THE WARS OF THE JEWS
OR
THE HISTORY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM
Book II: Chapter 18
THE CALAMITIES AND SLAUGHTERS THAT CAME UPON THE
JEWS.
1. NOW the people of Cesarea had slain the Jews
that were among them on the very same day and hour
[when the soldiers were slain], which one would think
must have come to pass by the direction of Providence;
insomuch that in one hour’s time above twenty thousand
Jews were killed, and all Cesarea was emptied of its
Jewish inhabitants; for Florus caught such as ran
away, and sent them in bonds to the galleys. Upon
which stroke that the Jews received at Cesarea, the
whole nation was greatly enraged; so they divided
themselves into several parties, and laid waste the
villages of the Syrians, and their neighboring cities,
Philadelphia, and Sebonitis, and Gerasa, and Pella,
and Scythopolis, and after them Gadara, and Hippos;
and falling upon Gaulonitis, some cities they
destroyed there, and some they set on fire, and then
went to Kedasa, belonging to the Tyrians, and to
Ptolemais, and to Gaba, and to Cesarea; nor was either
Sebaste [Samaria] or Askelon able to oppose the
violence with which they were attacked; and when they
had burnt these to the ground; they entirely
demolished Anthedon and Gaza; many also of the
villages that were about every one of those cities
were plundered, and an immense slaughter was made of
the men who were caught in them.
2. However, the Syrians were even with the Jews in
the multitude of the men whom they slew; for they
killed those whom they caught in their cities, and
that not only out of the hatred they bare them, as
formerly, but to prevent the danger under which they
were from them; so that the disorders in all Syria
were terrible, and every city was divided into two
armies, encamped one against another, and the
preservation of the one party was in the destruction
of the other; so the day time was spent in shedding of
blood, and the night in fear, which was of the two the
more terrible; for when the Syrians thought they had
ruined the Jews, they had the Judaizers in suspicion
also; and as each side did not care to slay those whom
they only suspected on the other, so did they greatly
fear them when they were mingled with the other, as if
they were certainly
foreigners. Moreover, greediness of gain was a
provocation to kill the opposite party, even to such
as had of old appeared very mild and gentle towards
them; for they without fear plundered the effects of
the slain, and carried off the spoils of those whom
they slew to their own houses, as if they had been
gained in a set battle; and he was esteemed a man of
honor who got the greatest share, as having prevailed
over the greatest number of his enemies. It was then
common to see cities filled with dead bodies, still
lying unburied, and those of old men, mixed with
infants, all dead, and scattered about together; women
also lay amongst them, without any covering for their
nakedness: you might then see the whole province full
of inexpressible calamities, while the dread of still
more barbarous practices which were threatened was
every where greater than what had been already
perpetrated.
3. And thus far the conflict had been between Jews
and foreigners; but when they made excursions to
Scythopolis, they found Jew that acted as enemies; for
as they stood in battle-array with those of
Scythopolis, and preferred their own safety before
their relation to us, they fought against their own
countrymen; nay, their alacrity was so very great,
that those of Scythopolis suspected them. These were
afraid, therefore, lest they should make an assault
upon the city in the night time, and, to their great
misfortune, should thereby make an apology for
themselves to their own people for their revolt from
them. So they commanded them, that in case they would
confirm their agreement and demonstrate their fidelity
to them, who were of a different nation, they should
go out of the city, with their families to a
neighboring grove; and when they had done as they were
commanded, without suspecting any thing, the people of
Scythopolis lay still for the interval of two days, to
tempt them to be secure; but on the third night they
watched their opportunity, and cut all their throats,
some as they lay unguarded, and some as they lay
asleep. The number that was slain was above thirteen
thousand, and then they plundered them of all that
they had.
4. It will deserve our relation what befell Simon;
he was the son of one Saul, a man of reputation among
the Jews. This man was distinguished from the rest by
the strength of his body, and the boldness of his
conduct, although he abused them both to the
mischieving of his countrymen; for he came every day
and slew a great many of the Jews of Scythopolis, and
he
frequently put them to flight, and became himself
alone the cause of his army’s conquering. But a just
punishment overtook him for the murders he had
committed upon those of the same nation with him; for
when the people of Scythopolis threw their darts at
them in the grove, he drew his sword, but did not
attack any of the enemy; for he saw that he could do
nothing against such a multitude; but he cried out
after a very moving manner, and said, “O you people of
Scythopolis, I deservedly suffer for what I have done
with relation to you, when I gave you such security of
my fidelity to you, by slaying so many of those that
were related to me. Wherefore we very justly
experience the perfidiousness of foreigners, while we
acted after a most wicked manner against our own
nation. I will therefore die, polluted wretch as I am,
by nine own hands; for it is not fit I should die by
the hand of our enemies; and let the same action be to
me both a punishment for my great crimes, and a
testimony of my courage to my commendation, that so no
one of our enemies may have it to brag of, that he it
was that slew me, and no one may insult upon me as I
fall.” Now when he had said this, he looked round
about him upon his family with eyes of commiseration
and of rage (that family consisted of a wife and
children, and his aged parents); so, in the first
place, he caught his father by his grey hairs, and ran
his sword through him, and after him he did the same
to his mother, who willingly received it; and after
them he did the like to his wife and children, every
one almost offering themselves to his sword, as
desirous to prevent being slain by their enemies; so
when he had gone over all his family, he stood upon
their bodies to be seen by all, and stretching out his
right hand, that his action might be observed by all,
he sheathed his entire sword into his own bowels. This
young man was to be pitied, on account of the strength
of his body and the courage of his soul; but since he
had assured foreigners of his fidelity [against his
own countrymen], he suffered deservedly.
