however, obliged to own, that it will be more obscure and perplexed than it has been hitherto, especially in regard to the kingdom of Syria; in which several kings not only succeeded one another in a short space, but sometimes reigned jointly, and at the same time, to the number of three or four; which occasions a confusion difficult to unravel, and from which I find it hard to extricate myself. This induces me to prefix in this place the names, succession, and duration of the reigns of the kings of Egypt and Syria. This small chronological abridgment may contribute to cast some light upon facts, which are exceedingly complex, and serve as a clew to guide the reader in a kind of labyrinth, where the most clearsighted will have occasion for assistance. It enlarges the work a little, but it may be passed over, and recourse be had to it only when it is necessary to be set right: I insert it here with that view. This third article contains the space of one hundred years for the kingdom of Egypt, from the twentieth year of Ptolemy Philometer, to the expulsion of Ptolemy Auletes from the throne; that is, from the year of the world 3845, to 3946. As to the kingdom of Syria, the same article contains almost the space of one hundred years from Antiochus Eupator to Antiochus Asiaticus, under whom Syria became a province of the Roman empire; that is, from the year of the world 3840, to the year 3939. SECTION II.-ANTIOCHUS EUPATOR SUCCEEDS TO THE KINGDOM OF SYRIA. WE have long lost sight of the histories of the kings of Syria, and of Egypt, which are generally closely connected with each other. I am now about to resume the thread of them, which will not be again interrupted. gave Antiochus, surnamed Eupator, aged only nineteen, succeeded his father Antiochus Epiphanes in the kingdom of Syria. The latter, at his death, sent for Philip, his favourite, who had been brought up with him. He him the regency of the kingdom, during his son's minority, and put his crown, signet, and all the other marks of the royal dignity, into his hands; recommending to him, above all things, to employ his whole care in educating his son in such a manner as was most proper to instruct him in the art of reigning.* Philip, on his arrival at Antioch, found that another had usurped the employment which the late king had confided to him. Lysias, upon the first advice of the death of Epiphanes, had placed his son Antiochus upon the throne, whose governor he was, and had taken upon himself, with the guardianship, the reins of the government, without any regard to the king's regulation at his death. Philip knew well, that he was not at that time in a condition to dispute it with him, and retired into Egypt, in hopes of finding, at that court, the assistance he wanted for the repossession of his right, and the expulsion of the usurper. About the same time Ptolemy Macron, governor of Colosyria and Palestine, who had been till then inimical to the Jews, suddenly became their friend; moved, as the Scripture says, with the crying injustice which had been committed in regard to them. He put a stop to the rigour of the persecution against them, and employed all his influence to obtain peace for them. By his conduct he gave his enemies an opportunity of injuring him. They prejudiced the king against him, by representing him perpetually as a traitor, because he had in reality betrayed the interests of his first master, Ptolemy Philometer, king of Egypt, who had entrusted him with the government of the island of Cyprus, and had given up that island to Antiochus Epiphanes, on entering into his service. For, however advantageous the treason might be, the traitor, as is usual, was hated. At length, by their clamour and cabals, he was deprived of his government, which was given to Lysias; no other post or pension being conferred on him to support his dignity. He had not force of mind enough to bear his downfall, and poisoned himself; an end he had well deserved for his treason, and the part he had taken in the cruel persecution of the Jews. Judas Maccabeus at this time signalized his valour by several considerable victories over the enemies of the people of God, who continually made an implacable war against him. The short time that Antiochus Epiphanes survived the favourable inclination he had expressed for the Jews, would not allow him to revoke, in form, his decree for obliging them to change their religion. The court of Syria, which always considered the Jews as rebels, desirous of throwing off its yoke, and had great interests in making so powerful a neighbouring people submit, had no regard to some transient demonstrations of the dying prince's favour to them. They always persisted in the same principles of policy, and continued to look upon that nation as an enemy, whose sole view was to shake off their chains, and support themselves in liberty of conscience with regard to religion. Such were the dispositions of Syria in regard to the Jews.t Demetrius, son of Seleucus Philopator, who, from the year his father died, had remained a hostage at Rome, was in his twenty-third year, when he was *A. M. 3840. Ant. J. C. 164. Appian. in Syr. p. 117. 