Soon after Demetrius had been carried into captivity Trypho deserted Antiochus, who had now reigned four years.  He usurped power, which he basely abused; and Antiochus Soter, brother of Demetrius, raised a force against him and drove him away to Apamea, where he was put to death, his term of power having lasted only three years.  Antiochus Soter then attacked Simon, who successfully resisted, established peace, and ruled in all for eight years.  His death also was the result of treachery, his son-in-law Ptolemy playing him false.  His son Hyrcanus became high-priest, and speedily ejected the forces of Ptolemy from the land.  Subduing all factions, he ruled justly for thirty-one years, leaving five sons.

The eldest, Aristobulus, purposed to change the government into a kingdom, and placed a diadem on his own head; but his mother, to whom the supremacy had been entrusted, disputed his authority.  He cast her into prison, where she was starved to death; and next he compassed the death of his brother Antigonus, but was soon attacked by a painful disease.  He reigned only one year.  His widow, Alexandra, let his brothers out of prison and made Alexander Janneus king.

His reign was one of war and disorder.  With savage cruelty he repressed rebellion, condemning hundreds of Jews to crucifixion.  While these were yet living, their wives and children were slain before their eyes.  His life was ended by a sickness which lasted three years, and after his death civil war broke out between his two sons, Aristobulus and Hyrcanus, in which great barbarities were committed.  The conflict was terminated by the intervention of the Romans under Scarus.  The two brothers appealed to Pompey after he came to Damascus; but that Roman general marched against Jerusalem and took it by force.  Thus we lost our liberty as a nation and became subject to the Romans.

IV.—­The Jews and the Romans

Crassus next came with Roman troops into Judea and pillaged the Temple, and then marched into Parthia, where both he and his army perished.  Then Cassius obtained Syria, and checked the Parthians.  He passed on to Judea, fell on Tarichaea, and took it, and carried away 3,000 Jewish captives.  A wealthy Idumean named Antipater, who had been a great friend of Hyrcanus, and had helped him against Aristobulus, was a very active and seditious man.  He had married Cypros, a lady of his own Idumean race, by whom he had four sons, Phaselus, and Herod, who afterwards became king, and Joseph, and Pheroras; and a daughter, Salome.  He cultivated friendship with other potentates, especially with the King of Arabia, to whom he committed the care of his children while he fought against Aristobulus.  But when Caesar had taken Rome, and after Pompey and the senate had fled beyond the Ionian Sea, Aristobulus was set free from the bonds in which he had been laid.  Caesar resolved to send him with two legions into Syria to set matters right; but Aristobulus had no