situated near Nicopolis, about 20 miles N. W. of Je- | had never been removed, but was, on this occasion, rusalem. first opened. 2. AJALON, in Benjamin, fortified by Rehoboam, 2 Chron. xi. 10. A city of this name is mentioned by Eusebius as being three miles east of Bethel. 3. AJALON, in the tribe of Zabulun, where Elon was buried, Judg. xii. 12. AIN, (a fountain,) a city first given to the tribe of Judah, and then to the Simeonites, Josh. xv. 32. 1 Chron. iv. 32. AIR. The air, or atmosphere, surrounding the earth, is often denoted by the word heaven; so the birds of the heaven-for the birds of the air. God rained fire and brimstone on Sodom from heaven, that is, from the air, Gen. xix. 24, "Let fire come down from heaven," that is, from the air, 2 Kings i. 10. Moses menaces Israel with the effects of God's wrath, by destruction with a pestilential air, (Deut. xxviii. 22.) or perhaps with a scorching wind, producing mortal diseases; or with a blast which ruins the corn, 1 Kings viii. 37. See WIND. To "beat the air," and to "speak in the air," (1 Cor. ix. 26; xiv. 9.) are modes of expression used in most languages, signifying-to speak or act without judgment, or understanding; or to no purpose; to fatigue ourselves in vain. "The powers of the air" (Eph. ii. 2.) probably mean devils, who exercise their powers principally in the air; exciting winds, storms, and tempests, or other malign influences, (see Job i. 7.) and to which, perhaps, the apostle may allude; if it be not rather an accommodation to the Jewish belief which was current in his days, that the air was the abode of evil spirits. See ANGEL. ALABARCHA, a term not found in Scripture, but which Josephus uses repeatedly, to signify the chief of the Jews in Alexandria. Philo calls this magistrate, Ferigyns, Genarches, and Josephus, in some places, Ethnarches; which terms signify the prince, or chief, of a nation. Some believe, that the term alabarch was given, in raillery, to the principal magistrate, or head of the Jews at Alexandria, by the Gentiles, who despised the Jews. Some derive it from Alaba, which signifies ink, to write with; Alabarcha would then signify the "chief secretary," or collector of the customs and duties on cattle carried out of the country. Fuller derives it from the Syriac Halaph, and Arcin, or Arcon, that is, the intendant, or the sovereign's delegate; for in places where the Jews were numerous, a principal of their own nation, or some other to whom they might address themselves, in their own affairs, was placed over them. Perhaps it originally signified the person who had the custom of salt; but was wantonly given to the head, or governor, of the Jews at Alexandria. ALABASTER, a genus of fossils having the color of the human nail, nearly allied to marbles, and, according to Pliny, found in the neighborhood of Thebes, in Egypt, and about Damascus, in Syria. This material being very generally used to fabricate vessels for holding unguents, and perfumed liquids, many vessels were called alabaster, though made of a different substance, as gold, silver, glass, etc. In Matt. xxvi. 6, 7. we read, that, Jesus being at table in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, a woman (Mary, sister of Lazarus, John xii. 3.) poured an alabaster box of precious ointment on his head. Mark says "she brake the box,” signifying, probably, that the seal upon the box, or upon the neck of the vase or bottle, which kept the perfume from evaporating, Be ALCIMUS, or, as he is called by Josephus, JACIMUS, or JOACHIM, high-priest of the Jews, A. M. 3842. He was of the sacerdotal race, but his ancestors had never enjoyed the high-priesthood. sides, he had been polluted with idolatry, during the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes, (2 Macc. xiv. 3.) and he obtained his dignity by very irregular means. After the death of Menelaus, he was confirmed in his office by Antiochus Eupator, but did not perform its functions till after the death of Judas Maccabæus. Having obtained intelligence that Demetrius, son of Antiochus Epiphanes, had privately left Rome, and arrived in Syria, he put himself at the head of the apostate Jews who were then at Antioch, and throwing himself at the feet of the new king, besought him to defend them from the violence of Judas Maccabæus, whom he accused as an oppressor of the king's party, and who had dispersed and driven them out of their country. He also entreated him to send some one into Judea, to examine into the mischiefs and disorders committed by Judas Maccabæus, and