reign of Ptolemy Philopater, when they were harassed by the incursions of the Samaritans; and Antiochus Theos, king of Syria, at the same time invaded Galilee. Ptolemy, however, marched against Antiochus, and defeated him; after which, having gone to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, he ventured to enter the temple itself; and penetrated the two outer courts; but, as he was about to enter the sanctuary, he was, it is said, struck with such dread and terror, that he fell down half dead. On this he raised a dreadful persecution against the Jews, which was stopped by a still more extraordinary event (see the article EGYPT), and the Jews again restored to favor. About the year 204 B. Č. Judea was subdued by Antiochus the Great; and on this occasion the Jews failed in their loyalty to the Egyptians, the whole nation readily submitting to the king of Syria. That monarch was so well pleased with this, that he sent a letter to his general, informing him that he designed to restore Jerusalem to its ancient splendor, and to recal all the Jews that had been scattered; that on account of his reverence for their God, he would repair their temple, and grant them 20,000 pieces of silver for the expenses of their worship, together with 1400 measures of fine wheat and 375 of salt for their offerings; that the public service should be restored, and the priests; and that no stranger or Jew, that was unpurified, should enter the holy place of the temple; denouncing a penalty of 3000 pieces of silver on any one who should transgress these regulations. He also exempted from taxes, for three years, all Jews who should settle in the metropolis, and set at liberty all that had been sold for slaves.

But this state of prosperity was very soon interrupted, a quarrel, the cause of which is unknown, arising in the year 176 B. C., between Onias the high priest, and Simon the governor of the temple, it led to the most fatal consequences. Simon, not being able to prevail over Onias, informed Apollonius, the governor of the country, that a great treasure was hid in the temple, which might be seized for the king of Syria. On hearing which, that monarch sent Heliodorus to take possession of the supposed treasure; but he, through a miraculous interposition, according to the Jews' account, could not enter the sacred precinct. Simon, upon this, accused the high priest of having invited Heliodorus to Jerusalem, and a civil war was at once excited. Soon after, however, on the complaint of Onias to the king, Simon was sent into exile; but Antiochus Epiphanes having succeeded to the crown of Syria, and being at that time in great want of money, Jason, the high priest's brother, purchased the office for 350 talents, and procured an order that his brother should be confined at Antioch for life. For 150 talents more, Jason obtained permission to build a gymnasium at Jerusalem, like those of the Grecian cities, and to confer the citizenship of Antioch on as many Jews as he pleased. By these means, his countrymen being great admirers of the Greek customs, he soon formed a strong party. A general apostasy now took place; the worship of the temple was neglected, and Jason

gave himself up to paganism. He was, bowever, soon supplanted by his brother Menelaus, whom he had sent with the tribute to Antiochus, and who, having offered 300 talents more than his brother had given, obtained the high priest hood, and returned with his commission to Jerusalem; but Jason was too powerful for him, and he was obliged to retire to Antioch. Or this the Jews of the capital informed Antiochus that it was their determination to renounce their religion, and conform to that of the Greeks; and the tyrant granted them troops, by means of which they drove Jason out of the city, who fled for protection to the Ammonites. Menelans now failing to pay the tribute, he was summoned to Antioch, and commissioned his brother Lysimachus to sell several of the golden vessels of the temple to raise the money. In the mean time his brother Onias, who was still a prisoner at Antioch, hearing of the sacrilege that had been committed, complained bitterly that an insurrection was about to break out among the Jews there, on which Menelaus bribed Andronicus, the governor of the city, to murder Onias. This produced vehement accusations against the murderer on Antiochus's return to the capital, who at length ordered Andronicus to be executed. Still Menelaus preserved his influence by means of his money; but the drawing of such large sums from Jerusalem incensed the people, and they massacred his brother Lysimachus, whom he had left governor.

