HISTORY OF THE JEWS HISTORY OF THE JEWS BY HEINRICH GRAETZ VOL. II FROM THE REIGN OF HYRCANUS (135 B. C. E.) TO THE COMPLETION OF THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD (500 C. E.) [Illustration] PHILADELPHIA THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA 5717-1956 Copyright, 1893, by THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA _All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher: except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper._ PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. JOHN HYRCANUS. The Crowning Point of the Period--War with Antiochus Sidetes --Siege of Jerusalem--Treaty of Peace--The Parthian War-- Hyrcanus joins Antiochus--Successful campaigns of Hyrcanus against the Samaritans and Idumæans--The Idumæans forced to embrace Judaism--Destruction of the Samaritan Temple at Gerizim and of the Capital, Samaria--Internal Affairs-- The Parties: Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes--Their Rise and Constitution--Their Doctrines and their Relations to one another--The Synhedrion--Strained Relations between Hyrcanus and the Pharisees--Death of Hyrcanus _page_ 1 135-106 B. C. E. CHAPTER II. HYRCANUS'S SUCCESSORS, ARISTOBULUS I, ALEXANDER JANNÆUS, AND SALOME ALEXANDRA. Character of Aristobulus--Antigonus--Mythical Account of his Death--Alexander Jannæus: his Character and Enterprises --His Support of the Pharisees--Simon ben Shetach-- Alexander's Breach with the Pharisees, and its Consequences-- His last Wars and Death--Salome Alexandra's Relations to the Opposing Parties--The Synhedrion--Judah ben Tabba and Simon ben Shetach--Institutions against the Sadducees--Party Hatred--Diogenes--Persecution of the Sadducees--Death of Alexandra _page_ 35 106-69 B. C. E. CHAPTER III. HYRCANUS II. ARISTOBULUS II. Brothers contend for the throne--Arrangement between the Brothers--The Idumæan Antipater--Hyrcanus's weakness-- Aretas besieges Jerusalem--Interference of Rome--Pompey at Jerusalem--The Judæan colony in Rome--Flaccus in Asia Minor--Cicero's oration against the Judæans--Weakening of the power of the Synhedrion--Shemaya and Abtalion--Violent death of Aristobulus and his son Alexander--Julius Cæsar and the Judæans--Antipater's sons Phasael and Herod--Herod before the Synhedrion--Operations of Cassius in Judæa-- Malich--Antigonus as King--Herod escapes to Rome _page_ 57 69-40 B. C. E. CHAPTER IV. ANTIGONUS AND HEROD.