to chastise his insolence. Demetrius immediately sent Bacchides with an army into Judea, and, confirming Alcimus in his office of highpriest, charged them both with the conduct of the war. Upon their arrival in Judea, they endeavored to ensnare Judas and his brethren, under the pretence of treating with them; but suspecting or discovering the snare, the brothers happily avoided it. About sixty Assideans, however, and many scribes and doctors of the law, relying on his oath, that no injury should be offered to them, put themselves in his power, and were all murdered. Bacchides, having established Alcimus by force in Judea, returned into Syria, having committed the province to Alcimus, and left troops sufficient for the purpose. Alcimus, for some time, successfully defended himself, but Judas soon recovered the superiority, and Alcimus returned to the king, with a present of a gold crown, a palm-tree, and golden branches; which, in all probability, he had taken out of the temple, 2 Macc. xiv. 3, 4, &c. Having represented to Demetrius that his authority could not be established in Judea so long as Judas lived, the king sent another army against him, under the command of Nicanor, 1 Macc. vii. 25, seq. After several ineffectual attempts to secure the person of Judas, Nicanor was killed at Capharsalama, and his army routed. Demetrius, being informed of this, again sent Bacchides and Alcimus, with a strong reinforcement, formed of the choicest of his troops. Judas, whose little army had been so reduced, that he had not above eight hundred men, ventured, with this small force, to attack the enemy, and after prodigies of valor, died, overwhelmed by numbers, 1 Macc. ix. 1-22. The death of Judas delivered Alcimus and his party from a formidable enemy, and he began to exercise the offices of the high-priesthood; but, attempting to pull down the wall of the inner court, which had been built by the prophets, (that, probably, which separated the altar of burnt-offerings from the priest's court,) God punished him by a stroke of the palsy, of which he died, after enjoying the pontificate three or four years, 1 Macc. vii. 9; ix. 54. A. M. 3844. jamin, (1 Chron. vi. 60.) called Almon, in Josh. | donia, I saw the God of the Jews, who appeared to I. ALEXANDER THE GREAT, Son and successor of Philip king of Macedon, is denoted in the prophecies of Daniel, by a leopard with four wings, signifying his great strength, and the unusual rapidity of his conquests, ch. vii. 6; also as a one-horned hegoat, running over the earth so swiftly as not to touch it; attacking a ram with two horns, overthrowing him, and trampling him under foot, without any being able to rescue him, ch. viii. 4-7. The he-goat prefigured Alexander; the ram, Darius Codomannus, the last of the Persian kings. In the statue beheld by Nebuchadnezzar, in a dream, (ch. ii. 39.) | the belly of brass was the emblem of Alexander, and the legs of iron designated his successors. He was appointed by God to destroy the Persian empire, and to substitute the Grecian monarchy. Alexander was born at Pella, ante A. D. 355. Philip was killed at a marriage feast, when Alexander was about eighteen. After he had performed the last duties to his father, he was chosen by the Greeks general of their troops against the Persians, and entered Asia with an army of 34,000 men, A. M. 3670. In one campaign he subdued almost all Asia Minor. He defeated Orobates, one of Darius's generals; and Darius himself, whose army consisted of 400,000 foot, and 100,000 horse, in the narrow passes which lead from Syria to Cilicia. Darius fled, abandoning his camp and baggage, his children, wife, and mother. After he had subdued Syria, Alexander came to Tyre, and the Tyrians opposing his entrance into their city, he besieged it. At the same time he wrote to Jaddus, high-priest of the Jews, that he expected to be acknowledged by him, and to receive those submissions which had hitherto been paid to the king of Persia. Jaddus refusing to comply, as having sworn fidelity to Darius, Alexander resolved to march against Jerusalem, when he had reduced Tyre. After a protracted siege, the city was taken and sacked. This done, Alexander entered Palestine, and reduced it. As he was marching against Jerusalem, intending to punish the highpriest, Jaddus, fearing his resentment, had recourse to God by prayers and sacrifices. The Lord, in a dream, commanded Jaddus to open the gates to the conqueror, and, dressed in his pontifical ornaments, attended by the priests, in their formalities, at