profits of the places to them bequeathed； and that he； as himself
the high priest and ethnarch of the Jews； defend those that are
injured； and that ambassadors be sent to Hyrcanus； the son of
Alexander； the high priest of the Jews； that may discourse with
him about a league of friendship and mutual assistance； and that
a table of brass； containing the premises； be openly proposed in
the capitol； and at Sidon； and Tyre； and Askelon； and in the
temple； engraven in Roman and Greek letters： that this decree may
also be communicated to the quaestors and praetors of the several
cities； and to the friends of the Jews； and that the ambassadors
may have presents made them； and that these decrees be sent every
where。〃
4。 〃Caius Caesar； imperator； dictator； consul； hath granted； That
out of regard to the honor； and virtue； and kindness of the man；
and for the advantage of the senate； and of the people of Rome；
Hyrcanus； the son of Alexander； both he and his children； be high
priests and priests of Jerusalem； and of the Jewish nation； by
the same right； and according to the same laws； by which their
progenitors have held the priesthood。〃
5。 〃Caius Caesar； consul the fifth time； hath decreed； That the
Jews shall possess Jerusalem； and may encompass that city with
walls； and that Hyrcanus； the son of Alexander； the high priest
and ethnarch of the Jews； retain it in the manner he himself
pleases； and that the Jews be allowed to deduct out of their
tribute； every second year the land is let ＇in the Sabbatic
period＇； a corus of that tribute； and that the tribute they pay
be not let to farm； nor that they pay always the same tribute。〃
6。 〃Caius Caesar； imperator the second time； hath ordained； That
all the country of the Jews； excepting Joppa； do pay a tribute
yearly for the city Jerusalem； excepting the seventh； which they
call the sabbatical year； because thereon they neither receive
the fruits of their trees； nor do they sow their land； and that
they pay their tribute in Sidon on the second year ＇of that
sabbatical period＇； the fourth part of what was sown： and besides
this； they are to pay the same tithes to Hyrcanus and his sons
which they paid to their forefathers。 And that no one； neither
president； nor lieutenant； nor ambassador； raise auxiliaries
within the bounds of Judea； nor may soldiers exact money of them
for winter quarters； or under any other pretense； but that they
be free from all sorts of injuries； and that whatsoever they
shall hereafter have； and are in possession of； or have bought；
they shall retain them all。 It is also our pleasure that the city
Joppa； which the Jews had originally； when they made a league of
friendship with the Romans； shall belong to them； as it。 formerly
did； and that Hyrcanus； the son of Alexander； and his sons； have
as tribute of that city from those that occupy the land for the
country； and for what they export every year to Sidon； twenty
thousand six hundred and seventy…five modii every year； the
seventh year； which they call the Sabbatic year； excepted；
whereon they neither plough； nor receive the product of their
trees。 It is also the pleasure of the senate； that as to the
villages which are in the great plain； which Hyrcanus and his
forefathers formerly possessed； Hyrcanus and the Jews have them
with the same privileges with which they formerly had them also；
and that the same original ordinances remain still in force which
concern the Jews with regard to their high priests； and that they
enjoy the same benefits which they have had formerly by the
concession of the people； and of the senate； and let them enjoy
the like privileges in Lydda。 It is the pleasure also of the
senate that Hyrcanus the ethnarch； and the Jews； retain those
places； countries； and villages which belonged to the kings of
Syria and Phoenicia； the confederates of the Romans； and which
they had bestowed on them as their free gifts。 It is also granted
to Hyrcanus； and to his sons； and to the ambassadors by them sent
to us； that in the fights between single gladiators； and in those
with beasts； they shall sit among the senators to see those
shows； and that when they desire an audience； they shall be
introduced into the senate by the dictator； or by the general of
the horse； and when they have introduced them； their answers
shall be returned them in ten days at the furthest； after the
decree of the senate is made about their affairs。〃
7。 〃Caius Cqesar； imperator； dictator the fourth time； and consul
the fifth time； declared to be perpetual dictator； made this
speech concerning the rights and privileges of Hyrcanus； the son
of Alexander； the high priest and ethnarch of the Jews。 Since
those imperators that have been in the provinces before me have
