Antiochus Sidetes (VII)

VII. ANTIOCHUS SIDETES, or Soter, or Eusebes; that is to say, the Pious; (for he is mentioned by the Ancients under these different names;) was Son of Demetrius Soter, and Brother to Demetrius Nicanor. Tryphon, the Usurper of the Kingdom of Syria, having rendred himself odious to his Troops, his Soldiers deserted him, and offered their services to Cleopatra In the Year of the World 3864, before J. C. 136, before the vulgar Æra 140.the Wife of Demetrius Nicanor, who lived in the City of Seleucia, where she was shut up with her Children, while her Husband Demetrius was a prisoner in Persia, where he had married Rodegune the Daughter of Arsaces King of Persia °. Cleopatra therefore sent to Antiochus Sidetes her Brotherin-law, and offered him the Crown of Syria, if he would take her to Wife. Antiochus consented. This Prince was then at Cnidus, where his Father Demetrius Soter had placed him with one of his friends. He came into Syria, and wrote to Simon Maccabæus, to engage him in his party against 1 Macc. xv. 1, 2, 3, & seq.Tryphon. He confirmed the privileges and favours which the Kings of Syria his predecessors had granted him, permitted him to coin money with his own stamp, declared Jerusalem and the Temple exempt from all royal Jurisdiction, and promised to add many other favours to these, as soon as he should become peaceable possessor of the Kingdom, which had belonged to his Ancestors.

Antiochus Sidetes being come therefore into Syria, in the year of the World 3865. married his Sister-in-law Cleopatra. Tryphon’s Troops resorted to him in crouds, and surrendred themselves to him; and Tryphon seeing himself abandoned, retired to Dora in Phœnicia, whither Antiochus pursued him with an Army by land, consisting of an hundred and twenty thousand foot, and eight hundred horse, and with a powerful fleet by sea. Simon Maccabæus sent him two thousand chosen men, but Ver. 25, & seq.Antiochus would not receive them, and revoked all the promises he had made him. He sent Athenobius to Jerusalem, to oblige Simon to restore to him Gazara and Joppa, together with the citadel of Jerusalem; and to demand of him five hundred talents, as so much tribute for the places which he held out of Judæa; and five hundred talents more in the way of reparation for injuries which the King had suffered, and as tribute-money for his own Cities; threatning to make war upon him if he did not comply with these demands. Simon shewed Athenobius all the lustre of his wealth and power, told him he had no place in his possession which belonged to Antiochus; and as to Gazara and Joppa, which were Cities that had done infinite damage to his people, he was willing to give the King the sum of an hundred talents, provided the property of them might be continued to him.

Athenobius returned with great indignation to Antiochus, who was extremely offended at Simon’s answer. In the mean time Tryphon having stollen privately from Dora, imbarked in a vessel and fled. Antiochus immediately pursued him, and sent Cendebeus with Troops into the maritime parts of Palestine, with orders to rebuild Cedron, and to fight the Jews. John Hircanus the Son of Simon Maccabæus, who was at Gaza, gave notice to his Father of Cendebeus’s coming. Simon furnished his Sons John Hircanus and Judas with Troops, and sent them against Cendebeus,¹ debeus, whom they routed in the plain, and pursued as far as Azotus.

Antiochus never left Tryphon till he had forced him to dispatch himself², in the year of the World 3856, after five or six years reign. After this he thought of nothing but reducing those Cities to his obedience, which in the beginning of his brother’s reign had shaken off their subjection³. In the Year of the World 3869. before J. C. 131. before the Vulg. Æra 135. 1 Macc. xvi. 11. xvii. 18, &c.Some years after, Simon Maccabæus, Prince and High Priest of the Jews, having been treacherously killed by Ptolemy his Son-in-law, in the Castle of Docus near Jericho, the Murderer sent immediately to Antiochus Sidetes, to demand Troops of him, that he might recover for him the Country and Cities belonging to the Jews. Antiochus came thither in person with an Army, and laid siege to Jerusalem⁴. John Hircanus defended it with much vigour, and the siege lasted a long time. The King divided his Army into seven parts, that he might possess all the avenues to the City. The Feast of Tabernacles being to be celebrated, the Jews desired Antiochus to allow them a truce of seven days. This was granted them; and moreover, this Prince sent them Bulls with gilded horns, and vessels of gold and silver filled with incense, to be offered in their Temple. He ordered likewise such provisions to be given to the Jewish Soldiers, as they wanted. This courtesy of the King so won upon the hearts of the Jews, that they sent Ambassadors to treat with him of peace, and to desire that they might be permitted to live according to their own Laws.

Antiochus required of them to give up their arms, to demolish the City walls, to pay tribute for Joppa, and the other Cities they possessed out of Judæa; and lastly, to receive a garrison into their City. The besieged consented to these conditions, the last only excepted; for they could not resolve with themselves to see strangers in their Capital. They rather chose to give the King Hostages, and five hundred talents of silver. The King therefore entred the City, beat down the breast-work which was above the walls, and went back into Syria, in the year of the World 3870. before J. C. 130. before the vulgar Æra 134.

Three years after, Antiochus marched against the Persians⁵, or Parthians, demanding the liberty of his Brother Demetrius Nicanor, or Nicator, who had been made prisoner of war long before, by Arsaces; and was detained by the King of Persia against his inclination, because he intended to make use of him upon occasion, in stirring up a war against Antiochus. Antiochus therefore thought it proper to prevent him. He had an Army of fourscore, or according to Orosius⁶, of an hundred thousand men. Their equipage was so numerous and magnificent, that according to the computation of some there were two hundred thousand servants, or as others will have it, three hundred thousand, the greatest part whereof were Cooks, Pastry-cooks, and Comedians. King Antiochus entertained his Officers in his Camp with as much delicacy and profuseness as he could have done in the midst of his Capital. His Army imitated the extravagancy of their Prince. The generality of the soldiers had nails of gold under their shoes, made use of plate, and had their tents adorned with works of embroidery. As soon as he appeared upon the frontiers of Persia, several Eastern Kings came and surrendred themselves to him, detesting the pride and avarice of the Persians. Antiochus defeated his Enemies in three engagements, and made himself Master of Babylon. John Hircanus, High Priest of the Jews, accompanied him in these expeditions v; and it is believed that he had from hence the name of Hircanus w, or Hircanion, which he probably acquired by some gallant action performed by him in this war.

As Antiochus’s Army was too numerous to continue in any one place, he was obliged to divide it, in order to put it into winter-quarters. These troops behaved themselves with so much insolence that they alienated the minds of all men. The Cities privately surrendred to the Persians, and all resolved on one day to attack each the particular garrison lodged in it; that so the troops which were separated might not be able to assist one another. Antiochus, who was at Babylon, had intelligence of this design; and endeavoured to succour his people with the few soldiers whom he had about him. Phraates King of Persia attacked him in the way, whom he fought with very great bravery. But at last being deserted by his own forces, he was overpowered and killed by the Persians, or Parthians, according to the generality of Historians⁷; or according to others killed himself⁸; or as Ælian has it, threw himself headlong from a precipice z. This happened in the year of the World 3874. before J. C. 126. before the vulgar Æra 130. Demetrius Nicanor, or Nicator, whom the King of Parthia had sent into Syria to make a diversion, reascended the Throne after the death of Sidetes.

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