the Alexander, having conquered Egypt, and reguhead of his people, to receive Alexander in triumph. lated it, gave orders for the continuation of his new Jaddus obeyed; and Alexander, seeing from a dis- city, Alexandria, and departed thence about spring, tance this company advancing, was struck with ad- into the East, in pursuit of Darius. Passing through miration, and approaching the high-priest, he saluted Palestine, he was informed that the Samaritans, in him first, then adored God, whose name was en- a general insurrection, had killed Andromachus, graven on a thin plate of gold worn by the high-governor of Syria and Palestine, who, coming to priest on his forehead. The people, in the mean Samaria, to regulate some affairs, had been burned while, surrounded Alexander, with great acclama- in his house by the inhabitants. This action highly tions. The kings of Syria, who accompanied him, incensed Alexander, who loved Andromachus, and and the great officers about Alexander, could not he therefore ordered all who were concerned in bis comprehend the meaning of his conduct. Parmenio murder to be executed; the rest he banished from alone ventured to ask, Why he, to whom all people Samaria, and settled a colony of Macedonians in prostrated themselves, had prostrated himself before their room. The Samaritans who escaped this cathe high-priest of the Jews? Alexander replied, lamity, collected in Sichem, at the foot of mount Gethat he paid this respect to God, and not to the high-rizim, which became their capital, as it still continpriest; "for," added he, "while I was yet in Mace- ues. And lest the 8000 men of this nation, who It should here be observed, that these accounts of Alexander's reverence for the high-priest, his dream, etc. rest only on the authority of Josephus, and are probably to be regarded as a Jewish legend. R. were in his service, and had accompanied him since | the siege of Tyre, if sent back into their own country, might renew the spirit of rebellion, Alexander sent them into Thebaïs, the most remote southern province of Egypt, and there assigned them lands. Joseph. c. Apion. ii. After Alexander had subdued Asia, and opened a way to India, with incredible rapidity, he gave himself up to intemperance; and having drank to excess, he fell sick, and died, after he had obliged "all the world to be quiet before him," 1 Macc. i. 3. Being sensible that his end was near, he sent for his court, and declared, that "he gave the empire to the most deserving." Some affirm, however, that he regulated the succession by a will. The author of the first book of Maccabees (chap. i. 6.) says, he divided his kingdom among his generals while he was living; and it is certain, that a partition was made of his dominions among the four principal officers of his army. He died A. M. 3681, ante A. D. 323, at the age of thirty-three, after reigning twelve years; six as king of Macedon, and six as monarch of Asia. He was buried at Alexandria. The name of Alexander is equally celebrated in the writings of the orientals, as in those of the Greeks and Romans; but they vary extremely from the accounts which western historians give of him. They call him Iscander Dulkarnaim, "doublehorned Alexander," alluding to the two horns of his empire (or his power) in the east and west. strengthen himself by an alliance with the king of Egypt, whose daughter he demanded in marriage. Ptolemy complied with the demand, and the marriage was concluded at Ptolemais, where the two kings met, 1 Macc. x. 51-58. Jos. Ant. xiii. 4. Jonathan was also present, and received marks of distinction from both the princes. Alexander Balas, however, did not long remain undisturbed in possession of his throne. Within two years, Demetrius Nicator, the eldest son of the former Demetrius Soter, at the head of some troops which he had received from Lasthenes, of Crete, passed into Cilicia. Alexander was then in Phonicia, but instantly returned to Antioch, that he might prepare for the arrival of Demetrius. In the mean time, Apollonius, who had received the command of Demetrius's troops, was defeated by Jonathan Maccabæus and his brother Simon, who also took Azotus and Ascalon, and returned laden with spoil to Jerusalem. Alexander, in reward for these services, advanced Jonathan to new honors, sent him the buckle of gold, which was generally given only to near relations of the king, and made an addition to his territory, 1 Macc. x. 69. While this was transpiring in Syria, Ptolemy Philometer was devising how to unite the kingdom