1.155
He also took away from the nation all those cities that they had
formerly taken, and that belonged to Celesyria, and made them subject to
him that was at that time appointed to be the Roman president there; and
reduced Judea within its proper bounds. He also rebuilt Gadara, note
that had been demolished by the Jews, in order to gratify one Demetrius,
who was of Gadara, and was one of his own freed-men. He also made other
cities free from their dominion, that lay in the midst of the country,
such, I mean, as they had not demolished before that time; Hippos, and
Scythopolis, as also Pella, and Samaria, and Marissa; and besides these
Ashdod, and Jamnia, and Arethusa; and in like manner dealt he with the
maritime cities, Gaza, and Joppa, and Dora, and that which was anciently
called Strato's Tower, but was afterward rebuilt with the most magnificent
edifices, and had its name changed to Cesarea, by king Herod. All which
he restored to their own citizens, and put them under the province of Syria;
which province, together with Judea, and the countries as far as Egypt
and Euphrates, he committed to Scaurus as their governor, and gave him
two legions to support him; while he made all the haste he could himself
to go through Cilicia, in his way to Rome, having Aristobulus and his children
along with him as his captives. They were two daughters and two sons; the
one of which sons, Alexander, ran away as he was going; but the younger,
Antigonus, with his sisters, were carried to Rome.
note
1.159
IN the mean time, Scaurus made an expedition into Arabia, but was
stopped by the difficulty of the places about Petra. However, he laid waste
the country about Pella, though even there he was under great hardship;
for his army was afflicted with famine. In order to supply which want,
Hyrcanus afforded him some assistance, and sent him provisions by the means
of Antipater; whom also Scaurus sent to Aretas, as one well acquainted
with him, to induce him to pay him money to buy his peace. The king of
Arabia complied with the proposal, and gave him three hundred talents;
upon which Scaurus drew his army out of Arabia note
1.160
But as for Alexander, that son of Aristobulus who ran away from Pompey,
in some time he got a considerable band of men together, and lay heavy
upon Hyrcanus, and overran Judea, and was likely to overturn him quickly;
and indeed he had come to Jerusalem, and had ventured to rebuild its wall
that was thrown down by Pompey, had not Gabinius, who was sent as successor
to Scaurus into Syria, showed his bravery, as in many other points, so
in making an expedition against Alexander; who, as he was afraid that he
would attack him, so he got together a large army, composed of ten thousand
armed footmen, and fifteen hundred horsemen. He also built walls about
proper places; Alexandrium, and Hyrcanium, and Machorus, that lay upon
the mountains of Arabia.
1.162
However, Gabinius sent before him Marcus Antonius, and followed himself
with his whole army; but for the select body of soldiers that were about
Antipater, and another body of Jews under the command of Malichus and Pitholaus,
these joined themselves to those captains that were about Marcus Antonius,
and met Alexander; to which body came Oabinius with his main army soon
afterward; and as Alexander was not able to sustain the charge of the enemies'
forces, now they were joined, he retired. But when he was come near to
Jerusalem, he was forced to fight, and lost six thousand men in the battle;
three thousand of which fell down dead, and three thousand were taken alive;
so he fled with the remainder to Alexandrium.
1.164
Now when Gabinius was come to Alexandrium, because he found a great
many there en-camped, he tried, by promising them pardon for their former
offenses, to induce them to come over to him before it came to a fight;
but when they would hearken to no terms of accommodation, he slew a great
number of them, and shut up a great number of them in the citadel. Now
Marcus Antonius, their leader, signalized himself in this battle, who,
as he always showed great courage, so did he never show it so much as now;
but Gabinius, leaving forces to take the citadel, went away himself, and
settled the cities that had not been demolished, and rebuilt those that
had been destroyed. Accordingly, upon his injunctions, the following cities
were restored: Scythopolis, and Samaria, and Anthedon, and Apollonia, and
Jamnia, and Raphia, and Mariassa, and Adoreus, and Gamala, and Ashdod,
and many others; while a great number of men readily ran to each of them,
and became their inhabitants.
