Jews, and not Sidonians, they answered that they were Hebrews, but had the name of Sidonians, living at Shechem. Alexander dismissed them, saying, that what he had granted was to the Jews; but, that, if he afterwards found they were of that stock, he would consider their petition. At a later period, we learn from the same authority,46 that when the Syrian king Antiochus pillaged Jerusalem, and inflicted horrible tortures on its inhabitants, the Samaritans protested that they were not of Jewish origin, but Sidonians, and entreated that they might be permitted to dedicate their temple, hitherto without a name,47 to Jupiter Hellenius. The coin here engraved bears the head of the Emperor Antoninus Pius; legend, AYTOK(parwp) KAICAP. ANTONINOC. CEB(ασToç) EYCE(ẞns). i. e. The Emperor Cæsar Antoninus Augustus Pius. Reverse, A Temple on the summit of a mountain, with a flight of steps, etc. Legend, A. NƐACПоAƐNС CYРIAC ПAAAICTINHC. i. e. (Money) of Flavia Neapolis, of Palestine in Syria. 46 Josephus, Antiq. lib. xii. cap. v. § 5. 47 The avάvvμov iɛpòv of Josephus furnishes a singular concordance with the words of our Lord, "Ye worship ye know not what," and is evidence of the vague religious notions of these people. The coins of the Samaritans show their Sidonian predilections, many of them having representations of the goddess Astarte, the Ashtoreth of Scripture. Photius in his Bibliotheca 48 notices the assertion of Marinus, a Samaritan writer, that Abraham erected a temple to Jupiter Maximus, at Neapolis, in Palestine, close to Mount Argarizus! § 19." THOU ART NOT CÆSAR'S FRIEND.” John xix. 12. Οὐκ εἶ φίλος τοῦ Καίσαρος. Among the various titles found on Greek coins are those of Lover of his Father, Lover of his Mother, etc.49 This style appears to have been adopted by the princes of other countries tributary to the Romans; and we accordingly find λopóμaios, Lover of the Romans, on the money of the kings of Cappadocia.50 The Parthian Princes frequently added to their other high-sounding titles, iλeλývos, Lover of the Greeks; but the money of some of the princes of Judæa more strikingly illustrates the phrase φίλος τοῦ Καίσαρος. Agrippa the first, of Judæa, inscribed on his coins piλokaíoap, and Herod of Chalcidene, φιλοκλαύδιος. NUMISMATIC ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. § 1.-A CENTURION OF THE BAND CALLED THE ITALIAN BAND.-Acts x. 1. 1 Εκατοντάρχης ἐκ σπείρης τῆς καλουμένης Ἰταλικῆς. Considerable doubt exists as to what is here meant by the σπείρα Ιταλική, or "Italian band." It is referred by several writers to the Legio Italica, or Italica prima so often mentioned by Tacitus; but we know from Dion Cassius 2 that this legion was raised by Nero, and, consequently, that it was not in existence when the events narrated by St. Luke took place. Nor can it have been either of the other two "Legiones Italicæ," as they were raised by Marcus Aurelius.3 We know from Josephus, that the Roman troops serving in Syria and Judæa were mainly composed of levies raised on the spot. We learn, however, that there were volunteer Italian cohorts serving in Syria by an inscription in Gruter.5 1 Hist. lib. i. cap. 59, 64, etc. 2 Lib. lv. cap. 24. 3 Dion. Cass. lib. lv. cap. 24. 4 Νεοσυλλέκτου τοῦ ̔Ρωμαίου στρατεύματος ὄντος, καὶ πολέμων ἀπείρως ἔχοντος, καὶ γὰρ πολὺ ἐκ Συρίας ἦν κατειλεγμενον. Ant. xiv. 15, 10. He says the same thing in his Bell. Jud. lib. i. 17, 1. 5 Corpus Inscr. ccccxxxiv. 1; Orellius, Ins. Lat. Select. cap. xiv. 8vo. Turrici, 1828. F |