of Syria with Egypt, and determined upon private measures to destroy both Demetrius Nicator and Alexander Balas. Under pretence of assisting his son-in-law Alexander, he entered Syria with a powerful army, and after having seized several cities, he represented that Balas had prepared ambuscades for him in Ptolemaïs, with intention to surprise him. Ptolemy advanced to Antioch without resistance, assumed the throne, and put on his head the two diadems of Egypt and Syria, 1 Macc. xi. 1-13. Jos. Ant. xiii. 4. II. ALEXANDER BALAS, SO called from Bala, his mother, was the natural son of Antiochus Epiphanes: he is, on medals, surnamed Theopator Euergetes. Some historians, however, will not allow him to be even the natural son of Antiochus Epiphanes. Florus calls him an unknown person, and of uncertain extraction. Justin says that the enemies of Demetrius, king of Syria, suborned a young man, from Balas, who had returned into Cilicia, there gathamong the meanest of the people, to declare himself ered a numerous army, with which he marched son and heir of Antiochus; and that he, warring against Ptolemy and Demetrius Nicator, now conwith success against the king of Syria, obtained his federated against him, and gave them battle on the kingdom. Appian affirms that Alexander Balas pre- river Enæparas; but being overcome, he fled, with tended to be of the family of the Seleucidæ, without five hundred horse, into Arabia; where Zabdiel, a any right to that pretension; and Athenæus says, prince of the Arabians, cut off his head, and sent it that he was the supposed son of Antiochus Epiph- to Ptolemy. Such is the history, at least in the first anes. But the Roman senate, the Jews, the Egyp-book of Maccabees, (xi. 15-17.) but other historitians, and the Syrians, acknowledged him as son and ans relate, that Alexander's generals, considering heir of that prince. Heraclides of Byzantium was their own interests and security, treated privately the person who undertook to seat Alexander Balas with Demetrius, treacherously killed their master, on the throne of Syria, and to displace Demetrius, and sent his head to Ptolemy at Antioch, A. M. who was his particular enemy. He carried Alexan- 3859. Alexander Balas left a son very young, called der, and Laodicea, a daughter of Antiochus Epiph- Antiochus Theos, whom Tryphon raised to the anes, to Rome, and by presents and intrigue pre- throne of Syria. vailed on the senate not only to acknowledge Alexander as the heir of Antiochus, but also to afford him assistance in recovering the dominions of his father. Having made preparations at Ephesus to prosecute the war against Demetrius, Alexander sailed into Syria, and having obtained possession of Ptolemais, he wrote to Jonathan Maccabæus, sending him a purple robe and a crown of gold, to induce him to espouse his cause, 1 Macc. x. 18. Jonathan yielded to his solicitation, and, notwithstanding the liberal promises and assurances of Demetrius, declared for Alexander. The contending kings committed the determination of their cause to a decisive battle, in which Demetrius, after being deserted by his troops, and performing prodigies of valor, was slain, 1 Macc. x. 48, etc. Jos. Ant. xiii. 2. Alexander Balas, having thus obtained possession of the kingdom, determined to III. ALEXANDER JANNEUS, third son of John Hircanus, who left three sons, or five, according to Josephus, de Bello, i. 3. The father was particularly fond of Antigonus and Aristobulus, but could not endure his third son, Alexander, because he had dreamed that he would reign after him; which dream extremely afflicted him, inasmuch as, according to the law of nature, it implied the death of his two brothers. Events justified the dream. Antigonus never reigned, and Aristobulus reigned but for a short time. After his death, Salome, or Alexandra, his widow, liberated Alexander, whom Aristobulus had confined in prison since their father's death, and made him king. Alexander, being seated on the throne, put to death one of his brothers, who had formed a design on his life, and heaped favors on another, called Absalom, who, being contented with a private condition, lived peaceably, and retired from public employments. Alexander was of a warlike, enterprising disposition; and when he had regulated his dominions, he marched against Ptolemais, but was soon compelled to relinquish the object of his expedition, in order to defend his own territories against Ptolemy Lathyrus, who had marched a powerful army into Galilee. Alexander gave him battle near