cities, and drew together great forces, to assert his right to his father's dominions.

In the year 95 B. C., Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser, of whom mention is made, Luke ii. 36, was married to her husband, and from this time, lived with him seven years; when, on his death, she became a widow, in which state she continued fourscore years. Alexander, while officiating this year, 95 B. C., at the feast of tabernacles, was openly insulted by the people, who publicly reproached him, calling him slave, and pelting him with citrons, which so enraged him, that he fell upon them with his soldiers, and slew six thousand men. The disaffection of the people and the insult publicly offered, were owing to the instigation of the Pharisees, who could lead the people as they would.

In the year 94 B. C., Alexander marched against the Arabians, and brought the inhabitants of Moab and Gilead under his dominions. Seleucus having collected a large force about him, Cycizenus went out to attack him, but was overthrown in battle, taken prisoner, and put to death. By this event, Seleucus became master of the whole Persian empire, but could not long retain it; for Antiochus Eusebes, the son of Cycizenus, having collected an army of his father's old soldiers, overthrew Seleucus, who being forced to flee to Mopsuesta, in Cilicia, was there burnt to death by the inhabitants. The brothers of Seleucus endeavoured to avenge his death on the inhabitants of Mopsuesta, but on their return were met by Eusebes; and Antiochus, in attempting to swim the Orontes, was drowned. Philip having escaped, and collected large forces, the contest for the Syrian empire now lay between him and Eusebes.

Eusebes, to strengthen himself in the kingdom, married Selene, the widow of Grypus, at which Lathyrus, whose wife she first was, being offended, sent for Demetrius the fourth son of Grypus, and made him king of Damascus. The contest between Philip and Eusebes prevented either of them from interposing. When the forces of these rivals came to an engagement, Eusebes was defeated, and was obliged to flee to Parthia.

Alexander, ever fond of military expeditions, marched into Gaulonitis, a district of country on the east of the lake Gennesareth, and there engaged in battle with Obedas an Arabian king; by whom he was led into an ambush and lost most of his men. The Jews, when he returned to Jerusalem, were in rebellion against him. A civil war now ensued which lasted for six years, by which the country was exceedingly wasted.

In the year 89 B. C., Cleopatra was plotting to put her son Alexander to death, but he being aware of her designs, pre

vented it by putting her to death. The Egyptians understanding that she fell by her own son, could not endure his presence among them; and banishing him from the country, recalled Lathyrus, and replaced him on the throne of Egypt. Alexander soon after perished near Cyprus, in a battle at sea. The civil war continued to rage between Alexander and the Jews; and the latter not having command of soldiers and treasures, sent for aid to Demetrius Eucheros; but when he approached, the very people who sent for him turned against

him.

In the year 88 B. C., Anna, the prophetess, being left a widow, went into the temple, where she remained day and night, serving God with fasting and prayers, for eighty-four years. The civil war between Alexander and the Jews still raged; and although he was generally successful, he could bring them to no terms.

During the year 87 B. C., the civil war raged more violently than ever. In a decisive battle, Alexander inflicted a terrible blow upon his enemies, and shut up those who remained, in Bethsura. In the year 86 B. C. the place was taken. He then carried eight hundred of the principal persons to Jerusalem, where he caused them all to be crucified in one day, and their wives and children to be slain before their eyes, while hanging on the cross. To enjoy this scene the more, he had a feast prepared for himself, his wives, and his concubines, near the place of execution, whence the whole scene was visible. This shocking cruelty obtained for him the name of Thracian. Thus ended this rebellion, which cost the Jews about fifty thousand lives.

In the year 84 B. C., Pella and Dia, beyond Jordan, were taken by Alexander.

The Syrians, worn out with the continual wars between the princes of the east and Seleucus, resolved to call in some foreign prince, and place him over them. Accordingly, they sent for Tigranes, king of Armenia, who reigned over Syria eighteen years.

In the years 83 and 82 B. C., Alexander Janneus extended his conquests in the country beyond Jordan, taking Gaulana, Seleucia, and the strong fortress of Gamala. After this, he gave himself up to luxury and drunkenness.

In the year 81 B. C., Thebes, in Upper Egypt, was taken by Lathyrus, and so ruined and demolished that it never afterwards made any figure; soon after which he died, having reigned in all, thirty-six years. He was succeeded by Berenice, his only legitimate child. She was also called Cleopatra, as were all the queens of Egypt; just as all their kings were called Ptolemy.

In the year 80 B. C., Alexander, son of him who murdered his mother, came to Egypt to claim the kingdom, and a compromise was made, by giving him Cleopatra to wife. But in a few days he put her to death, and reigned alone, forty years.

