Chapter 10.
THE HONORS THAT WERE PAID THE JEWS; AND THE LEAGUES THAT
WERE MADE BY THE ROMANS AND OTHER NATIONS, WITH THEM.FJAJ 14.52
1. NOW when Caesar was come to Rome, he was ready to sail into Africa
to fight against Scipio and Cato, when Hyrcanus sent ambassadors to him,
and by them desired that he would ratify that league of friendship and
mutual alliance which was between them, And it seems to me to be necessary
here to give an account of all the honors that the Romans and their emperor
paid to our nation, and of the leagues of mutual assistance they have made
with it, that all the rest of mankind may know what regard the kings of
Asia and Europe have had to us, and that they have been abundantly satisfied
of our courage and fidelity; for whereas many will not believe what hath
been written about us by the Persians and Macedonians, because those writings
are not every where to be met with, nor do lie in public places, but among
us ourselves, and certain other barbarous nations, while there is no contradiction
to be made against the decrees of the Romans, for they are laid up in the
public places of the cities, and are extant still in the capitol, and engraven
upon pillars of brass; nay, besides this, Julius Caesar made a pillar of
brass for the Jews at Alexandria, and declared publicly that they were
citizens of Alexandria
Out of these evidences will I demonstrate what
I say; and will now set down the decrees made both by the senate and by
Julius Caesar, which relate to Hyrcanus and to our nation.FJAJ 14.53
2. "Caius Julius Caesar, imperator and high priest, and dictator
the second time, to the magistrates, senate, and people of Sidon, sendeth
greeting
If you be in health, it is well
I also and the army are well.
I have sent you a copy of that decree, registered on the tables, which
concerns Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and ethnarch of
the Jews, that it may be laid up among the public records; and I will that
it be openly proposed in a table of brass, both in Greek and in Latin.
It is as follows: I Julius Caesar, imperator the second time, and high
priest, have made this decree, with the approbation of the senate
Whereas
Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander the Jew, hath demonstrated his fidelity
and diligence about our affairs, and this both now and in former times,
both in peace and in war, as many of our generals have borne witness, and
came to our assistance in the last Alexandrian war, (17)
That Hyreanus was himself in Egypt, along with Antipater, at this time,
to whom accordingly the bold and prudent actions of his deputy Antipater
are here ascribed, as this decree of Julius Caesar supposes, we are further
assured by the testimony of Strabo, already produced by Josephus, ch. 8.
sect. 3.
with fifteen hundred soldiers; and when he was sent by me to Mithridates,
showed himself superior in valor to all the rest of that army; - for these
reasons I will that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, and his children, be
ethnarchs of the Jews, and have the high priesthood of the Jews for ever,
according to the customs of their forefathers, and that he and his sons
be our confederates; and that besides this, everyone of them be reckoned
among our particular friends
I also ordain that he and his children retain
whatsoever privileges belong to the office of high priest, or whatsoever
favors have been hitherto granted them; and if at any time hereafter there
arise any questions about the Jewish customs, I will that he determine
the same
And I think it not proper that they should be obliged to find
us winter quarters, or that any money should be required of them."FJAJ 14.54
3. "The decrees of Caius Caesar, consul, containing what hath been
granted and determined, are as follows: That Hyrcanus and his children
bear rule over the nation of the Jews, and have the profits of the places
to them bequeathed; and that he, as himself the high priest and ethnarch
of the Jews, defend those that are injured; and that ambassadors be sent
to Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest of the Jews, that may
discourse with him about a league of friendship and mutual assistance;
and that a table of brass, containing the premises, be openly proposed
in the capitol, and at Sidon, and Tyre, and Askelon, and in the temple,
engraven in Roman and Greek letters: that this decree may also be communicated
to the quaestors and praetors of the several cities, and to the friends
of the Jews; and that the ambassadors may have presents made them; and
that these decrees be sent every where."FJAJ 14.55
4. "Caius Caesar, imperator, dictator, consul, hath granted, That
out of regard to the honor, and virtue, and kindness of the man, and for
the advantage of the senate, and of the people of Rome, Hyrcanus, the son
of Alexander, both he and his children, be high priests and priests of
Jerusalem, and of the Jewish nation, by the same right, and according to
the same laws, by which their progenitors have held the priesthood."FJAJ 14.56
5. "Caius Caesar, consul the fifth time, hath decreed, That the
Jews shall possess Jerusalem, and may encompass that city with walls; and