Asophus, not far from the Jordan; but Ptolemy killed 30,000, or, as others say, 50,000 of his men. After this victory, he met with no resistance. His mother, Cleopatra, however, apprehensive for the safety of Egypt, determined to stop his further progress, and for this purpose levied a numerous army, and equipping a large fleet, soon landed in Phoenicia. Ptolemais opened its gates to receive her; and here Alexander Jannæus presented himself in her camp with considerable presents, and was received as an unhappy prince, an enemy of Ptolemy, who had no refuge but the queen's protection. Cleopatra made an alliance with him in the city of Scythopolis, and Alexander marched with his troops into Colo-Syria, where he took the town of Gadara, after a siege of ten months, and after that Amathus, one of the best fortresses in the country, where Theodorus, son of Zeno, had lodged his most valuable property, as in absolute security. This Theodorus, falling suddenly on Alexander's army, killed 10,000, and plundered his baggage. Alexander, however, was not deterred by this disaster from prosecuting his purposes: having recruited his army, he besieged Raphia, Anthedon, and Gaza, towns on the Mediterranean, and took them: the latter, after a desperate resistance, was reduced to a heap of ruins. After this, Alexander returned to Jerusalem, but did not find that peace he expected. The Jews revolted; and on the feast of tabernacles, while he, as high-priest, was preparing to sacrifice, the people assembled in the temple had the insolence to throw lemons at him, taken from the branches which they carried in their hands. To these insults they added reproaches, crying that he who had been a slave, was not worthy to go up to the holy altar, and offer solemn sacrifices. Provoked by this insolence, Alexander put the seditious to the sword, and killed about 6,000. Afterwards he erected a partition of wood before the altar and the inner temple, to prevent the approach of the people; and to defend himself in future against such attempts, he took into his pay guards from Pisidia and Cilicia. Finding Jerusalem likely to continue the seat of clamor and discontent, Alexander quitted the metropolis, at the head of his army; and, having crossed the Jordan, he made war upon the Moabites and Ammonites, and obliged them to pay tribute; attacked Amathus, the fortress beyond Jordan, before mentioned, and razed it; and also made war with Obeda, king of the Arabians, whom he subdued. On his return to Jerusalem he found the Jews more incensed against him than ever; and a civil war shortly ensued, in which he killed above 50,000 persons. All his endeavors to bring about a reconciliation proving fruitless, Alexander one day asked them what they would have him do to acquire their good will. They answered unanimously, 'that he had nothing to do but to kill himself. After this they sent deputies to desire succors from Demetrius Eucarus, against their king, who marched into Judea, with 3000 horse, and 40,000 infantry, and encamped at Sichem. A battle ensued, in which Alexander was defeated, and compelled to fly to the mountains for shelter. This oc currence, however, contributed to his re-establishment, for a large number of the Jews, touched with the unhappy condition of their king, joined him; and Demetrius, retiring into Syria, left the Jews to oppose their king with their own forces. Alexander, collecting his army, marched against his rebellious subjects, whom he overcame in every engagement, and having shut up the fiercest of them in Bethom, he forced the town, made them prisoners, and carried them to Jerusalem, where he ordered eight hundred of them to be crucified before him, during a great entertainment which he made for his friends; and before these unhappy wretches had expired, he commanded their wives and children to be murdered in their presence-an unheard-of and excessive cruelty, which occasioned the people of his own party to call him "Thracides," meaning "as cruel as a Thracian." Some time afterwards, Antiochus, surnamed Dionysius, having conquered Damascus, resolved to invade Judea; but Alexander defeated his intention, and compelled him to return into Arabia, where he was killed. Aretas, the succeeding king of Damascus, however, came into Judea, and defeated Alexander, in the plain of Sephala. A peace being concluded, Aretas returned to Damascus ; and Alexander ingratiated himself with the Jews. Having given himself up to excessive drinking, he brought on a violent quartan fever, which terminated his