§ 11. It is very remarkable that this great persecution, and the subsequent history of the glorious regeneration of Judæa under the Maccabees, should have been passed over by the Greek and Roman historians. From Polybius we might have expected a just appreciation of its importance, and an impartial summary of its facts; but of this portion of his work only a few fragments remain, and the silence of Livy, who closely follows his history of Syria, seems to imply that of his great authority. Appian's meagre summary of Syrian history takes no notice of the Jews. Diodorus gives a very brief account of them, repeating the current prejudices, not as his own belief, but as arguments used by the counselors of Antiochus to urge the extirpation of the Jews." The contemptuous summary given by Tacitus is even more significant than the silence of the rest, and shows how far prejudice can lead even the most careful writers from the truth. He speaks as follows:-"During the dominion of the Assyrians, the Medes, and the Persians, the Jews were the most abject of their dependent subjects. After the Macedonians obtained the supremacy of the East, King Antiochus endeavored to do away with their superstition and introduce Greek habits, but was hindered by a Parthian war from reforming a most repulsive people.' 99 48 47 The spirit of this passage may explain the indifference of other authors. The uncompromising devotion of the Jews to their religion and their national traditions, and their claim to be worshipers of the only true God, excited among the heathen, and especially those who laid claim to philosophy, the same affected contempt and unaffected resentment which led Gibbon to sneer at Palestine as a country no larger nor more favored by nature than Wales. Nor is it only this brilliant passage of the Jewish annals that escaped the notice and the sympathy of the western historians. The period of 370 years, from the Decree of Cyrus to the revolt of the Maccabees, embraces the most brilliant events of Greek and Roman history. The aristocratic republics of Greece and the monarchy of Rome had reached their climax at its commencement, amidst the rapid growth of philosophy and art. Its first quarter of a century beheld the expulsion of the Pisistratids from Athens and the Tarquins from Rome. The struggles which placed Rome at the head of the Italian states, and formed her republican constitution, the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, the conflict of the Greek states for the supremacy 47 Lib. xxxix. Ecl. 1; xl. Ecl. 1. 48 Teterrimam gentem, Tac. Hist. v. 8. which they at last yielded to the Macedonian, and the very conquest which brought Alexander to Judæa, are all related just as they might have been if there had been no such nation as the Jews. The keen inquiries of Herodotus, who visited Egypt and Tyre at the very time when Ezra and Nehemiah were regulating the restored state, produced nothing but the notice of Necho's victory over Josiah and capture of Cadytis (probably Gaza), the mistake "that the Syrians of Palestine" learned circumcision from the Egyptians, and the mention of 'them as serving with the Phoenicians in the fleet of Xerxes.1o The silence of the historians of Alexander and his successors about the Jewish people is the more remarkable, as they have to mention Judæa as the scene of war; it is matched by the Romans even when they come into contact with Syria and Egypt; nor is it even broken when (if we may believe the historian of the Maccabees) Rome formed an alliance with Judas Maccabæus. A century later, when Pompey penetrated into the temple, the sacred city suggests even to Cicero nothing better than a nickname for his distrusted leader; nor does Tacitus notice the very advent of Christ with half the interest he shows in the relations of the Herodian princes to the Cæsars. Surely we can not but see in all this a divine purpose, that the outer, like the inner life, of the chosen people, should lie hidden from the world at large, and pursue a course apart from the ordinary current of warlike and political conflict, till from their bosom should emerge the band of lowly and unworldly men, who were to proclaim a "kingdom not of this world." § 12. In preparation for that event, the Jewish people had a history of its own, for which we could wish to possess more abundant materials. They had resumed the ordinances of their religion, purified from their old idolatries by the Captivity, and with their zeal constantly stimulated by antagonism with the Samaritans. Politically, they were subject first to Persia, and then to Egypt; but, as long as their tribute was paid, their relations to their sovereign were kindly, and they were left to the government of their high-priests and patriarchal princes; till the great Syrian persecution. The extinction of royalty, after it had served its purpose by