In the year 79 B. C., Alexander Janneus, being affected with a quartan ague which had hung upon him for a long time, thought he would try the effect of exercise and exertion. He, therefore, marched over Jordan, and besieged Razaba, a castle in the country of Gerasans, where, labouring too hard, he brought on a paroxysm of his disorder, of which he died in the

camp.

PART VI.

FROM THE CONQUEST OF JUDEA BY THE ROMANS UNTIL THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM.

SECTION I.

ALEXANDER BEQUEATHS THE KINGDOM OF JUDEA TO ALEXANDRA HIS WIFE-COUNSELS HER TO CONCILIATE THE PHARISEES-ORIGIN OF THE FAMILY OF THE HERODS-DISPUTES ABOUT THE PRIESTHOOD-POMPEY COMES INTO THE EAST-HIS HEAD QUARTERS AT DAMASCUS-THE QUARREL BETWEEN ARISTOBULUS AND HYRCANUS BROUGHT BEFORE HIM-IMPRUDENT CONDUCT OF ARISTOBULUS-POMPEY IS RECEIVED INTO JERUSALEM-ENTERS THE SANCTUARY-PLACES HYRCANUS IN THE OFFICE OF HIGHPRIEST-ORDERS THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM TO BE DEMOLISHED-LEAVES A GARRISON IN THE CITY, AND DEParts.

ALEXANDER left two sons, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, but bequeathed the government to his wife Alexandra, with the power to appoint whichever of his sons she pleased, to succeed her. She being with him on this expedition, when she found that he was near his end, was full of apprehensions of the dangers which surrounded her. But he called her to him, and advised her to conceal his death until the castle was taken; then to march back to Jerusalem, in triumph, and to call together the leaders of the sect of the Pharisees, whose enmity had embittered his life, and to lay his corpse before them, that they might cast it out with indignity, or treat it as they pleased; and to promise them, that she would undertake nothing without their advice. All this she exactly followed, and the effect was what he foresaw. Their hatred for Alexander was turned into veneration, and they became the warm friends of Alexandra. When she had settled herself firmly on the throne, she made her eldest son Hyrcanus, high-priest; and to gratify her new friends, the Pharisees, she repealed the edict of John Hyrcanus, in which he forbade their attention to traditions; restored them to all their former privileges, and released all that her husband had confined in prison. The Pharisees, however, insisted on having condign punishment

inflicted on all who advised Alexander to crucify the eight hundred persons, already mentioned; and on such pretexts, they caused her to gratify their revenge on all their enemies, but often sorely against her will.

In the year 76 B. C. Bithynia became a Roman province, by the bequest of its king Nicomedes. Cyrene was also reduced to the form of a province, which had been before left to them, in the same manner. The progress of the Romans in the east. became more and more rapid. The only king who gave them much serious opposition, was Mithridates, king of Pontus; but it does not lie in our way to give a history of these wars.

Alexandra having given herself up to the counsels and government of the Pharisees, all that were known or suspected of advising or aiding the late king in his measures hostile to their sect, were now persecuted with unrelenting severity. They, of the adverse party, seeing no end of this oppression, collected in a body, and with Aristobulus at their head, went to the queen to remonstrate against these proceedings. If they could not be protected at home, they begged that they might be permitted to leave the country, or might be distributed among the garrisons, where they might be exempt from these cruel persecutions, which they endured for no other reason but because they were the devoted friends and servants of the late king. The queen pitied them from her heart, but knew not how to relieve them without bringing on herself the vengeance of the Pharisees, who had the people on their side. She however, agreed to place them in the garrisons of the fortresses.

This year, 72 B. C., was born Herod the Great, who was afterwards king of Judea. His father Antipas was a noble Idumean, and his mother of an illustrious family among the Arabians. The name Antipas was changed to Antipater, to make it more conformable to the usage of the Greeks. This man was governor of Idumea under Alexander Janneus. As he was an Idumean, he was, of course, brought up in the Jewish religion; for all the Idumeans had embraced Judaism.

In the year 70 B. C. died Alexandra, queen of the Jews, in the seventy-third year of her age. She was a woman of great wisdom and clemency; but unhappily was under the necessity of yielding to the Pharisees a faction which she had no power to withstand. As soon as Antiochus saw that his mother was past recovery, having resolved to seize the kingdom, he privately withdrew and repaired to the castles, where his father's friends had sought an asylum; and by means of these, all the strong places in the country were soon in his hands.

The Pharisees were much disturbed at these proceedings, and as Alexandra was yet alive, though very low, they went to her to get her to say, that Hyrcanus should possess the supreme