HOW SCAURUS MADE A LEAGUE OF MUTUAL ASSISTANCE WITH ARETAS; AND WHAT GABINIUS DID IN JUDEA, AFTER HE HAD CONQUERED ALEXANDER, THE SON OF ARISTOBULUS. FJAJ 14.24
1. SCAURUS made now an expedition against Petrea, in Arabia, and set
on fire all the places round about it, because of the great difficulty
of access to it
And as his army was pinched by famine, Antipater furnished
him with corn out of Judea, and with whatever else he wanted, and this
at the command of Hyrcanus
And when he was sent to Aretas, as an ambassador
by Scaurus, because he had lived with him formerly, he persuaded Aretas
to give Scaurus a sum of money, to prevent the burning of his country,
and undertook to be his surety for three hundred talents
So Scaurus, upon
these terms, ceased to make war any longer; which was done as much at Scaurus's
desire, as at the desire of Aretas. FJAJ 14.25
2. Some time after this, when Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, made
an incursion into Judea, Gabinius came from Rome into Syria, as commander
of the Roman forces
He did many considerable actions; and particularly
made war with Alexander, since Hyrcanus was not yet able to oppose his
power, but was already attempting to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, which
Pompey had overthrown, although the Romans which were there restrained
him from that his design
However, Alexander went over all the country
round about, and armed many of the Jews, and suddenly got together ten
thousand armed footmen, and fifteen hundred horsemen, and fortified Alexandrium,
a fortress near to Corem, and Macherus, near the mountains of Arabia
Gabinius
therefore came upon him, having sent Marcus Antonius, with other commanders,
before
These armed such Romans as followed them; and, together with them,
such Jews as were subject to them, whose leaders were Pitholaus and Malichus;
and they took with them also their friends that were with Antipater, and
met Alexander, while Gabinius himself followed with his legion
Hereupon
Alexander retired to the neighborhood of Jerusalem, where they fell upon
one another, and it came to a pitched battle, in which the Romans slew
of their enemies about three thousand, and took a like number alive. FJAJ 14.26
3. At which time Gabinius (10)
Dean Prideaux well observes, "That notwithstanding the clamor against
Gabinius at Rome, Josephus gives him a able character, as if he had acquitted
himself with honor in the charge committed to him" [in Judea]. See
at the year 55.
came to Alexandrium, and invited those that were in it to deliver it up
on certain conditions, and promised that then their former offenses should
be forgiven
But as a great number of the enemy had pitched their camp
before the fortress, whom the Romans attacked, Marcus Antonius fought bravely,
and slew a great number, and seemed to come off with the greatest honor.
So Gabinius left part of his army there, in order to take the place, and
he himself went into other parts of Judea, and gave order to rebuild all
the cities that he met with that had been demolished; at which time were
rebuilt Samaria, Ashdod, Scythopolis, Anthedon, Raphia, and Dora; Marissa
also, and Gaza, and not a few others besides
And as the men acted according
to Gabinius's command, it came to pass, that at this time these cities
were securely inhabited, which had been desolate for a long time. FJAJ 14.27
4. When Gabinius had done thus in the country, he returned to Alexandrium;
and when he urged on the siege of the place, Alexander sent an embassage
to him, desiring that he would pardon his former offenses; he also delivered
up the fortresses, Hyrcania and Macherus, and at last Alexandrium itself
which fortresses Gabinius demolished
But when Alexander's mother, who
was of the side of the Romans, as having her husband and other children
at Rome, came to him, he granted her whatsoever she asked; and when he
had settled matters with her, he brought Hyrcanus to Jerusalem, and committed
the care of the temple to him
And when he had ordained five councils,
he distributed the nation into the same number of parts
So these councils
governed the people; the first was at Jerusalem, the second at Gadara,
the third at Amathus, the fourth at Jericho, and the fifth at Sepphoris
in Galilee
So the Jews were now freed from monarchic authority, and were
governed by an aristocracy. FJAJ 14.28