affent to the agreement. Pompey ordered Ariftobulus in irons; with his whole army He advanced to the City-gates; a divifion within weakned all its powers; two oppofite parties contending; Hyrcan's party at length prevailed, and threw them open; the adherents to Ariftobulus retreated and fortified themselves in the Temple, and on Mount Moriah. Pompey and his guards, and his whole army marched through the City and laid close fiege to the Temple: The place held out three months against them all; at length a huge Tower was thrown down, and fo great a part of the wall fell with it, a breach was made large enough for an affault; the place was taken fword in hand, but fo bloody the flaughter that more than twelve thousand were flain. Pompey and his General-officers now entered the Temple, and what to a pious Jew appeared most facrilegious, even the Holy of Holies: He caft a curious eye on the golden Table for the fhew bread, the Candlestick, the magnificent Cenfers, lamps, and other golden veffels and all the rich perfumes, but infpired with a facred awe, and the folemnities of the place, he did not even touch any one of them To make them all the amends in his power, Pompey ordered them to purify the Temple, and on the very next day its ufual fervices

were

were refumed. Thus an end was put to the bloody quarrel and contention of the two brothers. Pompey ordered the city-walls to be demolished, He re-establifhed Hyrcan on the Jewish throne, and imposed on him an annual

tribute to Rome.

Ariftobulus and his two fons were fent under a guard to the Roman camp, to add to the high honours and glory of his triumph. A decree was afterwards made by the Senate, in favour of Hyrcan, affigning to him and his pofterity the High-priesthood and Sovereignty of Judæa, and at the fame time Antipater was appointed to a high office in the Government, called Procurator': Hyrcan the following year fent to Rome and prefented a petition to the Senate requefting leave to rebuild the walls of Jerufalem, and it was immediately granted him.

Thus Hyrcan prefided over Judæa, tilla total change fome time after took place in the Government. By authority from the Senate, Gabinius a Roman General entered Judæa with his army, and demolished fome of its strongest fortreffes. to prevent hereby the means and power of a future revolt: Gabinius after this divided the province

Before Chrift 63, Hyrcan the Second Restored.

into five diftricts, and erected a court of judicature in each Jerufalem, Gadara, Amath, Jericho and Sephoris in Galilee. An Ariftocracy was thus established, and the Jews hereby brought totally under fubjection to the Romans. Hyrcan was continued by the appointment of the Senate in the facred office and dignity of the Priesthood.

Craffus, a Roman General, was now fent from Rome to fucceed Gabinius as Governor of Judæa: A ftanding army was established, and the Roman Arms preserved the Country in profound peace. The ruling paffion of Craffus the new Governor was avarice, and the firft exercise of his Authority was a high indulgence and gratification of it. Craffus plundered the Temple and carried off the folid beams of gold, magnificent veffels, utenfils and golden tables, and they amounted to more, than two million of our money. Craffus foon after marched his army from hence to Parthia, where he loft his life; and Caffius another Roman General, at that time in Syria was commiffioned to collect all of the Roman army that was dispersed throughout that Empire and to march with them into Judæa and fucceed Craffus in his Govern

ment.

Before Chrift 54- Craffus. Caffius.

Three

Three years after this Julius Cæfar affumed the Sovereignty of Rome, and a civil war foon enfuing, when Cæfar and Pompey were competitors, the Jews had a little time to recruit themselves; the General appointed by the Senate to command that part of their army employed in Syria and Judæa, had been highly fuccefsful in all his expeditions, and he wrote to Rome an account of his victories, candidly attributing the glory of his fucceffes to Antipater's information bravery and good conduct; in all his letters both to Cæfar and the Senate, he never failed to pass the greatest encomiums on the Jewish Commander.

Upon this Cæfar conftituted Antipater a Citi zen of Rome, Lieutenant and Procurator of Judæa; and when the Emperor visited Jerufalem, Antipater used his utmost efforts to reconcile the minds of the People to the new、 Government, highly extolling the Emperor, the grandeur and amazing power of the Empire, exhorting the Jews to a prudent and cheerful fubmiffion and obedience: for ROME (he faid) would always be obeyed.

VOL. II.

N

ESSAY

ESSAY XIX.

O N

THE LIFE AND REIGN

O F

HERO D.

T

H E many and fignal Services of Antipater, and the Affiftance he, from time to time, had given the Roman Army, when ftationed in Syria and Judæa, gained him much respect and attracted the notice of the Senate, who voted him the freedom of their City, investing the Jewish Commander with the honours and privileges of a Roman Citizen.

Herod