his claims.  Pompey continued to delay a decision on the controversy in 64 also when the rival claimants presented themselves before him at Damascus; he wished first to have the Nabataeans disposed of, and to have free access to them through Judaea.  This hesitation roused the suspicions of Aristobulus; still he did not venture to take decisive action upon them.  He closed the passes (to Mount Ephraim) against the Romans, but afterwards gave them up; he prepared Jerusalem for war, and then went in person to the Roman camp at Jericho, where he promised to open the gates of the city and also to pay a sum of money.  But the Roman ambassadors found the gates barred, and had to return empty-handed.  Aristobulus thereupon was arrested, and siege was laid to Jerusalem.  The party of Hyrcanus, as soon as it had gained the upper hand, surrendered the town; but the supporters of Aristobulus took their stand in the temple, and defended it obstinately.  In June 63 the place was carried by storm; Pompey personally inspected the Holy of Holies, but otherwise spared the religious feelings of the Jews.  But he caused the chief promoters of the war to be executed, and carried Aristobulus and his family into captivity.  He abolished the kingship, but restored the high-priestly dignity to Hyrcanus.  The territory was materially reduced in area, and made tributary to the Romans; the city was occupied by a Roman garrison.

14.  HEROD AND THE ROMANS.

Henceforward Roman intervention forms a constant disturbing factor in Jewish history.  The struggle between the Pharisees and the Sadducees continued indeed to be carried on, but only because the momentum of their old feud was not yet exhausted.  The Pharisees in a sense had been victorious.  While the two brothers were pleading their rival claims before Pompey, ambassadors from the Pharisees had made their appearance in Damascus to petition for the abolition of the kingship; this object had now to some extent been gained.  Less ambiguous than the victory of the Pharisees was the fall of the Sadducees, who in losing the sovereignty of the Jewish state lost all real importance.  But the intervention of the foreign element exercised its most powerful influence upon the temper of the lower classes.  Though in times of peace the masses still continued to accept the guidance of the rabbins, their patriotism instantly burst into flame as soon as a pretender to the throne, belonging to the family of Aristobulus, appeared in Palestine.  During the decennia which immediately followed, Jewish history was practically absorbed in vain attempts to restore the old Hasmonaean kingdom.  Insurrections of steadily increasing dimensions were made in favour of Aristobulus, the representative of the national cause.  For Hyrcanus was not regarded as a Hasmonaean at all, but merely as the creature of Antipater and the Romans.  First, in the year 57, Alexander the son of Aristobulus broke into rebellion, then