The first is the assumption of the title
of king. On his own initiative, and apparently without the consent of the
people, he placed the diadem upon his head. The other important act was
the conquest of part of the territory of Iturea, which was known in later
times as Galilee. He found it occupied by a mixed Syrian and Greek
population in which were probably a few descendants of the ancient
Israelites. Following the policy of his family, he doubtless at once
inaugurated a system of colonization which carried to Galilee a strong
Jewish population. Henceforth, by virtue of race, language, and religion,
Galilee was closely bound to Judea.

Section CXIV. THE PHARISEES, SADDUCEES, AND ESSENES

[Sidenote: Jos. Ant. XVIII, 1:2, 3a-c]
The Jews have three sects of philosophy: the Essenes, the Sadducees, and
those called Pharisees. The Pharisees do not yield to luxury but despise
that kind of life; and they follow the guidance of reason, and what that
prescribes to them as good, they do. They also pay respect to those
advanced in years nor are they so bold as to contradict them in anything
which they have introduced. While they believe that all things are done by
predestination, they do not take away from a man the choice of acting as
he deems proper, for they believe that it is God's will that an event be
decided for good or evil both by the divine counsel and by the man who is
willing to accede to it. They also believe that souls possess immortal
power and that under the earth there will be rewards or punishments
according as men have lived virtuously or viciously in this life, and that
the vicious are to be detained in an everlasting prison and that the
virtuous shall have the power to live again.

[Sidenote: Jos. Ant. XVIII, 1:3d]
On account of this doctrine they have great influence with the people, and
whatsoever they do in connection with the divine worship, prayers and
sacrifices, they perform in accordance with the direction of the Pharisees.

[Sidenote: Jos. Ant. XVIII, 1:4a, Jos. Jew. War, II, 8:14c]
But the doctrine of the Sadducees is that souls die with the bodies, nor
do they give heed to anything beyond these things which the law enjoins.
They deny predestination entirely and assert that God exercises no
oversight over any evil doing and they say that good or evil lies before
man to choose, and, according to each man's inclination, he chooses the
one or the other.

[Sidenote: Jos. Ant. XVIII, 1:4b]
They