572 578 182 176 579 175 dreaded all over the earth, and will no A. R. B. C. longer suffer any other power than their own. Kings are obliged to give them their children as hostages of their fidelity. Antiochus, afterwards called Illustris, or Epiphanes, second son of Antiochus the Great, king of Syria, remained a long time at Rome in that quality: but about the end of the reign of Seleucus Philopator, his elder brother, he was restored; and the Romans would have in his stead, Demetrius Soter the king's son, then ten years of age. In this critical juncture, Seleucus died; and Antiochus usurped the kingdom of his nephew. The Romans were intent upon the affairs of Macedon, where Perseus was disturbing his neighbours, and would no longer stand to the conditions imposed on king Philip his father. Then began the persecutions of the people of God. Antiochus Illustris reigned like a madman: he bent all his fury against the Jews, and attempted to destroy the temple, the law of Moses, and the whole nation. The authority of 589 the Romans kept him from making himself master of Egypt. They made war upon Perseus, who, being more prompt to undertake than to execute, lost his allies by his covetousness, and his armies by his cowardice. Vanquished by the Consul Paulus Æmilius, he was forced to surrender himself into his hands. Gentius king of Illyria his ally, reduced in thirty days by the Pretor Anicius, had just met with a like fate. The kingdom of Macedon, which had stood seven hundred years, and had near 581 586 173 171 168 387 588 589 590 166 165 A. R. B. C. two hundred given masters, not only to 586 168 Greece, but even to the whole East, was now no more than a Roman province. The fury of Antiochus increased against the people of God. We then see the stand made by Mattathias the priest, of the race 167 of Phinehas, and the imitator of his zeal; the injunctions he gives when dying concerning the safety of his people; the victories of Judas Maccabeus his son, notwithstanding the infinite number of his enemies; the rise of the family of the Asmoneans, or Maccabees; the new dedication of the tem→ 16 ple, which the Gentiles had profaned, the pontificate of Judas, and the glory of the priesthood restored; the death of Antiochus, worthy of his impiety and pride; his feigned conversion during his last illness, and the unappeased wrath of God upon that haughty king. His son Antiochus Eupator, yet a minor, succeeded him, under the guardianship of Lysias his governor. During his minority, Demetrius Soter, who was at Rome as an hostage, thought he might get himself restored; but he could not prevail with the senate to send him back into his kingdom: the Roman policy chose rather an infant king. Under Antiochus Eupator the persecution of God's people, and the victories of Judas Maccabeus continue. Division takes place in the kingdom of Syria. Demetrius makes his escape from Rome; his people acknowledge him; the young Antiochus is put to death with Lysias his tutor. But the Jews are no better treated under Demetrius, than under 591 592 163 162 592 593 162 161 154 his predecessors; he meets with the same A. R. B. C. fortune; his generals are beaten by Judas Maccabeus; and the hand of the haughty Nicanor, with which he had so often menaced the temple, is hung up before it. But not long after, Judas, overpowered by numbers, was slain fighting with astonishing bravery. His brother Jonathan succeeds to his command, and supports his reputation. Though reduced to extremity, his courage never failed him. The Romans, pleased to humble the kings of Syria, granted the Jews their protection, and the alliance which Judas had sent to request of them, but without any succours: however, the glory of the Roman name proved no small support to the distressed people. The troubles 600 of Syria increased daily. Alexander Balas, who boasted himself the son of Antiochus Illustris, was placed upon the throne by the people of Antioch. The kings of Egypt, perpetual foes to Syria, fomented its divisions, in order to profit by them. Ptolemy Philometer supported Balas: the war was bloody: Demetrius Soter was killed in it, 604 and left to revenge his death, only two young princes, yet under age, Demetrius Nicator, and Antiochus Sidetes. Thus the usurper remained in peace, and the king of Egypt gave him his daughter Cleopatra in marriage. Balas, now fancying himself be yond all danger, plunged into debauchery, and drew upon himself the contempt of all his subjects. At this time Philometer de * 2 Mac. vi. 2. 150 604 587 A. R. B. C. cided the famous processs, which the Sa150 maritans raised against the Jews. Those schismatics, ever set against the people of God, never failed to join their enemies*; 167 and, in order to please Antiochus Illustris their persecutor, had dedicated their temple on Mount Gerizim to Jupiter Hospitalis. Notwithstanding this profanation, those impious wretches had the boldness, some time after, to maintain, before Ptolemy Philometer at Alexandria, that this temple ought to be preferred to that of Jerusalem. The parties debated it before the king, and engaged on both sides, upon pain of death, to make good their pretensions from the words of the law of Mosest. The Jews gained their cause, and the Samaritans were punished with death, according to agreement. The same king gave permission to Onias, of the priestly race, to build in Egypt the temple of Heliopolis, after the model of that of Jerusalem: an undertaking which was condemned by the whole council of the Jews, and judged contrary to the law. In the mean time Carthage bestirred herself, being unable to bear the laws which Scipio 148 Africanus had imposed on her. The Romans determined on her total overthrow, and the third Punic war was undertaken. Young Demetrius Nicator, now past childhood, began to think of recovering the throne of his ancestors; and the effeminancy of the usurper gave him every thing to hope. 146 Balas was alarmed at his approach: his 006 008 * Jos. Ant. xii. 7. + Ibid. lib. xiii. c. 6. Ibid. 145 father-in-law Philometor declared against A. R. B. C. him, because Balas would not suffer him to 608 seize upon his kingdom: the ambitious Cleopatra his wife forsook him, to marry his enemy, and he perished at last by the hands of his own people, after the loss of a battle. Philometor died a few days after, of the wounds he received in it, and Syria was delivered from both her enemies. The world saw at that same time the fall of two great cities. Carthage was taken, and reduced to ashes by Scipio Emilianus, who, by that victory, confirmed the surname of Africanus in his family, and proved, himself a worthy heir of the great Scipio his grandfather. Corinth shared the same fate, and the Achean republic perished with it. The consul Mummius razed to the ground that city, the most voluptuous, and most ornamented in Greece. He transported its incomparable statues to Rome, without knowing the value of them. The Romans were ignorant of the arts of Greece, and contented themselves with the knowledge of war, politics, and agriculture. During the troubles of Syria the Jews fortified themselves: Jonathan was courted by both parties, and the victorious Nicator treated him as his brother. He was soon requited: for in an insurrection, the Jews came speedily to his aid, and delivered him out of the hands of the rebels. Jonathan was loaded with honours; but when the king thought himself secure, he resumed the designs of his ancestors, and the Jews were tormented as before. The troubles of Syria were renewed. Ꮐ 610 144 |