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[35]
NOW in the hundred and sixtieth year, it fell out that Alexander,
the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, 1
came up into Syria, and took Ptolemais the soldiers within having betrayed
it to him; for they were at enmity with Demetrius, on account of his insolence
and difficulty of access; for he shut himself up in a palace of his that
had four towers which he had built himself, not far from Antioch and admitted
nobody. He was withal slothful and negligent about the public affairs,
whereby the hatred of his subjects was the more kindled against him, as
we have elsewhere already related. When therefore Demetrius heard that
Alexander was in Ptolemais, he took his whole army, and led it against
him; he also sent ambassadors to Jonathan about a league of mutual assistance
and friendship, for he resolved to be beforehand with Alexander, lest the
other should treat with him first, and gain assistance from him; and this
he did out of the fear he had lest Jonathan should remember how ill Demetrius
had formerly treated him, and should join with him in this war against
him. He therefore gave orders that Jonathan should be allowed to raise
an army, and should get armor made, and should receive back those hostages
of the Jewish nation whom Baechides had shut up in the citadel of Jerusalem.
When this good fortune had befallen Jonathan, by the concession of Demetrius,
he came to Jerusalem, and read the king's letter in the audience of the
people, and of those that kept the citadel. When these were read, these
wicked men and deserters, who were in the citadel, were greatly afraid,
upon the king's permission to Jonathan to raise an army, and to receive
back the hostages. So he delivered every one of them to his own parents.
And thus did Jonathan make his abode at Jerusalem, renewing the city to
a better state, and reforming the buildings as he pleased; for he gave
orders that the walls of the city should be rebuilt with square stones,
that it might be more secure from their enemies. And when those that kept
the garrisons that were in Judea saw this, they all left them, and fled
to Antioch, excepting those that were in the city Bethsura, and those that
were in the citadel of Jerusalem, for the greater part of these was of
the wicked Jews and deserters, and on that account these did not deliver
up their garrisons.
1 This Alexander Bala, who certainly pretended to be the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, and was owned for such by the Jews and Romans, and many others, and yet is by several historians deemed to be a counterfeit, and of no family at all, is, however, by Josephus believed to have been the real son of that Antiochus, and by him always spoken of accordingly. And truly, since the original contemporary and authentic author of the First Book of Maccabees (10:1) calls him by his father's name, Epiphanes, and says he was the son of Antiochus, I suppose the other writers, who are all much later, are not to be followed against such evidence, though perhaps Epiphanes might have him by a woman of no family. The king of Egypt also, Philometor, soon gave him his daughter in marriage, which he would hardly have done, had he believed him to be a counterfeit, and of so very mean a birth as the later historians pretend.
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by. William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
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