[Sidenote:  Jos.  Jew.  War, I, 9:5b] And when Caesar had settled the affairs of Egypt and returned again into Syria, he gave Antipater the rights of a Roman citizen and freedom from taxes, and made him an object of admiration because of the other honors and marks of friendship that he bestowed upon him.  It was on this account that he also confirmed Hyrcanus in the high priesthood.

[Sidenote:  Jos.  Jew.  War, I, 10:1, 2a, 3a] It was about this time that Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus, came to Caesar and became in a surprising manner the cause of Antipater’s further advance.  For he proceeded to denounce Hyrcanus and Antipater.  Then Antipater threw off his garments and showed the many wounds he had, and said that regarding his good will to Caesar it was not necessary for him to say a word because his body cried aloud, though he himself said nothing.  When Caesar heard this he declared Hyrcanus to be most deserving of the high priesthood, and Antipater was appointed procurator of all Judea and also obtained permission to rebuild those walls of his country that had been thrown down.

[Sidenote:  Jos.  Jew.  War, I, 10:4] As soon as Antipater had conducted Caesar out of Syria, he returned to Judea, and the first thing he did was to rebuild the walls of his own country.  Then he went over the country and quieted the tumults therein.  And at this time he settled the affairs of the country by himself, because he saw that Hyrcanus was inactive and not capable of managing the affairs of the kingdom.  So Antipater appointed his oldest son, Phasaelus, governor of Jerusalem and the surrounding territory.  He also sent his second son, Herod, who was very young, with equal authority into Galilee.

[Sidenote:  Jos.  Jew.  War, I, 10:5a, b] Now Herod was a very active man and soon found a field for his energy.  When, therefore, he found that Hezekias, leader of the robbers, overran the adjoining parts of Syria with a great band of men, he caught him and slew him and many more of the robbers.  This exploit was especially pleasing to the Syrians, so that songs were sung in Herod’s commendation both in the villages and in the cities, because he had secured peace for them and had preserved their possessions.

[Sidenote:  Jos.  Jew.  War, I, 11:1, 4] At this time a mighty war arose among the Romans after the treacherous murder of Caesar by Cassius and Brutus.  Accordingly Cassius came into Syria and assumed command of the army, and went about exacting tribute of the cities to such a degree that they were not able to endure it.  During the war between Cassius and Brutus on the one side, against the younger Caesar (Augustus) and Antony on the other, Cassius and Murcus gathered an army out of Syria.  And because Herod had furnished a great part of the necessities, they made him procurator of all Syria and gave him an army of infantry and cavalry.  Cassius promised him also that after the war was over he would make him king of Judea.  But it so happened that the power and hopes of his son became the cause of Antipater’s destruction.  For inasmuch as a certain Malichus was afraid of this, he bribed one of the king’s cup-bearers to give a poisoned potion to Antipater.  Thus he became a sacrifice to Malichus’s wickedness and died after the feast.