risees, putting into their hands all the places of strength in her dominions, except the strong castles of Hircania, Alexandrion, and Macheruns, where she had secured her greatest treasure.

About this time, news was brought, that Tigranes, king of Armenia, had invaded Syria with an army of five hundred thousand men, and that he would soon be in Judea. This information exceedingly alarmed the queen and all the Jews; therefore they immediately dispatched ambassadors with presents of great value to court his friendship, and divert him from his design of attacking them. They found Tigranes laying close siege to Ptole mais, where he received them kindly, commended their forwardness in applying to him, and assured them of his good inclinations. Ptolemais being taken, Tigranes was informed, that Lucullus, the Roman general, in his pursuit of Mithridates, had entered into Armenia, putting the country under military exécution. Upon this, Tigranes was obliged to return to defend his own country, which relieved the Jews from their painful apprehensions of an invasion from that quarter.

Toward the end of this queen's reign, Aristobulus, took the advantage of her sickness, and of the insufficiency of his brother Hircanus to govern, seized several strong holds, and prepared to have himself declared king after her death; which soon happened, in the ninth year of her reign, and the seventy-third of her age. Alexandra being dead, Aristobulus declared war against his brother Hircanus, and in the plains of Jericho they prepared to engage; when Hircanus's soldiers revolting to Aristobulus, Hircanus betook himself to a castle for safety. Upon this they came to a treaty, and it was agreed that Aristobulus should be king, and Hircanus be suffered to live quietly in the enjoyment of his own private fortune. This treaty was confirmed by public sanction and mutual embraces between the two brothers, in a great concourse of people in the temple.

Though Hircanus was of a quiet disposition, and affected a retired life; yet there were not wanting those of a more turbulent spirit to rouse his slothful genius, with

hopes of recovering his right. Amongst these, Antipater* was the most forward; he was naturally very factious, and an enemy to Aristobulus; and being governor of Idumea, was very powerful and wealthy, by which means he had Arabs, Gazeans, and Ascolonites always at his devotion. He persuaded Hircanus to go to Aretas, king of Arabia, and desire succours of him; which he obtained, upon promise, that Hircanus should restore to him the towns which Alexander his father had taken. This was agreed to, and Hircanus, returning with those auxiliaries, was soon reinforced by the Jews, who came to join him. Aristobulus seeing himself overmatched, durst not venture a battle, but retired to Jerusalem; whither Hircanus followed and besieged him : but Scaurus, Pompey's lieutenant in Syria, being gained to the interest of Aristobulus, commanded king Aretas to draw off, on pain of being declared an enemy to the people of Rome. The king durst not disobey, but raised the siege; which Aristobulus perceiving, fell upon his rear in the retreat, and cut off about seven thousand of his

men.

Not long after, Pompey came into Syria, and took up his residence at Damascus, where he was attended by ambassadors from Syria, Egypt and Judea, all laden with presents of prodigious value. Nor were Hircanus and Aristobulus wanting on their part, each of them sending his deputy Antipater appearing for the first, and Nicodemus for the latter. Pompey gave them a patient hearing, who declared against the government of kings, it being the native custom and right of the Jews to be un

* Antipater. This is the first mention we have in history of Antipater, father of Herod the Great, and the rest of that family who reigned kings of Judah until the final destruction of the Jewish state and monarchy by the Romans. The Jews who hated his son Herod represented Antipater as having been an Idumean slave, but Josephus who had good opportuuities of knowing the truth, asserts, that he was of a noble family, and of the Jewish religion by profession. Herod's flatterers derived the descent of his ancestors from a branch of the house of David.

der no other administration, but that of the priests of their God. Hircanus complained of the injustice done him, who being the elder brother, was deprived of the prerogative and primogeniture by Aristobulus: who had confined him to a scanty portion, below the dignity of his birth, his brother having usurped the rest; adding be sides, that he was a dangerous enemy to the neighbouring nations, whom he frequently infested with incursions and plunderings, entertaining pirates in his service at sea, and if care was not taken, might, in time cause a revolt of the nation. All these articles were attested by a thousand Jews whom Antipater had for that purpose prepared. Aristobulus, in defence of himself, urged, that his brother was dismissed from the government for his unfitness to reign, by which he became so contemp. tible among the people, that himself was obliged to take the administration upon him, to preserve the right in their family. This he attested by a number of loose and debauched persons. Pompey having heard both sides, referred the determination of the controversy till his coming into Judea, ordering them in the mean time to live quietly.