that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and ethnarch of the
Jews, retain it in the manner he himself pleases; and that the Jews be
allowed to deduct out of their tribute, every second year the land is let
[in the Sabbatic period], a corus of that tribute; and that the tribute
they pay be not let to farm, nor that they pay always the same tribute."FJAJ 14.57
6. "Caius Caesar, imperator the second time, hath ordained, That
all the country of the Jews, excepting Joppa, do pay a tribute yearly for
the city Jerusalem, excepting the seventh, which they call the sabbatical
year, because thereon they neither receive the fruits of their trees, nor
do they sow their land; and that they pay their tribute in Sidon on the
second year [of that sabbatical period], the fourth part of what was sown:
and besides this, they are to pay the same tithes to Hyrcanus and his sons
which they paid to their forefathers
And that no one, neither president,
nor lieutenant, nor ambassador, raise auxiliaries within the bounds of
Judea; nor may soldiers exact money of them for winter quarters, or under
any other pretense; but that they be free from all sorts of injuries; and
that whatsoever they shall hereafter have, and are in possession of, or
have bought, they shall retain them all
It is also our pleasure that the
city Joppa, which the Jews had originally, when they made a league of friendship
with the Romans, shall belong to them, as it
formerly did; and that Hyrcanus,
the son of Alexander, and his sons, have as tribute of that city from those
that occupy the land for the country, and for what they export every year
to Sidon, twenty thousand six hundred and seventy-five modii every year,
the seventh year, which they call the Sabbatic year, excepted, whereon
they neither plough, nor receive the product of their trees
It is also
the pleasure of the senate, that as to the villages which are in the great
plain, which Hyrcanus and his forefathers formerly possessed, Hyrcanus
and the Jews have them with the same privileges with which they formerly
had them also; and that the same original ordinances remain still in force
which concern the Jews with regard to their high priests; and that they
enjoy the same benefits which they have had formerly by the concession
of the people, and of the senate; and let them enjoy the like privileges
in Lydda
It is the pleasure also of the senate that Hyrcanus the ethnarch,
and the Jews, retain those places, countries, and villages which belonged
to the kings of Syria and Phoenicia, the confederates of the Romans, and
which they had bestowed on them as their free gifts
It is also granted
to Hyrcanus, and to his sons, and to the ambassadors by them sent to us,
that in the fights between single gladiators, and in those with beasts,
they shall sit among the senators to see those shows; and that when they
desire an audience, they shall be introduced into the senate by the dictator,
or by the general of the horse; and when they have introduced them, their
answers shall be returned them in ten days at the furthest, after the decree
of the senate is made about their affairs."FJAJ 14.58
7. "Caius Cqesar, imperator, dictator the fourth time, and consul
the fifth time, declared to be perpetual dictator, made this speech concerning
the rights and privileges of Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest
and ethnarch of the Jews
Since those imperators (18)
Dr. Hudson justly supposes that the Roman imperators, or generals of armies,
meant both here and sect. 2, who gave testimony to Hyrcanus's and the Jews'
faithfulness and goodwill to the Romans before the senate and people of
Rome, were principally Pompey, Scaurus, and Gabinius ;of all whom Josephus
had already given us the history, so far as the Jews were concerned with
them.
that have been in the provinces before me have borne witness to Hyrcanus,
the high priest of the Jews, and to the Jews themselves, and this before
the senate and people of Rome, when the people and senate returned their
thanks to them, it is good that we now also remember the same, and provide
that a requital be made to Hyrcanus, to the nation of the Jews, and to
the sons of Hyrcanus, by the senate and people of Rome, and that suitably
to what good-will they have shown us, and to the benefits they have bestowed
upon us."FJAJ 14.59
8. "Julius Caius, praetor [consul] of Rome, to the magistrates,
senate, and people of the Parians, sendeth greeting
The Jews of Delos,
and some other Jews that sojourn there, in the presence of your ambassadors,
signified to us, that, by a decree of yours, you forbid them to make use
of the customs of their forefathers, and their way of sacred worship
Now
it does not please me that such decrees should be made against our friends
and confederates, whereby they are forbidden to live according to their
own customs, or to bring in contributions for common suppers and holy festivals,
while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome itself; for even Caius
Caesar, our imperator and consul, in that decree wherein he forbade the
Bacchanal rioters to meet in the city, did yet permit these Jews, and these
only, both to bring in their contributions, and to make their common suppers.
