on him, having sent
Marcus Antonius, with other commanders, before. These armed such Romans
as followed them; and, together with them, such Jews as were subject to
them, whose leaders were Pitholaus and Malichus; and they took with them
also their friends that were with Antipater, and met Alexander, while
Gabinius himself followed with his legion. Hereupon Alexander retired to
the neighborhood of Jerusalem, where they fell upon one another, and
it came to a pitched battle, in which the Romans slew of their enemies
about three thousand, and took a like number alive.

3. At which time Gabinius [10] came to Alexandrium, and invited those
that were in it to deliver it up on certain conditions, and promised
that then their former offenses should be forgiven. But as a great
number of the enemy had pitched their camp before the fortress, whom
the Romans attacked, Marcus Antonius fought bravely, and slew a great
number, and seemed to come off with the greatest honor. So Gabinius left
part of his army there, in order to take the place, and he himself went
into other parts of Judea, and gave order to rebuild all the cities
that he met with that had been demolished; at which time were rebuilt
Samaria, Ashdod, Scythopolis, Anthedon, Raphia, and Dora; Marissa also,
and Gaza, and not a few others besides. And as the men acted according
to Gabinius's command, it came to pass, that at this time these cities
were securely inhabited, which had been desolate for a long time.

4. When Gabinius had done thus in the country, he returned to
Alexandrium; and when he urged on the siege of the place, Alexander sent
an embassage to him, desiring that he would pardon his former offenses;
he also delivered up the fortresses, Hyrcania and Macherus, and at
last Alexandrium itself which fortresses Gabinius demolished. But when
Alexander's mother, who was of the side of the Romans, as having
her husband and other children at Rome, came to him, he granted her
whatsoever she asked; and when he had settled matters with her, he
brought Hyrcanus to Jerusalem, and committed the care of the temple to
him. And when he had ordained five councils, he distributed the nation
into the same number of parts. So these councils governed the people;
the first was at Jerusalem, the second at Gadara, the third at Amathus,
the fourth at Jericho, and the fifth at Sepphoris in Galilee. So the
Jews were now freed from monarchic authority, and were governed by an
aristocracy.