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[103]
About this time it was that the people of Damascus, out of their
hatred to Ptolemy, the son of Menhens, invited Aretas [to take the government],
and made him king of Celesyria. This man also made an expedition against
Judea, and beat Alexander in battle; but afterwards retired by mutual agreement.
But Alexander, when he had taken Pella, marched to Gerasa again, out of
the covetous desire he had of Theodorus's possessions; and when he had
built a triple wall about the garrison, he took the place by force. He
also demolished Golan, and Seleucia, and what was called the Valley of
Antiochus; besides which, he took the strong fortress of Gamala, and stripped
Demetrius, who was governor therein, of what he had, on account of the
many crimes laid to his charge, and then returned into Judea, after he
had been three whole years in this expedition. And now he was kindly received
of the nation, because of the good success he had. So when he was at rest
from war, he fell into a distemper; for he was afflicted with a quartan
ague, and supposed that, by exercising himself again in martial affairs,
he should get rid of this distemper; but by making such expeditions at
unseasonable times, and forcing his body to undergo greater hardships than
it was able to bear, he brought himself to his end. He died, therefore,
in the midst of his troubles, after he had reigned seven and twenty years.
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