After this, when Antiochus went to Tyre, the Jews sent deputies to him, justifying the death of Lysimachus, and accusing Menelaus of being the author of all their troubles; the latter, however, who was never at a loss while he could procure money, pleaded his cause with such effect, that the deputies were put to death; and, having thus obtained a complete victory, he became an absolute tyrant. At this time Jerusalem had no protectors; if there were any zealous men left in the sanhedrim, they were so much terrified that they did not venture to resist him, though they were well aware of his design to overthrow the religion and liberty of his country. While these things were passing, Antiochus was occupied in the conquest of Egypt; and it was rereported, that he was killed at the siege of Alexandria. On hearing this, the Jews imprudently manifested their joy, when Jason, taking advantage of the opportunity, appeared before Jerusalem with 1000 resolute men: the gates were soon opened by some of his friends, and, Menelaus retiring to the citadel, he filled the city with the most horrid butcheries. He was obliged, however, to leave both the city and country, on receiving the intelligence that Antiochus was marching against him with a powerful army. That prince, highly provoked at this rebellion, and especially at the rejoicings the Jews had made on the report of his death, now resolved to punish the city with the utmost severity. Accordingly, about 170 B.C., having made himself master of it, he treated them with such cruelty, that, within three days, no fewer than 40,000 are said to have been killed, and as many sold for slaves. In the midst of this dreadful calamity, the apostate Menelaus found means not only to escape the

Judea, and re-established their ancient worship. Filled with fury, at this intelligence, he threatened to exterminate the whole race, and commanded his charioteer to drive towards that country with the utmost speed: scarcely, however, had he given this order, when he was seized with a violent malady in his bowels, that no remedy could abate. Still he hurried forward, until he fell from his chariot, and was forced to be put into a litter. At last he was constrained to stop at Tabæ, a town on the frontiers of Persia and Babylonia, enduring, it is said, excruciating agonies from the vermin that bred in his intestines, and the stench which was insupportable even to himself. The torments of his mind were greater than those he endured in his body; Polybius, agreeing with the Jewish historians, tells us, that he was haunted by spectres and apparitions, which upbraided him with his wicked deeds, so that he was in a continual delirium. Having languished in this dreadful state for a considerable time, he expired; and thus the Jews were delivered from the most inveterate enemy they had ever known. Still the war was carried on by his generals, but Judas always defeated them, and in 163 B. C., obtained a peace on very advantageous terms. On the Syrian generals renewing hostilities, they met the same repulses as before; Judas obtained the victory over them in five engagements, but in the sixth, being abandoned by most of his men, he was slain, together with 800 who continued faithful to him.

This event filled his countrymen with the greatest consternation. Jonathan, his brother, however, succeeded him, and conducted their affairs with the same prudence and success, until he was treacherously seized and put to death by a Syrian usurper of the name of Tryphon, who afterwards murdered his own sovereign. After this the traitor prepared to invade Judea, but his designs were frustrated by Simon, the brother of Jonathan. This pontiff repaired and garrisoned the fortresses of the country, took Joppa and Gaza, and drove the Syrians out of the citadel of Jerusalem; when in the year 135, B. C., he was also murdered through the treachery of Ptolemy, his son in law.

Hyrcanus I. succeeded him, who was the first person since the captivity that had assumed the regal dignity, and who raised the nation to greater prosperity than it had ever enjoyed since that period. He entirely shook off the Syrian yoke, subdued the Samaritans, demolished their capital city, and made himself master of all Syria, as well as Samaria and Galilee, of which he kept undisturbed possession till within a year of his death. In him, we are told by the author of the fourth book of Maccabees, were united three dignities, that never before met in any other person, namely, the royal dignity, the high priesthood, and the gift of prophecy; but the evidence of the last is very equivocal. He was much disturbed in the last year of his reign by a quarrel with the Pharisees, to whom he had been a great friend, and who had occupied the most honorable stations in the government; at length, however, one of them, named Eleazar, began to dispute the legitimacy of Hyrcanus,

saying that his mother was a slave, and therefore he could not enjoy the dignity of the priesthood. The whole sect affected to believe this report, which so incensed the king that he immediately joined the Sadducees, and would never be reconciled to their rivals, who raised all the seditions they could during the short time that he survived. He died about 107 years B. C., and was succeeded by Aristobulus, his eldest son, who conquered Iturea.