life. His queen, Alexandra, observing him to be near his end, and foreseeing all she had to fear from a mutinous people, not easily governed, and her children not of age to conduct her affairs, was greatly distressed. Alexander told her, that to reign in peace, she should conceal his death from the army, till Ragaba, which he was then besieging, was taken; that, when returned to Jerusa lem, she should give the Pharisees some share in the government; that she should send for the principal of them, show them his dead body, give them permission to treat it with what indignities they pleased, in revenge for the ill treatment they had received from him, and promise that she would in future do nothing in the government without their advice and participation. “If you do thus,” he added, "you may be assured, they will make a very honorable funeral for me, and you will reign in peace, supported by their credit and authority among the people." Having said these words, he expired, aged forty-eight, after a reign of twenty-seven years, A. M. 3926, ante A. D. 78. This admission of the Pharisees into the government, demands the especial notice of the reader, as it accounts, not only for their influence over the minds of the people, bu also for their connection with the rulers, and their power as public governors, which appear so remark ably in the history of the Gospels; much beyond what might be expected from a sect merely reli gious. Alexander left two sons, Hircanus and Aris tobulus, who disputed the kingdom and high-priest hood, till the time of Herod the Great, and whos dissensions caused the ruin of their family, and wer the means of Herod's elevation. Joseph. Ant. xii c. 12–16. [21-24.] See ALEXANDRA. IV. ALEXANDER, son of Aristobulus and A exandra, and grandson of Alexander Jannæus, was i have been carried captive to Rome, with his brothe Antigonus, when Pompey took Jerusalem from Ari tobulus. On the way, however, he found means to e cape, and, returning to Judea, raised an army of 10,00 foot, and 15,000 horse, with which he performe many gallant actions, and seized the fortresses o Alexandrium and Machærus. Gabinius, the general of the Roman troops, however, drove him from the mountains, beat him near Jerusalem, killed 3000 of his men, and made many prisoners. By the mediation of his mother, Alexandra, matters were accommodated with Gabinius, and the Romans marched into Egypt, but were soon compelled to return, by the violent proceedings of Alexander. Wherever he met with Romans, he sacrificed them to his resentment, and a number were compelled to fortify themselves on mount Gerizim, where Gabinius found him at his return from Egypt. Being apprehensive of engaging the great number of troops who were with Alexander, Gabinius sent Antipater with offers of general pardon, if they laid down their arms. This had the desired success; many forsook Alexander, and retired to their own houses; but with 30,000 still remaining, he resolved to give the Romans battle. The armies met at the foot of mount Tabor, where, after a very obstinate action, Alexander was overcome, with the loss of 10,000 men. | Herod had put to death their mother, Mariamne. Whatever they said was immediately reported to the king, in the most odious and aggravated terms, and Herod, having no distrust of his brother and sister, confided in their representations, as to his sons' intentions of revenging their mother's death. To check, in some degree, their lofty spirits, he sent for his eldest son, Antipater, to court, he having been brought up at a distance from Jerusalem, because the quality of his mother was much inferior to that of Mariamne-thinking that by thus making Aristobulus and Alexander sensible that it was in his power to prefer another of his sons before them, they would be rendered more circumspect in their conduct. The contrary, however, was the case. The presence of Antipater only exasperated the two princes, and he at length succeeded in so entirely alienating his father's affection from them, that Herod carried them to Rome, to accuse them before Augustus, of designs against his life, B. C. 11. But the young princes defended themselves so well, and Under the government of Crassus, Alexander affected the spectators so deeply with their tears, again began to embroil affairs; but after the unhap- that Augustus reconciled them to their father, and py expedition against the Parthians, Cassius obliged sent them back to Judea, apparently in perfect union him, under conditions, to continue quiet, while he