manner as did Pompey. So he encompassed the
place with three bulwarks, and erected towers, and employed a great many
hands about the work, and cut down the trees that were round about the
city; and when he had appointed proper persons to oversee the works,
even while the army lay before the city, he himself went to Samaria, to
complete his marriage, and to take to wife the daughter of Alexander,
the son of Aristobulus; for he had betrothed her already, as I have
before related.