Accordingly, when I forbid other Bacchanal rioters, I permit these Jews
to gather themselves together, according to the customs and laws of their
forefathers, and to persist therein
It will be therefore good for you,
that if you have made any decree against these our friends and confederates,
to abrogate the same, by reason of their virtue and kind disposition towards
us."FJAJ 14.60
9. Now after Caius was slain, when Marcus Antonius and Publius Dolabella
were consuls, they both assembled the senate, and introduced Hyrcanus's
ambassadors into it, and discoursed of what they desired, and made a league
of friendship with them
The senate also decreed to grant them all they
desired
I add the decree itself, that those who read the present work
may have ready by them a demonstration of the truth of what we say
The
decree was this:FJAJ 14.61
10. "The decree of the senate, copied out of the treasury, from
the public tables belonging to the quaestors, when Quintus Rutilius and
Caius Cornelius were quaestors, and taken out of the second table of the
first class, on the third day before the Ides of April, in the temple of
Concord
There were present at the writing of this decree, Lucius Calpurnius
Piso of the Menenian tribe, Servius Papinins Potitus of the Lemonian tribe,
Caius Caninius Rebilius of the Terentine tribe, Publius Tidetius, Lucius
Apulinus, the son of Lucius, of the Sergian tribe, Flavius, the son of
Lucius, of the Lemonian tribe, Publius Platins, the son of Publius, of
the Papyrian tribe, Marcus Acilius, the son of Marcus, of the Mecian tribe,
Lucius Erucius, the son of Lucius, of the Stellatine tribe, Mareils Quintus
Plancillus, the son of Marcus, of the Pollian tribe, and Publius Serius.
Publius Dolabella and Marcus Antonius, the consuls, made this reference
to the senate, that as to those things which, by the decree of the senate,
Caius Caesar had adjudged about the Jews, and yet had not hitherto that
decree been brought into the treasury, it is our will, as it is also the
desire of Publius Dolabella and Marcus Antonius, our consuls, to have these
decrees put into the public tables, and brought to the city quaestors,
that they may take care to have them put upon the double tables
This was
done before the fifth of the Ides of February, in the temple of Concord.
Now the ambassadors from Hyrcanus the high priest were these: Lysimachus,
the son of Pausanias, Alexander, the son of Theodorus, Patroclus, the son
of Chereas, and Jonathan the, son of Onias."FJAJ 14.62
11. Hyrcanus sent also one of these ambassadors to Dolabella, who was
then the prefect of Asia, and desired him to dismiss the Jews from military
services, and to preserve to them the customs of their forefathers, and
to permit them to live according to them
And when Dolabella had received
Hyrcanus's letter, without any further deliberation, he sent an epistle
to all the Asiatics, and particularly to the city of the Ephesians, the
metropolis of Asia, about the Jews; a copy of which epistle here follows:FJAJ 14.63
12. "When Artermon was prytanis, on the first day of the month
Leneon, Dolabella, imperator, to the senate, and magistrates, and people
of the Ephesians, sendeth greeting
Alexander, the son of Theodorus, the
ambassador of Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and ethnarch
of the Jews, appeared before me, to show that his countrymen could not
go into their armies, because they are not allowed to bear arms or to travel
on the sabbath days, nor there to procure themselves those sorts of food
which they have been used to eat from the times of their forefathers; -
I do therefore grant them a freedom from going into the army, as the former
prefects have done, and permit them to use the customs of their forefathers,
in assembling together for sacred and religious purposes, as their law
requires, and for collecting oblations necessary for sacrifices; and my
will is, that you write this to the several cities under your jurisdiction."FJAJ 14.64
13. And these were the concessions that Dolabella made to our nation
when Hyrcanus sent an embassage to him
But Lucius the consul's decree
ran thus: "I have at my tribunal set these Jews, who are citizens
of Rome, and follow the Jewish religious rites, and yet live at Ephesus,
free from going into the army, on account of the superstition they are
under
This was done before the twelfth of the calends of October, when
Lucius Lentulus and Caius Marcellus were consuls, in the presence of Titus
Appius Balgus, the son of Titus, and lieutenant of the Horatian tribe;
of Titus Tongins, the son of Titus, of the Crustumine tribe; of Quintus
Resius, the son of Quintus; of Titus Pompeius Longinus, the son of Titus;
of Catus Servilius, the son of Caius, of the Terentine tribe; of Bracchus
the military tribune; of Publius Lucius Gallus, the son of Publius, of
the Veturian tribe; of Caius Sentins, the son of Caius, of the Sabbatine
tribe; of Titus Atilius Bulbus, the son of Titus, lieutenant and vice-praetor
to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Ephesians, sendeth greeting.