5. Besides this murder at Scythopolis, the other
cities rose up against the Jews that were among them;
those of Askelon slew two thousand five hundred, and
those of Ptolemais two thousand, and put not a few
into bonds; those of Tyre also put a great number to
death, but kept a greater number in prison; moreover,
those of Hippos, and those of Gadara, did the like
while they put to death the boldest of the Jews, but
kept those of whom they were afraid in custody; as did
the rest of the cities of Syria,
according as they every one either hated them or
were afraid of them; only the Antiochtans the
Sidontans, and Apamians spared those that dwelt with
them, and would not endure either to kill any of the
Jews, or to put them in bonds. And perhaps they spared
them, because their own number was so great that they
despised their attempts. But I think the greatest part
of this favor was owing to their commiseration of
those whom they saw to make no innovations. As for the
Gerasans, they did no harm to those that abode with
them; and for those who had a mind to go away, they
conducted them as far as their borders reached.
6. There was also a plot laid against the Jews in
Agrippa’s kingdom; for he was himself gone to Cestius
Gallus, to Antioch, but had left one of his
companions, whose name was Noarus, to take care of the
public affairs; which Noarus was of kin to king
Sohemus. 26 Now there came certain men seventy in
number, out of Batanea, who were the most considerable
for their families and prudence of the rest of the
people; these desired to have an army put into their
hands, that if any tumult should happen, they might
have about them a guard sufficient to restrain such as
might rise up against them. This Noarus sent out some
of the king’s armed men by night, and slew all those
[seventy] men; which bold action he ventured upon
without the consent of Agrippa, and was such a lover
of money, that he chose to be so wicked to his own
countrymen, though he brought ruin on the kingdom
thereby; and thus cruelly did he treat that nation,
and this contrary to the laws also, until Agrippa was
informed of it, who did not indeed dare to put him to
death, out of regard to Sohemus; but still he put an
end to his procuratorship immediately. But as to the
seditious, they took the citadel which was called
Cypros, and was above Jericho, and cut the throats of
the garrison, and utterly demolished the
fortifications. This was about the same time that the
multitude of the Jews that were at Machorus persuaded
the Romans who were in garrison to leave the place,
and deliver it up to them. These Romans being in great
fear, lest the place should be taken by force, made an
agreement with them to depart upon certain conditions;
and when they had obtained the security they desired,
they delivered up the citadel, into which the people
of Macherus put a garrison for their own security, and
held it in their own power.
7. But for Alexandria, the sedition of the people
of the place against the Jews was perpetual, and this
from that very time when Alexander [the Great], upon finding the readiness of the Jews in
assisting him against the Egyptians, and as a reward
for such their assistance, gave them equal privileges
in this city with the Grecians themselves; which
honorary reward Continued among them under his
successors, who also set apart for them a particular
place, that they might live without being polluted [by
the Gentiles], and were thereby not so much intermixed
with foreigners as before; they also gave them this
further privilege, that they should be called
Macedonians. Nay, when the Romans got possession of
Egypt, neither the first Caesar, nor any one that came
after him, thought of diminishing the honors which
Alexander had bestowed on the Jews. But still
conflicts perpetually arose with the Grecians; and
although the governors did every day punish many of
them, yet did the sedition grow worse; but at this
time especially, when there were tumults in other
places also, the disorders among them were put into a
greater flame; for when the Alexandrians had once a
public assembly, to deliberate about an embassage they
were sending to Nero, a great number of Jews came
flocking to the theater; but when their adversaries
saw them, they immediately cried out, and called them
their enemies, and said they came as spies upon them;
upon which they rushed out, and laid violent hands
upon them; and as for the rest, they were slain as
they ran away; but there were three men whom they
caught, and hauled them along, in order to have them
burnt alive; but all the Jews came in a body to defend
them, who at first threw stones at the Grecians, but
after that they took lamps, and rushed with violence
into the theater, and threatened that they would burn
the people to a man; and this they had soon done,
unless Tiberius Alexander, the governor of the city,
had restrained their passions. However, this man did
not begin to teach them wisdom by arms, but sent among
them privately some of the principal men, and thereby
entreated them to be quiet, and not provoke the Roman
army against them; but the seditious made a jest of
the entreaties of Tiberius, and reproached him for so
doing.