He was a most cruel tyrant, murdering one of his brothers, together with his mother, and keeping the rest closely confined during his reign, which happily proved but short. To him succeeded, in 105, Alexander Jannæus, the greatest conqueror, next to David, that ever wielded the Jewish sceptre. He was hated, however, by the Pharisees, and was once very near being killed in tumult excited by them; but, having caused his guards to fall upon the mutinous mob, they killed 6000 of them, and dispersed the rest. After this, being unable to remain quiet in his own kingdom, he left Jerusalem, resolving to devote himself wholly to his conquests; but, while he was busied in subduing his enemies abroad, the Pharisees raised a rebellion against him. This was quelled in the year 86 B. C., and the rebels were treated most barbarously. The faction, however, was by these means so thoroughly crushed, that they never dared to lift up their heads as long as he lived. Having conquered several parts of Syria, he died 79, B. C.

Though Alexander had two sons, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, he bequeathed the government to his wife Alexandra as long as she lived; and directed her just before his death to send for the principal leaders of the Pharisees, and pretend to be entirely devoted to them. With this advice the queen complied; but found afterwards great difficulty how to act with them, as they would at last be satisfied with nothing less than the extirpation of their adversaries. A most cruel persecution, therefore, took place against the Sadducees, which continued for four years; until, upon their earnest petition, they were sent into the several garrisons of the kingdom, to secure them from the rage of their enemies. Being not long after attacked with a dangerous sickness, her youngest son, Aristobulus, formed a strong party to secure the crown to himself: the queen, however, displeased with his conduct, appointed Hyrcanus, whom she had before made high priest, to be her successor also in the kingdom, and soon afterwards expired.

The Pharisees now raised an army against Aristobulus, which almost instantly deserted to him; Hyrcanus, therefore, was obliged to make peace on the terms of abandoning the royal and pontifical dignity. But this did not extinguish his party. A new cabal was raised by Antipater, an Idumæan proselyte, the father of Herod the Great; who carried off Hyrcanus into Arabia, pretending that his life was in danger in Judea, and applied to Aretas, king of that country, who undertook to restore the deposed monarch. Having invaded Judea, he defeated Aristobulus, and closely besieged him in Jerusalem. The latter, therefore, now sought the alliance of the Romans; and having bribed Scaurus, one of

their generals, he defeated Aretas, cutting off 7000 of his men, and driving him quite out of the country. Soon after the two brothers sent presents to Pompey, at that time commander-inchief of the Roman forces in the east, making him arbitrator of their differences. But he, fearing that Aristobulus, against whom he intended to declare, might obstruct his intended expedition against the Nabatheans, dismissed them with a promise, that, as soon as he had subdued Aretas, he would come into Judea and decide their controversy. This so offended Aristobulus, that he departed without even taking leave of the general, who on his part took no less umbrage at this want of respect. The consequence was, that Pompey entered Judea, and summoned Aristobulus to appear before him. The Jewish prince would now gladly have excused himself, but he was forced by his own people to comply in order to avoid a war. He accordingly waited on him several times, and was dismissed with great marks of friendship. At last, Pompey insisting that he should deliver into his hands all the fortified places, Aristobulus plainly perceived that he was on his brother's side, upon which he fled to Jerusalem, resolving to oppose the Romans to the utmost of his power. Pompey quickly followed him, and, to prevent hostilities, Aristobulus was at last forced to throw himself at the feet of the haughty Roman, and promise him a considerable sum of money. This was accepted; but, Gabinus being sent with some troops to receive the sum, the garrison of Jerusalem now shut the gates against him, and refused to fulfil the agreement. Pompey was so exasperated that he immediately marched with his whole army against the city, and laid regular siege to it. As the fortifications were strong, he might have found it very difficult to accomplish his design, had not the Jews been again seized with a qualm of conscience respecting the observance of the sabbath day. From the time of the Maccabees they had not scrupled to take up arms against an offending enemy on the sabbath; but now they thought, that, though it was lawful on that day to stand on their defence when attacked, it was unlawful to do any thing to prevent those preparations which the enemy might make. Never, therefore, attempting to hinder the erection of batteries, or the making of breaches in their walls on the sabbath, the beseigers at last made so great a breach, that the garrison could no longer resist them. The city was taken in the year 63 B.C.; 12,000 of the inhabitants were slaughtered, and many more put an end to their own lives: the priests, who were engaged in their usual service, choosing rather to be butchered with their brethren than to interrupt the worship. Hycanus, again made high priest, was now for bidden to assume the title of king, to wear a crown, or to extend his dominions beyond Judea. The walls of Jerusalem Pompey demolished, to prevent all future attempts at revolt, and left Scaurus as governor, with a strong force: before he departed, however, he offended the Jews more than ever, by penetrating into the sacred recesses of the temple, and taking a view of the golden table, the candlestick, the censers,