Lucius Lentulus the consul freed the Jews that are in Asia from going into
the armies, at my intercession for them; and when I had made the same petition
some time afterward to Phanius the imperator, and to Lucius Antonius the
vice-quaestor, I obtained that privilege of them also; and my will is,
that you take care that no one give them any disturbance."FJAJ 14.65
14. The decree of the Delians.FJAJ 14.66
"The answer of the praetors, when
Beotus was archon, on the twentieth day of the month Thargeleon
While
Marcus Piso the lieutenant lived in our city, who was also appointed over
the choice of the soldiers, he called us, and many other of the citizens,
and gave order, that if there be here any Jews who are Roman citizens,
no one is to give them any disturbance about going into the army, because
Cornelius Lentulus, the consul, freed the Jews from going into the army,
on account of the superstition they are under; - you are therefore obliged
to submit to the praetor." And the like decree was made by the Sardians
about us also.FJAJ 14.67
15. "Caius Phanius, the son of Caius, imperator and consul, to
the magistrates of Cos, sendeth greeting
I would have you know that the
ambassadors of the Jews have been with me, and desired they might have
those decrees which the senate had made about them; which decrees are here
subjoined
My will is, that you have a regard to and take care of these
men, according to the senate's decree, that they may be safely conveyed
home through your country."FJAJ 14.68
16. The declaration of Lucius Lentulus the consul: "I have dismissed
those Jews who are Roman citizens, and who appear to me to have their religious
rites, and to observe the laws of the Jews at Ephesus, on account of the
superstition they are under
This act was done before the thirteenth of
the calends of October."FJAJ 14.69
17. "Lucius Antonius, the son of Marcus, vice-quaestor, and vice-praetor,
to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Sardians, sendeth greeting.
Those Jews that are our fellow citizens of Rome came to me, and demonstrated
that they had an assembly of their own, according to the laws of their
forefathers, and this from the beginning, as also a place of their own,
wherein they determined their suits and controversies with one another.
Upon their petition therefore to me, that these might be lawful for them,
I gave order that these their privileges be preserved, and they be permitted
to do accordingly."FJAJ 14.70
18. The declaration of Marcus Publius, the son of Spurius, and of Marcus,
the son of Marcus, and of Lucius, the son of Publius: "We went to
the proconsul, and informed him of what Dositheus, the son of Cleopatrida
of Alexandria, desired, that, if he thought good, he would dismiss those
Jews who were Roman citizens, and were wont to observe the rites of the
Jewish religion, on account of the superstition they were under
Accordingly,
he did dismiss them
This was done before the thirteenth of the calends
of October."FJAJ 14.71
19. "In the month Quntius, when Lucius Lentulus and Caius Mercellus
were consuls; and there were present Titus Appius Balbus, the son of Titus,
lieutenant of the Horatian tribe, Titus Tongius of the Crustumine tribe,
Quintus Resius, the son of Quintus, Titus Pompeius, the son of Titus, Cornelius
Longinus, Caius Servilius Bracchus, the son of Caius, a military tribune,
of the Terentine tribe, Publius Clusius Gallus, the son of Publius, of
the Veturian tribe, Caius Teutius, the son of Caius, a milital tribune,
of the EmilJan tribe, Sextus Atilius Serranus, the son of Sextus, of the
Esquiline tribe, Caius Pompeius, the son of Caius, of the Sabbatine tribe,
Titus Appius Menander, the son of Titus, Publius Servilius Strabo, the
son of Publius, Lucius Paccius Capito, the son of Lucius, of the Colline
tribe, Aulus Furius Tertius, the son of Aulus, and Appius Menus
In the
presence of these it was that Lentulus pronounced this decree: I have before
the tribunal dismissed those Jews that are Roman citizens, and are accustomed
to observe the sacred rites of the Jews at Ephesus, on account of the superstition
they are under."FJAJ 14.72
20. "The magistrates of the Laodiceans to Caius Rubilius, the son
of Caius, the consul, sendeth greeting
Sopater, the ambassador of Hyrcanus
the high priest, hath delivered us an epistle from thee, whereby he lets
us know that certain ambassadors were come from Hyrcanus, the high priest
of the Jews, and brought an epistle written concerning their nation, wherein
they desire that the Jews may be allowed to observe their Sabbaths, and
other sacred rites, according to the laws of their forefathers, and that
they may be under no command, because they are our friends and confederates,
and that nobody may injure them in our provinces
Now although the Trallians
there present contradicted them, and were not pleased with these decrees,
yet didst thou give order that they should be observed, and informedst