1 Maccab. vi. 17. 2 Maccab. ix. 29. et x. 13. † 1 Maccab. v. 1-68. 2 Maccab. x. 14-39 Joseph. Antiq. L xii. c. 14. VOL. IV. 15 informed of the death of Antiochus Epiphanes, and the accession of his son Eupator to the crown, which he pretended to be his right as the son of the eldest brother of Epiphanes. He proposed to the senate his re-establishment upon his father's throne; and to engage them in it, he represented, that having been bred up at Rome, he should always regard it as his native country, the senators as his fathers, and their sons as his brothers. The senate had more regard for the interests of the republic, than the rights of Demetrius, and thought it more advantageous for the Romans, that there should be a king in his minority upon the throne of Syria, than a prince like Demetrius, who might at length become formidable to them. They therefore made a decree to confirm Eupator, and sent Cn. Octavius, Sp. Lucretius, and L. Aurelius, in the character of ambassadors, into Syria, to regulate all things conformably to the treaty made with Antiochus the Great. The same ambassadors had instructions to accommodate, if possible, the differences between the two kings of Egypt.* Lysias, terrified by the victories of Judas Maccabeus, formed an army of eighty thousand foot, and took with him all the cavalry of the kingdom, with eighty elephants, at the head of all these forces he marched into Judea, with the resolution to settle strange inhabitants who worshipped idols in Jerusalem. He opened the campaign with the siege of Bethsura, a fortress between Idumæa and Jerusalem. Judas Maccabeus, and all the people, prayed to the Lord, with tears in their eyes, to send his angel for the preservation of Israel. Full of confidence in God, they took the field. When they marched all together, with assured courage, out of Jerusalem, there appeared a horseman marching before them. His habit was white, with arms of gold, and he held a lance in his hand. That sight filled them with new ardour. They threw themselves upon the enemy like lions, killed twelve thousand six hundred men, and obliged the rest to fly, most of them wounded, and without arms. After this check, Lysias, weary of so unsuccessful a war, and, as the Scripture says, "believing the Jews invincible, when supported by the aid of the Almighty God," made a treaty with Judas and the Jewish nation, which Antiochus ratified. One of the articles of this peace was, that the decree of Antiochus Epiphanes, which obliged the Jews to conform to the religion of the Greeks, should be revoked and cancelled, and that they should be at liberty to live in all places according to their own laws.‡ This peace was not of long duration. The neighbouring people were too much the enemies of the Jews, to leave them long in repose. Timotheus, one of the king's generals, assembled all his forces, and raised an army of one hundred and twenty thousand foot, without including the horse, which amounted to twenty-five thousand. Judas, full of confidence in the God of armies, marched against him with troops far inferior in numbers. He attacked and defeated him. Timotheus lost thirty thousand men in this battle, and saved himself with great difficulty. This defeat was followed by many advantages on the side of Judas, which proved that God alone is the source of valour, intrepidity, and success in war. He showed this in the most sensible manner, by the evident and singular protection which he gave to a people, of whom he was in a peculiar manner the guide and director. A new army was raised of one hundred thousand foot, with twenty thousand horse, thirty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots of war. The king, in person, with Lysias, the regent of the kingdom, put themselves at the head of it, and entered Judea Judas, relying on the omnipotence of God, the Creator of the universe, and having exhorted his troops to fight to the last, marched and posted himself in front of the king's camp. After having given his troops for the word of battle," the Victory of God," he chose the bravest men of his army, and with them attacked the king's quarters in the night. They A. M. 3913. Ant. J. C. 163. Polyb. Legat. cvii. Justin. l. xxxiv. c. 3. † 2 Maccab. ix. 1-38. x. 1-7. xiii. 1-24. 1 Maccab. v. 65-68. vi. 19-63. Ibid. xi. 13. Appian. in Syr. p. 117. |