; but before he could get to
Rome Tiberius was dead.

3. But Vitellius came into Judea, and went up to Jerusalem; it was at
the time of that festival which is called the Passover. Vitellius was
there magnificently received, and released the inhabitants of Jerusalem
from all the taxes upon the fruits that were bought and sold, and gave
them leave to have the care of the high priest's vestments, with all
their ornaments, and to have them under the custody of the priests in
the temple, which power they used to have formerly, although at this
time they were laid up in the tower of Antonia, the citadel so called,
and that on the occasion following: There was one of the [high] priests,
named Hyrcanus; and as there were many of that name, he was the first of
them; this man built a tower near the temple, and when he had so done,
he generally dwelt in it, and had these vestments with him, because it
was lawful for him alone to put them on, and he had them there reposited
when he went down into the city, and took his ordinary garments; the
same things were continued to be done by his sons, and by their sons
after them. But when Herod came to be king, he rebuilt this tower, which
was very conveniently situated, in a magnificent manner; and because he
was a friend to Antonius, he called it by the name of Antonia. And as he
found these vestments lying there, he retained them in the same place,
as believing, that while he had them in his custody, the people would
make no innovations against him. The like to what Herod did was done by
his son Archelaus, who was made king after him; after whom the Romans,
when they entered on the government, took possession of these vestments
of the high priest, and had them reposited in a stone-chamber, under the
seal of the priests, and of the keepers of the temple, the captain
of the guard lighting a lamp there every day; and seven days before a
festival [13] they were delivered to them by the captain of the guard,
when the high priest having purified them, and made use of them, laid
them up again in the same chamber where they had been laid up before,
and this the very next day after the feast was over. This was the
practice at the three yearly festivals, and on the fast day; but
Vitellius put those garments into our own power, as in the days of our
forefathers, and ordered the captain of the guard not to trouble himself
to inquire where they were laid, or when they were to be used; and
this he did