giving an image of Messiah's kingdom, removed the chief influence which had led to apostasy in Israel and to idolatry in Judah; and the very dependence which debarred them from political freedom gave them the better opportunity for religious or 49 Herod. ii. 104, 106, 159, iii. 5, vii. 89. ganization. The band by which the "people of God" were held together was at length felt to be religious and not local ; and all the more so from the existence of large portions of the nation separate from the rest, in the great Eastern "dispersion," or in the new community formed in Egypt. The Jews incorporated in different nations still looked to Jerusalem as the centre of their faith. The boundaries of Canaan were passed; and the beginnings of a spiritual dispensation were already made. But this process could not work unmixed good. "In the darkness of this long period, Judaism, with its stern and settled aversion to all polytheism, to Gentile influences, gradually hardened into its rigid exclusiveness. . . . Conflicting opinions, which grew up under the Asmonæan princes into religious factions, those of the Pharisees and Sadducees, began to stir in the religious mind and heart of the people. The old Nazaritism grew toward the latter Essenism.' 99 50 The Jews restored to Palestine resumed their agricultural life on a land rendered doubly fertile by having "enjoyed her Sabbaths as long as she lay desolate, to fulfill threescore and ten years;"1 and it may be observed in passing, that the ordinance of the Sabbatic year, which had been so systematically neglected before the Captivity, was observed in the Maccabæan age. How the land was divided among the returned families we are not told; but thus much seems clear, that it soon fell chiefly into the hands of the nobles, who, becoming rapidly enriched through the fertility of the soil, resumed that course of oppression toward the poor, which the old prophets had so vehemently denounced as the crying sin of their class. order which thus sets itself above the social bonds of mutual kindness is prone to maintain its consequence against popular discontent by foreign influence; and, just as the princes of Judah headed the idolatrous and Egyptian party in the last days of the monarchy, so now they were the leaders of the Syrian and hellenizing party. Their influence was resisted, as formerly by the prophets, so now by the priests, who headed the glorious uprising of the nation in defense of their religion. The issue of that contest proves that the nation was still sound at heart at the time of the Syrian domination. 50 Milman. 51 2 Chron. xxxvi. 21. § 1. The family of MATTATHIAS-His retirement from Jerusalem to ModinHe refuses to sacrifice, kills the royal officer, and flees to the mountains-Progress of the revolt, and death of Mattathias. § 2. JUDAS the MACCABEE succeeds his father, and defeats Apollonius and Seron. § 3. Measures of Antiochus Epiphanes-Great victories of Judas over Nicanor and Gorgias, Timotheus and Bacchides. § 4. Defeat of Lysias at Bethsura-Judas takes Jerusalem and purifies the Temple-"Feast of the Dedication." § 5. Wars with the neighboring nations. § 6. Antiochus V. Eupator and Lysias invade Judæa-Capture of BethsuraEleazar Avaran crushed under an elephant-Treachery of Antiochus at Jerusalem-Accession of Demetrius I. Soter-Flight of Onias IV. to Egypt, and building of the Jewish temple at Leontopolis-ALCIMUS high-priest at Jerusalem-Armies sent to establish him-Decisive defeat of Nicanor at Adasa, the Jewish Marathon. § 7. Alliance of the Jews with Rome-Their defeat at Eleasa, the Maccabæan Thermopylæ -Death of Judas. § 8. JONATHAN Apphus, the Maccabee, succeeds Judas-Death of Alcimus and peace with Bacchides-War between Alexander Balas and Demetrius-Jonathan made high-priest-He defeats Apollonius-Fall of Alexander Balas-Demetrius II. Nicator assisted by Jonathan against Tryphon--Antiochus VI. Theos favors the Jews-Jonathan taken prisoner by Tryphon-His death. § 9. SIMON Thassi, the Maccabee, accomplishes the independence of Judæa-Usurpation of Tryphon in Syria-Murder of Antiochus Theos, and captivity of Demetrius Nicator in Parthia-Prosperity of Judæa-Treaties with Rome and Lacedæmon-Defeat of Tryphon by Antiochus VII. Sidetes-Last Syrian war against Judæa-Victory of Judas and John, the sons of Simon, over Cendebeus - Treacherous murder of Simon, with his sons Judas and Mattathias, at Jericho, by Ptolemy, son of Abubus. § 10. JOHN HYRCANUS, son of Simon, besieges Jericho Cruelties and escape of Ptolemy-Antiochus Sidetes takes Jerusalem and gains the surname of Eusebes-His death in Parthia-Complete independence of Judæa-John Hyrcanus conquers Idumæa and Samaria, and destroys the temple on Mount Gerizim-Quarrels with the Pharisees and favors the Sadducees-His death. § 11. Review of the Maccabean contest in the light of patriotism and religion. § 12. Be |