lamps, and other vessels; but he did not venture to touch them, and on retiring commanded the priests to purify the place in the usual manner.

Pompey, after this, set out for Rome, taking with him as captives, Aristobulus, Alexander, and Antigonus, his sons, to adorn his triumph. Alexander made his escape into Judea, where he raised 10,000 foot, and 1500 horse, and fortified some strong holds, from which he made constant incursions into the neighbouring country: while Hyrcanus was no sooner delivered from the rivalship of his brother, than he became indolent as usual, and trusted the management of his affairs to Antipater, who took this opportunity to advance his own interests. He attempted by all means to ingratiate himself with the Romans, and Scaurus, being in great want of provisions for an army which he had marched against the metropolis of Arabia, received from him a plentiful supply of corn and other necessaries. Soon after this he prevailed on the king to pay 200 talents to the Romans, to preserve the country, as he alleged, from being ravaged by Alexander. The latter, now venturing a battle, was defeated with great loss, and besieged in the fortress of Alexandrion, where he would have been obliged to surrender, but his mother interceded for him with the Roman general. After this the fortresses were again demolished, and Hyrcanus reinstated in his pontifical dignity; the province being divided into five districts, with a separate court of judicature in each.

Thus the government was changed from a monarchy to an aristocracy, and the Jews became subject to a set of the most arbitrary tyrants. About this time Aristobulus, having escaped from Rome, formed new troubles in Judea, but was conquered and again taken prisoner; his son also renewed his attempts, but suffered a similar defeat and lost nearly 10,000 men. After this Crassus was made governor of the province, the only act of whose government, worthy of record, is his having plundered the temple of its treasures and sacred utensils, valued at more than £2,000,000 sterling. Having committed this sacrilege he set out on his expedition against Parthia, where he perished miserably, as a judgment, according to the Jews, for his impiety.

The nation had some respite from oppression during the war between Cæsar and Pompey, and this likewise afforded them an opportunity of gaining the favor of the former, of which the politic Antipater readily availed himself. Cæsar rewarded him for his services by confirming Hyrcanus in the priesthood, and entailing on his posterity the principality of Judea for ever. He restored the Jews to their ancient privileges, ordering a pillar to be erected on which these grants were to be engraved, together with his own decree; and soon after, coming himself to Judea, gave them permission to fortify the city and rebuild the wall which Pompey had demolished. During his life, the Jews, indeed, hardly seemed to feel the Roman yoke.

But after his death those great disorders ensued, which were not effectually checked, till Herod, who had been made king of Judea by

Marc Antony in the year 40 B. C., was settled on the throne. On this occasion another cruel massacre took place followed by the death of Antigonus, who maintained himself against Herod for three years, murdered his brother Phasael, and cut off Hyrcanus's ears to render him unfit for the high priesthood.