us that thou hadst been desired to write this to us about them
We therefore,
in obedience to the injunctions we have received from thee, have received
the epistle which thou sentest us, and have laid it up by itself among
our public records
And as to the other things about which thou didst send
to us, we will take care that no complaint be made against us."FJAJ 14.73
21. "Publius Servilius, the son of Publius, of the Galban tribe,
the proconsul, to the magistrates, senate, and people of the Mileslans,
sendeth greeting
Prytanes, the son of Hermes, a citizen of yours, came
to me when I was at Tralles, and held a court there, and informed me that
you used the Jews in a way different from my opinion, and forbade them
to celebrate their Sabbaths, and to perform the Sacred rites received from
their forefathers, and to manage the fruits of the land, according to their
ancient custom; and that he had himself been the promulger of your decree,
according as your laws require: I would therefore have you know, that upon
hearing the pleadings on both sides, I gave sentence that the Jews should
not be prohibited to make use of their own customs."FJAJ 14.74
22. The decree of those of Pergamus.FJAJ 14.75
"When Cratippus was prytanis,
on the first day of the month Desius, the decree of the praetors was this:
Since the Romans, following the conduct of their ancestors, undertake dangers
for the common safety of all mankind, and are ambitious to settle their
confederates and friends in happiness, and in firm peace, and since the
nation of the Jews, and their high priest Hyrcanus, sent as ambassadors
to them, Strato, the son of Theodatus, and Apollonius, the son of Alexander,
and Eneas, the son of Antipater, and Aristobulus, the son of Amyntas, and
Sosipater, the son of Philip, worthy and good men, who gave a particular
account of their affairs, the senate thereupon made a decree about what
they had desired of them, that Antiochus the king, the son of Antiochus,
should do no injury to the Jews, the confederates of the Romans; and that
the fortresses, and the havens, and the country, and whatsoever else he
had taken from them, should be restored to them; and that it may be lawful
for them to export their goods out of their own havens; and that no king
nor people may have leave to export any goods, either out of the country
of Judea, or out of their havens, without paying customs, but only Ptolemy,
the king of Alexandria, because he is our confederate and friend; and that,
according to their desire, the garrison that is in Joppa may be ejected.
Now Lucius Pettius, one of our senators, a worthy and good man, gave order
that we should take care that these things should be done according to
the senate's decree; and that we should take care also that their ambassadors
might return home in safety
Accordingly, we admitted Theodorus into our
senate and assembly, and took the epistle out his hands, as well as the
decree of the senate
And as he discoursed with great zeal about the Jews,
and described Hyrcanus's virtue and generosity, and how he was a benefactor
to all men in common, and particularly to every body that comes to him,
we laid up the epistle in our public records; and made a decree ourselves,
that since we also are in confederacy with the Romans, we would do every
thing we could for the Jews, according to the senate's decree
Theodorus
also, who brought the epistle, desired of our praetors, that they would
send Hyrcanus a copy of that decree, as also ambassadors to signify to
him the affection of our people to him, and to exhort them to preserve
and augment their friendship for us, and be ready to bestow other benefits
upon us, as justly expecting to receive proper requitals from us; and desiring
them to remember that our ancestors (19)
We have here a most remarkable and authentic attestation of the citizens
of Pergamus, that Abraham was the father of all the Hebrews; that their
own ancestors were, in the oldest times, the friends of those Hebrews;
and that the public arts of their city, then extant, confirmed the same;
which evidence is too strong to be evaded by our present ignorance of the
particular occasion of such ancient friendship and alliance between those
people. See the like full evidence of the kindred of the Lacedemonians
and the Jews; and that became they were both of the posterity of Abraham,
by a public epistle of those people to the Jews, preserved in the First
Book of the Maccabees, 12:19-23; and thence by Josephus, Antiq. B. XII.
ch. 4 sect. 10; both which authentic records are highly valuable. It is
also well worthy of observation, what Moses Chorenensis, the principal
Armenian historian, informs us of, p. 83, that Arsaces, who raised the
Parthian empire, was of the :seed of Abraham by Chetura; and that thereby
was accomplished that prediction which said, "Kings of nations shall
proceed from thee," Genesis 17:6.