Aristobulus, perceiving that Pompey did not approve of his violent proceedings, hastened back to Judea, and shut himself up in the strong fortress of Alexandrion : at which Pompey was so offended, that taking the army which he intended against the Nabatheans, and some auxiliary troops of Syria, he marched against Aristobulus. Pompey sent a summons to Aristobulus to appear before him; which he reluctantly did, but was persuaded by his friends to take care how he made the Romans his enemies. Upon his submission, he was received, and Pompey placed a guard over him; but sending Gabinius to Jerusalem to receive the money which Aristobulus promised, the Jews of Aristobulus's faction shut the gates against him, though their chief was in Pompey's custody. This obstinacy so offended Pompey, that doubling the guard over Aristobulus, he went in person to Jerusalem; where there was a great division among the inhabitants, who were very irresolute what measures to take; some

being of opinion to deliver up the city to Pompey but Aristobulus's faction were for shutting him out, and preparing for war, because he kept their chief prisoner. This party prevailed, and seized the temple, cutting down the bridge that led to the city. The rest admitted Pompey's army, and delivered up the city to him; upon which he prepared to besiege the temple.

The faction made an obstinate defence for three months, at the end of which the Romans entered the temple. During the siege, and the taking the temple, twelve thousand Jews were slain. Pompey entered the temple with several persons, who saw the inner part of the sanctuary, which was forbidden by the law to all but the priests. Pompey was so charmed with the beauty and sanctity of the place, that he offered no profane violence to the table, candlestick, vessels, or sacred treasure, which were valued at about two thousand talents. The next day he ordered the temple to be cleansed, and offered sacrifice. Then he restored the High priesthood and sovereignty to Hircanus, but forbade him to take upon him the title of king. After this, he made the Jews tributary to Rome, taking from them all their conquests, and putting them under proper governors, he left the government of Syria to Scaurus, and carried away with him to Rome, Aristobulus, with his two sons and two daughters. Alexander, one of the sons, found means to escape by the way; the other, called Antigonus, was carried to Rome, with his father and sisters. Thus the dissention between the two brothers, Hircanus and Aristobulus, was the cause of the Jews' loss of sovereignty and liberty, which the Romans never before of themselves attempted: and besides the loss of the towns they had con-quered in Syria, the Romans in a short time exacted from them above ten thousand talents.

* Dissention. The unnatural dissention in the Asmonean family, joined to the degraded state of religion among the Jews, and the violent disputes between the Pharisees and Sadducees first made way for the interference of the Romans; the elevation of the Herodian family; and finally, for the downfall of the nation.

Alexander, who had made his escape from Pompey, after three years returned into Judea, gathered forces, and possessed himself of several places; but Gabinius, who succeeded Scaurus in the government of Syria, coming into Judea, pursued him. Upon which, Alexander retreating towards Jerusalem in hopes of some succours from thence, Gabinius engaged him, and slew about thirty thousand of his men, taking as many prisoners. Alexander thus routed, fled into the castle of Alexandrion, whither Gabinius pursued and besieged him; who seeing no hopes of succour, surrendered, together with the other strong fortresses, Hircania and Macheruns; all which Gabinius demolished. Gabinius returns to Jerusalem, takes Hircanus with him, and committed the care of the temple to him, confirming him likewise in the priesthood; but for the civil government, he put it into the hands of magistrates of his own choosing; and having divided the province into five parts, he appointed a court of justice over each of them.

By this time Aristobulus had been five years a prisoner at Rome; from whence, with his son Antigonus, he made his escape, and returned into Judea; where, raising forces, he would have fortified the castle of Alexandrion, but Gabinius prevented him. Afterwards he attempted the same at Macheruns, pretending to cover them with cight thousand men; but the Romans following them, at the first charge broke and routed them, and killed above five thousand. Aristobulus, with about a thousand men, threw himself into Macheruns, which he fortified as well as the time and his condition would permit ; but could not hold out above two days; for being very much wounded in the last storming of the place, he, with his son Antigonus, was taken prisoner, and both of them were sent prisoners again to Rome; where, by order of the senate, the father was kept in prison, and his children sent back to Judea.

Alexander made some efforts towards recovering the sovereignty, and collected an army of thirty thousand Jews, with which he attacked Gabinius, but was routed: so that Hircanus, who was still continued in the High