the government with him, for Hyrcanus had
left her in control of everything. He also proceeded to that degree of
barbarity that he killed her in prison with hunger. Moreover he was
estranged from his brother Antigonus by false charges and also slew him,
although he seemed to have a great affection for him and had shared the
kingdom with him. But Aristobulus immediately repented of the slaughter of
his brother; on which account his disease grew upon him.

[Sidenote: Jos. Ant. XIII, 11:3e]
Then Aristobulus died, after having reigned a year. He was called a lover
of the Greeks and conferred many benefits on his country. He also made a
war against Iturea [Galilee], and added a great part of it to Judea and
compelled the inhabitants, if they wished to remain in that country, to be
circumcised and to live according to the Jewish laws.

I. Murder of Simon. Even his moderation and kindly rule did not deliver
Simon from the violent death that overtook all the sons of Mattathias.

His murderer was his son-in-law, a certain Ptolemy, who was governor of
the Jordan Valley, the resources of which had been developed under Simon.
Ptolemy trusted to the support of the Syrian court, but he failed to
reckon with two things: (1) the loyalty of the people to their Maccabean
leaders; and (2) the ability of Simon's son, John Hyrcanus. Instead of
falling a victim to Ptolemy's plot, John at once went to Jerusalem where
he was made the high priest and governor by the people. Ptolemy, who was
besieged in the castle of Dok, saved his miserable life only by shameless
perfidy.

II. The Syrian Invasion. Antiochus Sidetes proved the ablest Syrian king
of this period. Although his first attack had been repelled by Simon,
he again attempted, on the accession of Hyrcanus, to reestablish
his authority in Palestine. Josephus, in his account, obscures this
humiliating chapter in Jewish history. The statement that Hyrcanus took
from the tomb of David vast wealth and thus purchased immunity from Syrian
attack has all the characteristics of an Oriental tale. Instead, Antiochus
Sidetes not only besieged but captured Jerusalem, and doubtless compelled
the Jews to pay heavy tribute. Preferring, however, to retain their
loyalty rather than to crush them, he left John Hyrcanus in control of
Judea, and Jerusalem escaped destruction. In the disastrous campaign
against the Parthians in which Antiochus lost his life John Hyrcanus
accompanied him with a following of