8. Now when he perceived that those who were for
innovations would notbe pacified till some great
calamity should overtake them, he sent out upon them
those two Roman legions that were in the city, and
together with them five thousand other soldiers, who,
by chance, were come together out of Libya, to the
ruin of the Jews. They were also permitted not only to
kill them, but to plunder them of what they had, and
to set fire to their
houses. These soldiers rushed violently into that
part of the city that was called Delta, where the
Jewish people lived together, and did as they were
bidden, though not without bloodshed on their own side
also; for the Jews got together, and set those that
were the best armed among them in the forefront, and
made a resistance for a great while; but when once
they gave back, they were destroyed unmercifully; and
this their destruction was complete, some being caught
in the open field, and others forced into their
houses, which houses were first plundered of what was
in them, and then set on fire by the Romans; wherein
no mercy was shown to the infants, and no regard had
to the aged; but they went on in the slaughter of
persons of every age, till all the place was
overflowed with blood, and fifty thousand of them lay
dead upon heaps; nor had the remainder been preserved,
had they not be-taken themselves to supplication. So
Alexander commiserated their condition, and gave
orders to the Romans to retire; accordingly, these
being accustomed to obey orders, left off killing at
the first intimation; but the populace of Alexandria
bare so very great hatred to the Jews, that it was
difficult to recall them, and it was a hard thing to
make them leave their dead bodies.
9. And this was the miserable calamity which at
this time befell the Jewsat Alexandria. Hereupon
Cestius thought fit no longer to lie still, while the
Jews were everywhere up in arms; so he took out of
Antioch the twelfth legion entire, and out of each of
the rest he selected two thousand, with six cohorts of
footmen, and four troops of horsemen, besides those
auxiliaries which were sent by the kings; of which
Antiochus sent two thousand horsemen, and three
thousand footmen, with as many archers; and Agrippa
sent the same number of footmen, and one thousand
horsemen; Sohemus also followed with four thousand, a
third part whereof were horsemen, but most part were
archers, and thus did he march to Ptolemais. There
were also great numbers of auxiliaries gathered
together from the [free] cities, who indeed had not
the same skill in martial affairs, but made up in
their alacrity and in their hatred to the Jews what
they wanted in skill. There came also along with
Cestius Agrippa himself, both as a guide in his march
over the country, and a director what was fit to be
done; so Cestius took part of his forces, and marched
hastily to Zabulon, a strong city of Galilee, which
was called the City of Men, and divides the country of
Ptolemais from our nation; this he found deserted by
its men, the
multitude having fled to the mountains, but full of
all sorts of good things; those he gave leave to the
soldiers to plunder, and set fire to the city,
although it was of admirable beauty, and had its
houses built like those in Tyre, and Sidon, and
Berytus. After this he overran all the country, and
seized upon whatsoever came in his way, and set fire
to the villages that were round about them, and then
returned to Ptolemais. But when the Syrians, and
especially those of Berytus, were busy in plundering,
the Jews pulled up their courage again, for they knew
that Cestius was retired, and fell upon those that
were left behind unexpectedly, and destroyedabout two
thousand of them. 27
10. And now Cestius himself marched from Ptolemais,
and came toCesarea; but he sent part of his army
before him to Joppa, and gave order, that if they
could take that city [by surprise] they should keep
it; but that in case the citizens should perceive they
were coming to attack them, that they then should stay
for him, and for the rest of the army. So some of them
made a brisk march by the sea-side, and some by land,
and so coming upon them on both sides, they took the
city with ease; and as the inhabitants had made no
provision beforehand for a flight, nor had gotten any
thing ready for fighting, the soldiers fell upon them,
and slew them all, with their families, and then
plundered and burnt the city. The number of the slain
was eight thousand four hundred. In like manner,
Cestius sent also a considerable body of horsemen to
the toparchy of Narbatene, that adjoined to Cesarea,
who destroyed the country, and slew a great multitude
of its people; they also plundered what they had, and
burnt their villages.
11. But Cestius sent Gallus, the commander of the
twelfth legion, into Galilee, and delivered to him as
many of his forces as he supposed sufficient to subdue
that nation. He was received by the strongest city of
Galilee, which was Sepphoris, with acclamations of
joy; which wise conduct of that city occasioned the
rest of the cities to be in quiet; while the seditious
part and the robbers ran away to that mountain which
lies in the very middle of Galilee, and is situated
over against Sepphoris; it is called Asamon. So Gallus
brought his forces against them; but while those men
were in the superior parts above the Romans, they
easily threw their darts upon the Romans, as they made
their approaches, and slew about two hundred of them.
But when the Romans had gone round the
1483 mountains, and were gotten into the parts
above their enemies, the others were soon beaten; nor
could they who had only light armor on sustain the
force of them that fought them armed all over; nor
when they were beaten could they escape the enemies’
horsemen; insomuch that only some few concealed
themselves in certain places hard to be come at, among
the mountains, while the rest, above two thousand in
number, were slain.
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