CENDEBEUS, General of the Troops belonging to Antiochus Sidetes, the Son of Demetrius King of Syria. This Prince having quarrelled with Simon the High Priest and Prince of the Jews, took from him the government of the Coasts along the Mediterranean, and gave it to Cendebeus, with orders to fortify Cedron, and to make all the havock he was able in Judæa. Cendebeus came 1 Macc. xv. 38. In the year of the world 3866, before J. C. 134, before the vulg. Æra 138.therefore to Jamnia, fortified Cedron, and made excursions upon the lands belonging to the Jews. John gave notice to his Father Simon of all that passed, who sent his two Sons John and Judas with Troops to oppose Cendebeus; he himself not being in a condition to undertake this March, by reason of his great age. John ingaged the Enemy, and as soon as the sacred Trumpets were sounded, Cendebeus fled with all his forces. John and Judas pursued them, and killed many of them. The rest with their General Cendebeus got safe into Cedron, which he had so lately fortified.
We shall here add some Observations relating to the defeat of his Troops by John Maccabæus the Son of Simon.
of Cendebeus by John Maccabæus the Son of Simon. Macc. 1. i. ch. xvi. Observations on the Defeat☞ The Book of Maccabees is that of all others in Scripture, wherein we may learn most of the Art military; and here I observe almost all the same principles with those in the Tacticks of the ancient Hebrews. Nothing is finer, more instructive, 1 Macc. xvi. 1.or more capable of forming a Christian Hero, and an excellent General. God favours men of great Courage, noble and intrepid Souls, without respect of persons; he makes use of them in the execution of his will and intentions, either for the punishment, or for the preservation and glory of his people; so that, if I am not mistaken, I see no where in the sacred Writings, that he made choice of a Man, who wanted bravery to carry on the Wars ordained by him, or suggested to some particular people for the punishment of others. All the Maccabees were Heroes; the Father of them was the first who brought his name into so great reputation, and the Sons shewed they were not unworthy of it, they acquired no less Glory than their Ancestor by military atchievements. It is something wonderful and uncommon, for the Sons of Heroes to resemble their Fathers.
The Book of Maccabees is more particular; let us hear what the Scripture says, John gives notice to his Father Simon of all that Cendebeus had done against their people. Simon hereupon sends for his two Sons, and tells them, I and my brethren, and all my father’s house have humbled and defeated the enemies of Israel; from our youth we have fought against them unto this day, and affairs have succeeded under our conduct, we have several times delivered Israel. Here we have three generations of Heroes and great Generals; not one Son only of this miraculous Stock, but all resemble their Fathers and their Grandfathers. If any one should discover something so extraordinary in any other place besides the book of Maccabees, I should be much surprized; I do not know that I ever read any thing like it in any Historian. A decrepit Father, worn out with fatigues and age, exhorts his Sons to imitate his glorious Actions, and those of the Heroes of their name. John animated by his Father, takes the field at the head of an Army of twenty thousand men, and marches to the Enemy with all the hope, courage, and resolution possible; and possessed with his Father’s principles and maxims, begins with an Action worthy of so great a General; nor was his success owing to chance or fortune, but to order and good conduct. Victory, say some, is on the side of those who have the most numerous Squadrons; but certainly they are mistaken, it declares often for the lesser number, provided they be well conducted and led on; if so, they must necessarily get the better of the others; for in War number does nothing, on the contrary it is very contemptible, even with good conduct, if another power that is weaker opposes with more dexterity and skill. Thus the maxim which favours greater numbers falls of itself; but this may be disagreable to many Generals, who are prepossessed with it.
Cendebeus’s Army was superior to that of John, and had besides the advantage of a Brook which separated the two Armies, and was to be passed necessarily by the Hebrews, before they could engage their Enemies.
John, says the Scripture, caused his Troops to advance towards them; and when he saw his people were afraid of passing over the brook, he went first over himself, which the Troops perceiving, followed him. Here is a General who himself first begins to give the example, in order to cure his Soldiers of the fears they had of some disadvantage. But this is not what the people who understand military Affairs should, like others, most admire in this new General, whose first attempt was managed by him like an old Soldier, that is to say, was a Master-piece; but rather the order and disposition of his Forces which are what we rarely meet with. I have published a Dissertation in my new Discoveries relating to War; wherein I shew the folly of placing the Cavalry on the wings, and the Foot in the center. For it is the Foot which, like a very strong armour, should rather secure and cover the wings of Horse. I think this example very rational and important, and am sorry that I forgot to produce it as a proof of my opinion.
John having passed the brook with very great expedition, (for so he must have done to be so soon formed on the other side,) divided, says the sacred Author, his Infantry into two Bodies, and placed his Cavalry in the middle; as to the Enemy, they had a great number of Horse.
It is probable that Cendebeus, who knew nothing of the order wherein his Enemy was to be disposed, followed the military discipline used generally by the Asiatick Nations; for this is a disposition which enters not into the heads of those who are sticklers for the common method; he should therefore have lodged his Horse upon the wings, and his Foot in the center; for to change his order in the presence of the Enemy was too ticklish a movement; it appears that he did not so much as think on it, since he marched directly to him. This Order of Battle observed by John must have surprized Cendebeus and his Army. The Infantry, who saw the Cavalry confronted against them instead of Infantry, must be very much amazed, which was sufficient to discourage them; for it is common for the Foot, who are not accustomed to fight the Horse, to apprehend adversaries whom they think more formidable in a plain than in reality they are. It is the same with the Horse against the Foot; but the latter would be too hard for the Horse and continually beat them if they knew their own strength. In this affair it seems as if the eyes of the people in Cendebeus’s Army had been first conquered, and that John’s Victory almost without a conflict was owing to this; for if any will have it to have been a Miracle, it is no more than this, that God favours those always who undertake the defence of Justice and Religion.