LYSIAS. A Friend and Relation of King Antiochus Epiphanes. This Prince going beyond the Euphrates, in Order to collect Money, left the Regency of Syria to Lysias1, with Orders to make War upon the Jews, and utterly destroy them: Lysias therefore sent Ptolemy, the Son of Dorymenes, Nicanor, and Gorgias into Judæa, with a powerful2Army. But Judas Maccabæus having routed or dispersed them; he came himself the Year following3 with still greater Forces. But he was overcome, his Army put to Flight, and he himself obliged to retire to Antioch. The same Year Antiochus Epiphanes dying beyond the Euphrates, Lysias took upon himself the Regency of the Kingdom, under the Minority of young Antiochus, though King Antiochus Epiphanes had given the Government of the Kingdom, and the Tuition of his Son, to Philip one of his Friends, who was at that 1 Macc. vi. 14, 15, &c.Time with him. Notwithstanding the King’s last Will, Lysias kept the Government of Syria, and continued by his Generals to make War against the Jews, and observing that they were not able to resist Judas Maccabæus, he came a second Time into the Land of Judah4. He advanced as far as Bethsura. But the Jews beat him, and obliged him to fly. He sent Proposals of an Accommodation to Judas Maccabæus, and the Peace was concluded upon Conditions very honourable and advantageous to the Jews.
This Peace was but of a short Duration. Judas Maccabæus having been obliged to take Arms, to quell the particular Enemies of the Jews, who declared against them in several Places of the Country; and to repulse the General of the Syrian Troops, which were continually molesting his Brethren the 2 Macc. xiii. 1, 2, 3, &c. and 1 Macc. vi. 28, 29, &c.Jews, Lysias returned towards the Close of the Year, and brought the young King Eupator with him, together with the Choice of all his Troops. They laid Siege to Bethsura, and advanced as far as Jerusalem, the Siege whereof was formed by them. The City, or rather the Temple wherein Judas was shut up, was very much straitned; for as this was the seventh Year, there was a great want of Provisions. It happened, as Providence particularly would have it, that at the same Time Philip, who had been left Regent of the Kingdom by Epiphanes, came into Syria, to take upon him the Exercise of his Employment. Lysias upon receiving this Intelligence, made Propositions of Peace to the Jews, which were accepted.
Eupator and Lysias entred Jerusalem, honoured the Temple, and promised the Jews, that they should be permitted to live according to their own Laws. But they falsified their Word by demolishing the Wall which secured the Temple from the Insults of the Citadel, which was in the Possession of the Syrians. They afterwards retired in Haste to Antioch, where they found Philip had fortified himself: But they attacked him, took the City by Force, and killed him5.
Esth. xi. 1.The next Year6, Demetrius the Son of Seleucus King of Syria, to whom the Kingdom of Right belonged, being returned from Rome, where he had remained an Hostage ever since the Death of the King his Father; and coming into Syria, was received at Tripolis, a City of Phœnicia, and having gathered together some Troops, marched directly to Antioch7, entred the City, seized young Eupator and Lysias, and killed them both. Such was the End of Lysias, who had governed the Kingdom of Syria about five Years.
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Footnotes
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1 Macc. iii. 32, &c. In the Year of the World 383, before J. C. 161. before the Vulgar Æra 165. ↩
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Limborch. Theol. Christ. l. iii. c. xiii. f. xxiv. &c. ↩
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1 Macc. iv. 28, 29, &c. In the Year of the World 3840, before J. C. 160. before the Vulgar Æra 164. ↩
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In the Year of the World 3841, before J. C. 159, before the Vulgar Æra 163. See 2 Macc. xi. 1, 2, 3, &c. ↩
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1 Macc. vi. 63. Joseph. Antiq. l. xii. c. 15. ↩
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In the Year of the World 3842, before J. C. 158, before the Vulgar Æra 162. ↩
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1 Macc. vii. 1. &c. 2 Macc. xiv. 1. Justin. l. xxxiv. c. 3. Polybus Legat. 114. ↩