The restoration of Hyrcanus was, however, merely nominal, as the Idum^an Antipater, an active friend of the Romans, was placed over him as governor of Judtea. "Now began the struggle which was destined to continue with little intermission for nearl}' two hun- dred years. It was nourished by feelings of the dead- liest animosity on both sides; it was signalized by the most frightful examples of barbarity, in which each of the contending parties strove to outdo the other; but it was directed by a controlling Providence to a bene- ficial consummation, in the destruction of the Jewish nationality, and the dispersion throughout the world of the Christian communities." (See IMerivale, Romans tmder the Empire [Lond. 1865, 8 vols. 8voJ, vol. iii, ch, xxix, where the events of the period are admirably summed up). In the year B.C. 57, Alexander, the el- dest son of Aristobulus, escaped from Pompey, and took up arms in Juda>a. Hyrcanus upon this apjilied for assistance to Gabinius, the Roman proconsul of Syria, who thereupon sent Mark Antony with a large force into Judsea. Antony, being joined by Antipater with the forces of Hyrcanus, defeated Alexander, and com- pelled him to fly to Alexandrium. Gabinius soon after arrived, and, through the mediation of the mother of Al- exander, made peace with him and allowed him to de- part. After these matters were settled, Gabinius went to Jerusalem, and there committed the care of the Tem- ple to Hyrcanus, thus changing the government from a monarchy to an aristocracy. At the same time, he in- stituted five Tjouncils (avi'sSpia) instead of the two sanhedrims which had existed in every city, and he distributed these five among five cities. Tlicse were Jerusalem, (iadara, Amathus, Jericho, and Sepphoris, in Galilee (Josephus, .1 nt. xiv, 5, 4). In B.C. 54 Gabinius
ROMAN EMPIRE
87
ROMAN EMPIRE
was superseded in the government of Syria by Crassiis, who i)Unidered the Temple of ahoiit lO.OUO talents, not- withstanding that a beam of gold of immense value bad been given him, on condition tliat he would touch nothing else in the Temple (HjuI. xiv, 7, 1). All this time Antipater was gaining influence with the Ro- mans ; and after the death of Pompey, in B.C. 48, he was very useful to Julius Caesar in his war against Egypt. In return for this, he made Antipater procu- rator of Jiuliea, gave him the privilege of a citizen of Kome, and freedom from taxes everywhere, llvrca- nus also was confirmed in the priesthood and eth- narchy, the claims of Antigonus, the only surviving son of Aristobulus, being set aside, and thus the aristo- cratical constitution of Gabinius was abolished ( ibirl. xiv). The ascendency and prosperity of Antipater were now insured. At this period he had four sons. Two of them, Phasael and Herod, were holding impor- tant posts, the former being governor of Jerusalem, and the latter governor of Galilee. Finally, Anripater's son, Herod the Great, was made king by Antony's interest, B.C. 40, and confirmed in the kingdom by Augustus, B.C. 30 (ibid, xiv, 14; xv, 6). The Jews, however, were all this time tributaries of Rome, and their princes in reality were mere Roman procurators. Julius Cassar is said to have exacted from them a fourth part of their agricultural produce in addition to the tithe paid to Hyrcanus (ibid, xiv, 10,6). tJoman soldiers were (juar- tered at Jerusalem in Herod's time to support him in his authority (ibid, xv, 3, 7). Tribute was paid to Rome, and an oath of allegiance to the emperor as well as to Herod appears to have been taken by the people (ibid. xvii, 2, 2). On the banishment of Archelaus, A.D. 6, Judaea became a mere appendage of the province of Syria, and was governed by a Roman procurator, who resided at Csesarea. Galilee and the adjoining districts were still left under the government of Herod's sons and other petty princes, whose dominions and titles were changed from time to time by successive emper- ors. See Heuod.
The Jewish people, being at last worn out with the disputes and cruelties of the Herods, sent a mission to Rome, begging that Judrea might be made a Roman province. In the year A.D. 6, Archelaus was banished, and Jud»a put under the government of Rome. The first procurator appointed was Cfiponius, who accom- panied Cyrenius (the Greek form of the Roman name Quirinus) into Syria. The latter had been sent to take an account of their substance, and to make a census or c'lTToypcKpr] [see Chronology; Cvrenkis] of the in- habitants of Judfea (Luke ii, 1; Josephus, Ant. xvii, 13, 5; xviii, 1, 1; War, ii, 8, 1). In A.U. 9 Coponius was succeeded by Marcus Ambivius, who remained at the head of the government till A.D. 12, and was then replaced by Annius Rufus. On the accession of Tibe- rius, Valerius Gratus was made procurator, a post he filled for eleven j'ears, and was succeeded (A.D. 26) by Pontius Pilate (Josephus, Anf. xviii, 2, 2), who entered Jerusalem with the military ensigns, on which were the effigies of the emperor. The Jewish law forbids the mak- ing of images, and a great tumult arose, and shortly Ti- berius ordered him to withdraw them (ibid, xviu, 3, 1; War, ii, 9, 3). Pilate tyrannically governed the Jews till A.D. 36 ; and at last, owing to continual complaints, was ordered by Vitellius, the president of Syria, to pro- ceed to Rome to give an account of his administration. Tiberius died before he arrived, and he put an end to his life at the commencement of the reign of Cains (Ca- ligula) (Josephus, A nt. xviii, 3, 1-3 ; 4, 1 ; Wur, ii, 9, 2 ; Euseb. //. E. ii, 7). It was during his administration that our Lord was condemned and crucified ( Matt, xxvii ; Mark xv; Luke iii, 1; xxiii; John xviii, xix). On Pilate's departure, Marullus was appointed over Judaea by Vitellius (Josephus, Ant. xviii, 4, 2). The new em- peror, Caius, however, superseded him, and appointed Marcellus procurator of Judaea (ibid, xviii, 6, 10). In A.D. 40 Vitellius was recalled, and Petronius sent as presi-