The circumstances of the Jews were not at all improved by this change of masters; Herod becoming one of the greatest tyrants that history has ever mentioned. At the beginning of his reign he put to death all those who had taken part with his rival Antigonus, and confiscated their goods for his own use. So jealous was he in this respect, that he stationed guards at the city gates, to watch the bodies as they were conveyed out, lest any of their riches should be carried with them. He next sent for Hyrcanus from Parthia, whither he had been banished, and put him to death in despite of the most solemn promises of safety. Having no other victims, to satiate his thirst for blood, his cruelty turned on his own family. He had married Mariamne, the daughter of Hyrcanus, whose brother Aristobulus, a young prince of great merit, the tyrant caused to be drowned in a bath. Afterwards being summoned to appear, first before Marc Antony and then before Augustus, to answer for some crimes laid to his charge, he left orders that if he was condemned, Mariamne should be put to death. The consequence was, she conceived the greatest aversion for him, and was not backward in showing it. Enraged at this, Herod caused her to be falsely accused of infidelity, and she was condemned and executed. But with her ended all the happiness of her husband. His love increased so much after her death, that for a long time he appeared like a distracted person. Her death was followed by that of her mother Alexandra, and soon after by that of several other persons who had joined her in an attempt to secure the kingdom to her grandsons. Having now freed himself from most of his supposed enemies, Herod began to show a contempt of the Jewish ceremonies, by introducing a number of Roman games at Jerusalem. Ten assassins at last resolved to enter the theatre, while the tyrant was celebrating these games, with daggers concealed under their clothes. They had the desperate satisfaction to think, that, if they perished, the tyrant would be rendered still more odious by the punishment they suffered. Herod, informed of their design, put this however to the proof, and caused them to be put to a most excruciating death: the people were so much exasperated against the informer, that they tore him to pieces, and cast his flesh to the dogs. For a long time he tried in vain to discover the authors of this affront; but at last, by means of the rack, he extorted from some women the names of the principal persons concerned, whom he caused immediately to be put to death, together with their families. In consequence of this, disturbances arose, so that, apprehending nothing less than a general revolt, he began to fortify Jerusalem with several additional works, rebuilt Samaria, and put garrisons into several fortresses. About the year 23, B. C., he began to adorn the towns of Judea with many stately buildings. His

most remarkable and magnificent undertaking, however, was the rebuilding and beautifying the temple, which he is said to have accomplished in a style of grandeur superior even to that of Solomon's. Ten thousand artificers were set to work, under the direction of 1000 priests, all of whom were kept in constant pay: 1000 carts were employed in fetching materials; and such a number of other hands were employed, that every thing was got ready within two years. After this they set about pulling down the old building, and rearing up the new one with the same expedition; the holy place, or temple, properly so called, was finished in a year and a half. The remainder in somewhat more than eight years. The temple, or holy place, was sixty cubits high, and sixty broad: in the front he added two wings, which projected twenty cubits more on each side. The stones were white marble, twenty-five cubits in length, twelve in height, and nine in breadth, all wrought and polished with exquisite beauty. Instead of doors, the gates were closed with very costly veils, and on each side were planted two stately columns, from whose cornices hung golden festoons and vines, with clusters of grapes, leaves, &c., curiously wrought. The superstructure, however, which was reared on the old foundation without sufficient additions, proved too heavy, and sunk down about twenty cubits. Yet this foundation was of an astonishing strength and height. The platform was a regular square of a stadium or furlong on each side. Each front had a spacious gate, enriched with suitable ornaments; that on the west had four gates, one of which led to the palace, another to the city, and the two others to the suburbs and fields. This enclosure was surrounded with a strong and high wall of large stones, well cemented; and on the inside had in each front a stately gallery, supported by columns of such a size, that three men could but just embrace them. There were 162 of them, which supported a cedar ceiling of beautiful workmanship, and formed four galleries, the middlemost of which was the largest and highest, being fortyfive feet in breadth, and 100 in height; those on each side were but thirty feet wide and fifty high. The piazzas and court were paved with marble of various colors; and, at small distance from the galleries, was a second enclosure, surrounded with a flight of beautiful marble rails, with stately columns at proper distances, on which were engraven admonitions in Greek and Latin, forbidding strangers and Jews that were not purified, to proceed farther under pain of death. This enclosure had but one gate on the east side, none on the west, but on the north and south it had three, at equal distances. A third enclosure surrounded the temple, or holy place, and the altar of burnt offerings, forming what was called the court of the Hebrews. This was also square, having the wall on the outside surrounded by a flight of fourteen steps, which hid a considerable part of it; on the top a terrace of twelve cubits in breadth was carried completely round the whole. In this enclosure there was one gate on the east side, none on the west, but on the north and south sides four, at equal distances; and to each of them five steps