with Antipater, who expressed great satisfaction to marched to the Euphrates, to oppose the passage of see them restored to Herod's favor. When returned the Parthians. During the wars between Cæsar to Jerusalem, Herod convened the people in the and Pompey, Alexander and Aristobulus, his father, temple, and publicly declared his intention, that his espoused Cæsar's interest. Aristobulus was poi- sons should reign after him; first Antipater, then soned, and Alexander beheaded at Antioch, A. M. | Alexander, and afterwards Aristobulus. This dec3945. Joseph. Ant. xiv. Bell. Jud. i. c. 8. [c. 6, 7.] laration exasperated the two brothers still further, V. ALEXANDER, son of Jason, was sent to and gave new occasion to Pheroras, Salome, and Rome, to renew friendship and alliance between the Antipater, to represent their disaffection to Herod. Jews and Romans: he is named in the decree of The king had three confidential eunuchs, whom he ⚫ the senate directed to the Jews, in the ninth year of employed even in affairs of great importance. These Hircanus's pontificate, A. M. 3935; B. C. 69. Jos. were accused of being corrupted by the money of Ant. xiv. 16. Alexander, and being subjected to the rack, the extremity of the torture induced them to confess, that they had been often solicited by Alexander and Aristobulus to abandon Herod and join them and their party, who were ready for any undertaking, in asserting their indisputable right to the crown. One of them added, that the two brothers had conspired to lay snares for their father, while hunting; and were resolved, should he die, to go instantly to Rome, and beg the kingdom of Augustus. Letters were produced likewise from Alexander to Aristobulus, wherein he complained that Herod had given fields to Antipater, which produced an annual rent of two hundred talents. VI. ALEXANDER, son of Theodorus, was sent to Rome, by Hircanus, to renew his alliance with the senate. He is named in the decree of the senate, addressed to the magistrates of Ephesus, made in the consulship of Dolabella; which specified that the Jews should not be forced into military service, because they could not bear arms on the sabbath day, nor have, at all times, such provisions in the armies as were authorized by their law. Jos. Ant. xiv. 17. VII. ALEXANDER, son of Herod the Great and Mariamne. The history of this prince can hardly be separated from that of Aristobulus, his brother, and companion in misfortune. After the tragical death of their mother, Mariamne, Herod sent them to Rome, to be educated in a manner suitable to their rank. Augustus allowed them an apartment in his palace, intending this mark of his consideration as a compliment to their father Herod. On their return to Judea, the people received the princes with great joy; but Salome, Herod's sister, who had been the principal cause of Mariamne's death, apprehending that if ever the sons of the latter possessed authority, she would feel the effects of their resentment, resolved, by her calumnies, to alienate the affections of their father from them. This she managed with great address, and for some time discovered no symptoms of ill-will. Herod married Alexander to Glaphyra, daughter of Archelaus, king of Cappadocia, and Aristobulus to Berenice, daughter of Salome. Pheroras, the king's brother, and Salome, his sister, conspiring to destroy these young princes, watched closely their conduct, and often induced them to speak their thoughts freely and forcibly, concerning the manner in which This intelligence confirmed the fears of Herod, and rendered him suspicious of all persons about his court. Alexander was put under arrest, and his principal friends to the torture. The prince, however, was not dejected at this storm. He not only denied nothing which had been extorted from his friends, but admitted even more than they had alleged againts him; whether designing to confound the credulity and suspicions of his father, or to involve the whose court in perplexities, from which they should be unable to extricate themselves. He conveyed letters to the king, in which he represented that to torment so many persons on his account was useless; that, in fact, he had laid ambuscades for him; that the principal courtiers were his accomplices, naming, in particular, Pheroras, and his most intimate friends; adding, that Salome came secretly to him by night, and that the whole court wished for nothing more than the moment when they might be delivered from that pain in which they were continually kept by his cruelties. |