were friendly to the Jews even in the days of Abraham, who was the father
of all the Hebrews, as we have [also] found it set down in our public records."FJAJ 14.76
23. The decree of those of Halicarnassus.FJAJ 14.77
"When Memnon, the son
of Orestidas by descent, but by adoption of Euonymus, was priest, on the
* * * day of the month Aristerion, the decree of the people, upon the representation
of Marcus Alexander, was this: Since we have ever a great regard to piety
towards God, and to holiness; and since we aim to follow the people of
the Romans, who are the benefactors of all men, and what they have written
to us about a league of friendship and mutual assistance between the Jews
and our city, and that their sacred offices and accustomed festivals and
assemblies may be observed by them; we have decreed, that as many men and
women of the Jews as are willing so to do, may celebrate their Sabbaths,
and perform their holy offices, according to Jewish laws; and may make
their proseuchae at the sea-side, according to the customs of their forefathers;
and if any one, whether he be a magistrate or private person, hindereth
them from so doing, he shall be liable to a fine, to be applied to the
uses of the city."FJAJ 14.78
24. The decree of the Sardians.FJAJ 14.79
"This decree was made by the senate
and people, upon the representation of the praetors: Whereas those Jews
who are fellow citizens, and live with us in this city, have ever had great
benefits heaped upon them by the people, and have come now into the senate,
and desired of the people, that upon the restitution of their law and their
liberty, by the senate and people of Rome, they may assemble together,
according to their ancient legal custom, and that we will not bring any
suit against them about it; and that a place may be given them where they
may have their congregations, with their wives and children, and may offer,
as did their forefathers, their prayers and sacrifices to God
Now the
senate and people have decreed to permit them to assemble together on the
days formerly appointed, and to act according to their own laws; and that
such a place be set apart for them by the praetors, for the building and
inhabiting the same, as they shall esteem fit for that purpose; and that
those that take care of the provision for the city, shall take care that
such sorts of food as they esteem fit for their eating may be imported
into the city."FJAJ 14.80
25. The decree of the Ephesians.FJAJ 14.81
"When Menophilus was prytanis,
on the first day of the month Artemisius, this decree was made by the people:
Nicanor, the son of Euphemus, pronounced it, upon the representation of
the praetors
Since the Jews that dwell in this city have petitioned Marcus
Julius Pompeius, the son of Brutus, the proconsul, that they might be allowed
to observe their Sabbaths, and to act in all things according to the customs
of their forefathers, without impediment from any body, the praetor hath
granted their petition
Accordingly, it was decreed by the senate and people,
that in this affair that concerned the Romans, no one of them should be
hindered from keeping the sabbath day, nor be fined for so doing, but that
they may be allowed to do all things according to their own laws."FJAJ 14.82
26. Now there are many such decrees of the senate and imperators of
the Romans (20)
If we compare Josephus's promise in sect. 1, to produce all the public
decrees of the Romans in favor of the Jews, with his excuse here for omitting
many of them, we may observe, that when he came to transcribe all those
decrees he had collected, he found them so numerous, that he thought he
should too much tire his readers if he had attempted it, which he thought
a sufficient apology for his omitting the rest of them; yet do those by
him produced afford such a strong confirmation to his history, and give
such great light to even the Roman antiquities themselves, that I believe
the curious are not a little sorry for such his omissions.
and those different from these before us, which have been made in favor
of Hyrcanus, and of our nation; as also, there have been more decrees of
the cities, and rescripts of the praetors, to such epistles as concerned
our rights and privileges; and certainly such as are not ill-disposed to
what we write may believe that they are all to this purpose, and that by
the specimens which we have inserted; for since we have produced evident
marks that may still be seen of the friendship we have had with the Romans,
and demonstrated that those marks are engraven upon columns and tables
of brass in the capitol, that axe still in being, and preserved to this
day, we have omitted to set them all down, as needless and disagreeable;
for I cannot suppose any one so perverse as not to believe the friendship
we have had with the Romans, while they have demonstrated the same by such
a great number of their decrees relating to us; nor will they doubt of
our fidelity as to the rest of those decrees, since we have shown the same
in those we have produced, And thus have we sufficiently explained that
friendship and confederacy we at those times had with the Romans.FJAJ 14.83