ANTONY, Mark Antony, of the illustrious family of the Antonys at Rome. His name is very much celebrated in the Roman and Greek Histories. But in this work we are concerned no farther to take notice of him, than as he had a share in the affairs relating to the Jews. After the battle of Philippi, wherein Brutus and Cassius were defeated, Mark-Antony came into Asia, and when he arrived in Bithynia, he found Envoys there from all the nations in Asia, and among the rest, Deputies from the Jews, who were come with accusations against Herod and Phasael; who, as they said, assumed the whole authority of the Government, and left Hircanus the name only of a King1. But Herod so wrought upon Antony by his presents, that he would not so much as give his accusers audience, and confirmed the two Brothers Herod and Phasael in the government, which they In the Year of the World 3963, before J. C. 37, before the vulg. Æra 41. The same year when M.Antony was come to Ephesus. Joseph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 22.possessed in Judæa.
Some time after, Hircanus sent an Embassy to him, to desire that he would please to issue out his orders for restoring those Jews to liberty, who had been unjustly carried into captivity by Cassius, and dispersed in the Provinces of Asia. Antony granted his request, and wrote to Hircanus, to the Tyrians, and Sidonians, to the inhabitants of Antioch and Aradus, that they should set all those at liberty, who had been sold by Cassius. Towards the end of the same year, when Antony was at Daphne, near Antioch in Syria, an hundred of the principal among the Jews came with fresh accusations against Herod and Phasael2. But Antony asking Hircanus, who governed first the Province, Herod and his Brother, or his Accusers? Hircanus replied Herod and Phasaël; whereupon Antony confirmed them in their Government, and established them Tetrarchs over all Judæa. He wrote even letters in their favour, and ordered fifteen of the warmest of their accusers to be put in chains.
At last, when Antony came to Tyre, the Jews sent a deputation to him of a thousand, the most considerable among them, to carry their complaints against the two Brothers; but Antony, who had already been ingaged by Herod, commanded the Magistrates of Tyre to punish the male-contents, and support the Tetrarchs whom he had appointed. Herod advised these Deputies to retire, but they not regarding him, the Jews and other inhabitants of the City fell upon them, as they were upon the Sea shore, killed some and wounded others, and some saved themselves. The Jews made a great noise about the treatment which their Envoys had received, whereupon Antony ordered those whom he kept in fetters to be killed. So Herod and Phasael continued quiet in their Governments.
In the Year of the World 3964. before J. C. 36, before the vulgar Æra 40.The next year the Parthians having entred Syria, and Antigonus the Son of Aristobulus having promised them a thousand talents, and five hundred women3, if they re-established him in the Throne of his Ancestors; they came into Judæa, took Hircanus and Phasael, and obliged Herod to fly to Rome, where he found Mark-Antony and Augustus very ready to grant him their protection, as much out of aversion to Antigonus, whom they looked on as one of a very turbulent spirit, and an enemy to the Romans, as for the sake of those services, which Antony and Augustus had formerly received from Antipater Herod’s Father. Thus they procured Herod to be declared King of the Jews by the Senate, and Antigonus an enemy to the Roman Commonwealth. Antony and Augustus conducted Herod between them to the Capitol; and when they had offered the usual Sacrifices, and there deposited the act of his election by the Senate, they entertained him In the Year of the World 3967, before J. C. 33, before the vulgar Æra 37.magnificently.
Herod returned into Judæa with letters of recommendation from Antony, addressed to the Roman Officers, enjoining them to be assisting to him in getting possession of his Kingdom; and when by the help of his own party, and the Roman troops he had made himself master of Jerusalem and Antigonus, he prevailed with Antony to have Antigonus’s head struck off4, by that means to deliver him from the greatest enemy he could have. After this Antony made war against the Parthians, but performed nothing memorable; and his return was more like a real flight, than an honourable retreat. Having given himself up intirely to his passion for Cleopatra, he dismissed Octavia, and plunged himself into all manner of excesses. At last being defeated by Augustus at Actium, he returned to Egypt, where after having tried several means of accommodating matters, he was forced to kill himself, in the year of the world 3974, before J. C. 27, and before the vulgar Æra 31. Concerning the particulars of his Life the Reader may consult Plutarch, Dion and Usher, ad ann. 3965. pag. 483, &c.
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