the best and most splendid manner his private affairs
would enable him to do, and partly that he might, by their means,
correct such things as were amiss in his government,] he removed from
that Cesarea which was by the sea-side, and went to that which is called
Cesarea Philippi [6] and there he refreshed his army for twenty days,
and was himself feasted by king Agrippa, where he also returned public
thanks to God for the good success he had had in his undertakings. But
as soon as he was informed that Tiberias was fond of innovations, and
that Tarichere had revolted, both which cities were parts of the kingdom
of Agrippa, and was satisfied within himself that the Jews were every
where perverted [from their obedience to their governors], he thought it
seasonable to make an expedition against these cities, and that for the
sake of Agrippa, and in order to bring his cities to reason. So he sent
away his son Titus to [the other] Cesarea, that he might bring the army
that lay there to Seythopous, which is the largest city of Decapolis,
and in the neighborhood of Tiberias, whither he came, and where he
waited for his son. He then came with three legions, and pitched his
camp thirty furlongs off Tiberias, at a certain station easily seen
by the innovators; it is named Sennabris. He also sent Valerian, a
decurion, with fifty horsemen, to speak peaceably to those that were in
the city, and to exhort them to give him assurances of their fidelity;
for he had heard that the people were desirous of peace, but were
obliged by some of the seditious part to join with them, and so were
forced to fight for them. When Valerian had marched up to the place, and
was near the wall, he alighted off his horse, and made those that were
with him to do the same, that they might not be thought to come to
skirmish with them; but before they could come to a discourse one with
another, the most potent men among the seditious made a sally upon them
armed; their leader was one whose name was Jesus, the son of Shaphat,
the principal head of a band of robbers. Now Valerian, neither thinking
it safe to fight contrary to the commands of the general, though he
were secure of a victory, and knowing that it was a very hazardous
undertaking for a few to fight with many, for those that were unprovided
to fight those that were ready, and being on other accounts surprised at
this unexpected onset of the Jews, he ran away on foot, as did five of
the rest in like man
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