Chapter 6.
HOW GABINIUS CAUGHT ARISTOBULUS AFTER HE HAD FLED FROM ROME,
AND SENT HIM BACK TO ROME AGAIN; AND NOW THE SAME GABINIUS AS HE RETURNED
OUT OF EGYPT OVERCAME ALEXANDER AND THE NABATEANS IN BATTLE.FJAJ 14.29
1. NOW Aristobulus ran away from Rome to Judea, and set about the rebuilding
of Alexandrium, which had been newly demolished
Hereupon Gabinius sent
soldiers against him, add for their commanders Sisenna, and Antonius, and
Servilius, in order to hinder him from getting possession of the country,
and to take him again
And indeed many of the Jews ran to Aristobulus,
on account of his former glory, as also because they should be glad of
an innovation
Now there was one Pitholaus, a lieutenant at Jerusalem,
who deserted to him with a thousand men, although a great number of those
that came to him were unarmed; and when Aristobulus had resolved to go
to Macherus, he dismissed those people, because they were unarmed; for
they could not be useful to him in what actions he was going about; but
he took with him eight thousand that were armed, and marched on; and as
the Romans fell upon them severely, the Jews fought valiantly, but were
beaten in the battle; and when they had fought with alacrity, but were
overborne by the enemy, they were put to flight; of whom were slain about
five thousand, and the rest being dispersed, tried, as well as they were
able, to save themselves
However, Aristobulus had with him still above
a thousand, and with them he fled to Macherus, and fortified the place;
and though he had had ill success, he still had good hope of his affairs;
but when he had struggled against the siege for two days' time, and had
received many wounds, he was brought as a captive to Gabinius, with his
son Antigonus, who also fled with him from Rome
And this was the fortune
of Aristobulus, who was sent back again to Rome, and was there retained
in bonds, having been both king and high priest for three years and six
months; and was indeed an eminent person, and one of a great soul
However,
the senate let his children go, upon Gabinius's writing to them that he
had promised their mother so much when she delivered up the fortresses
to him; and accordingly they then returned into Judea.FJAJ 14.30
2. Now when Gabinius was making an expedition against the Parthians,
and had already passed over Euphrates, he changed his mind, and resolved
to return into Egypt, in order to restore Ptolemy to his kingdom.FJAJ 14.31
(11)
This history is best illustrated by Dr. Hudson out of Livy, who says that
"A. Gabinius, the proconsul, restored Ptolemy of Pompey and Gabinius
against the Jews, while neither of them say any thing new which is not
in the other to his kingdom of Egypt, and ejected Archelaus, whom they
had set up for king," &c. See Prid. at the years 61 and 65.
This hath also been related elsewhere
However, Antipater supplied his
army, which he sent against Archelaus, with corn, and weapons, and money.
He also made those Jews who were above Pelusium his friends and confederates,
and had been the guardians of the passes that led into Egypt
But when
he came back out of Egypt, he found Syria in disorder, with seditions and
troubles; for Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, having seized on the government
a second time by force, made many of the Jews revolt to him; and so he
marched over the country with a great army, and slew all the Romans he
could light upon, and proceeded to besiege the mountain called Gerizzim,
whither they had retreated.FJAJ 14.32
3. But when Gabinius found Syria in such a state, he sent Antipater,
who was a prudent man, to those that were seditious, to try whether he
could cure them of their madness, and persuade them to return to a better
mind; and when he came to them, he brought many of them to a sound mind,
and induced them to do what they ought to do; but he could not restrain
Alexander, for he had an army of thirty thousand Jews, and met Gabinius,
and joining battle with him, was beaten, and lost ten thousand of his men
about Mount Tabor.FJAJ 14.33
4. So Gabinius settled the affairs which belonged to the city Jerusalem,
as was agreeable to Antipater's inclination, and went against the Nabateans,
and overcame them in battle
He also sent away in a friendly manner Mithridates
and Orsanes, who were Parthian deserters, and came to him, though the report
went abroad that they had run away from him
And when Gabinius had performed
great and glorious actions, in his management of the affairs of war, he
returned to Rome, and delivered the government to Crassus
Now Nicolaus
of Damascus, and Strabo of Cappadocia, both describe the expeditions of
Pompey and Gabinius against the Jews, while neither of them say anything
new which is not in the other.FJAJ 14.34