After the death of Cassius at Philippi, the victors departed, Cæsar
going to Italy, Antony to Asia. Embassies from the [Sidenote: _c._ 41
B.C.] various states waited upon Antony in Bithynia, and among them came
the Jewish leaders, who accused Phasael and Herod of usurping the
government and leaving to Hyrcanus merely titular honours. Herod
thereupon appeared and by large bribes so wrought upon Antony that he
refused his adversaries a hearing. So for the time being these enemies
were dispersed. But on a later occasion a hundred Jewish officials
approached Antony, now a slave to his passion for Cleopatra, at Daphne
beside Antioch, and, putting forward the most eminent and eloquent of
their number, laid accusations against the brothers. The defence was
undertaken by Messala, Hyrcanus supporting him because of his marriage
connexion with Herod. After hearing both parties, Antony enquired of
Hyrcanus who was the best qualified ruler. Hyrcanus pronouncing in
favour of Herod and his brother, Antony was delighted, because he had
formerly been their father’s guest, and had been hospitably entertained
by Antipater when he accompanied Gabinius on his Judæan campaign. So he
[Sidenote: 57-55 B.C.] made the brothers tetrarchs and entrusted them
with the administration of the whole of Judæa.—_Ant._ XIV. 12. 4 f.
(242-244).
(15) How Herod won his Kingdom
[Sidenote: 40 B.C.]
Herod, forced to flee from Palestine by a great invasion of
Parthians, who reinstate Antigonus, son of Aristobulus, as King of
Judæa, arrives a suppliant at Rome in mid-winter.
Antony commiserated the reversal of Herod’s fate. The trite reflection
arose in his mind that even those in the highest rank are at the mercy
of fortune. He was moved partly by the memory of Antipater’s
hospitality,[103] partly by Herod’s promise, as on a former occasion
when he was made tetrarch, to give him money if he were made king. But
his main incentive to assist Herod in his suit was animosity towards
Antigonus, whom he regarded as a promoter of sedition and an enemy of
the Roman people.
Cæsar[104] was even more ready to meet Herod’s claim and to further his
ends because of the part which Antipater had played in his father’s
campaigns in Egypt and his hospitality and undeviating loyalty; the
desire to gratify Antony, who was a warm admirer of Herod, was a further
motive.
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