borne witness to Hyrcanus； the high priest of the Jews； and to
the Jews themselves； and this before the senate and people of
Rome； when the people and senate returned their thanks to them；
it is good that we now also remember the same； and provide that a
requital be made to Hyrcanus； to the nation of the Jews； and to
the sons of Hyrcanus； by the senate and people of Rome； and that
suitably to what good…will they have shown us； and to the
benefits they have bestowed upon us。〃
8。 〃Julius Caius； praetor ＇consul＇ of Rome； to the magistrates；
senate； and people of the Parians； sendeth greeting。 The Jews of
Delos； and some other Jews that sojourn there； in the presence of
your ambassadors； signified to us； that； by a decree of yours；
you forbid them to make use of the customs of their forefathers；
and their way of sacred worship。 Now it does not please me that
such decrees should be made against our friends and confederates；
whereby they are forbidden to live according to their own
customs； or to bring in contributions for common suppers and holy
festivals； while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome
itself； for even Caius Caesar； our imperator and consul； in that
decree wherein he forbade the Bacchanal rioters to meet in the
city； did yet permit these Jews； and these only； both to bring in
their contributions； and to make their common suppers。
Accordingly； when I forbid other Bacchanal rioters； I permit
these Jews to gather themselves together； according to the
customs and laws of their forefathers； and to persist therein。 It
will be therefore good for you； that if you have made any decree
against these our friends and confederates； to abrogate the same；
by reason of their virtue and kind disposition towards us。〃
9。 Now after Caius was slain； when Marcus Antonius and Publius
Dolabella were consuls； they both assembled the senate； and
introduced Hyrcanus's ambassadors into it； and discoursed of what
they desired； and made a league of friendship with them。 The
senate also decreed to grant them all they desired。 I add the
decree itself； that those who read the present work may have
ready by them a demonstration of the truth of what we say。 The
decree was this：
10。 〃The decree of the senate； copied out of the treasury； from
the public tables belonging to the quaestors； when Quintus
Rutilius and Caius Cornelius were quaestors； and taken out of the
second table of the first class； on the third day before the Ides
of April； in the temple of Concord。 There were present at the
writing of this decree； Lucius Calpurnius Piso of the Menenian
tribe； Servius Papinins Potitus of the Lemonian tribe； Caius
Caninius Rebilius of the Terentine tribe； Publius Tidetius；
Lucius Apulinus； the son of Lucius； of the Sergian tribe；
Flavius； the son of Lucius； of the Lemonian tribe； Publius
Platins； the son of Publius； of the Papyrian tribe； Marcus
Acilius； the son of Marcus； of the Mecian tribe； Lucius Erucius；
the son of Lucius； of the Stellatine tribe； Mareils Quintus
Plancillus； the son of Marcus； of the Pollian tribe； and Publius
Serius。 Publius Dolabella and Marcus Antonius； the consuls； made
this reference to the senate； that as to those things which； by
the decree of the senate； Caius Caesar had adjudged about the
Jews； and yet had not hitherto that decree been brought into the
treasury； it is our will； as it is also the desire of Publius
Dolabella and Marcus Antonius； our consuls； to have these decrees
put into the public tables； and brought to the city quaestors；
that they may take care to have them put upon the double tables。
This was done before the fifth of the Ides of February； in the
temple of Concord。 Now the ambassadors from Hyrcanus the high
priest were these： Lysimachus； the son of Pausanias； Alexander；
the son of Theodorus； Patroclus； the son of Chereas； and Jonathan
the； son of Onias。〃
11。 Hyrcanus sent also one of these ambassadors to Dolabella； who
was then the prefect of Asia； and desired him to dismiss the Jews
from military services； and to preserve to them the customs of
their forefathers； and to permit them to live according to them。
And when Dolabella had received Hyrcanus's letter； without any
further deliberation； he sent an epistle to all the Asiatics； and
particularly to the city of the Ephesians； the metropolis of
Asia； about the Jews； a copy of which epistle here follows：
12。 〃When Artermon was prytanis； on the first day of the month
Leneon； Dolabella； imperator； to the senate； and magistrates； and
people of the Ephesians； sendeth greeting。 Alexander； the son of
Theodorus； the ambassador of Hyrcanus； the son of Alexander； the
high priest and ethnarch of the Jews； appeared before me； to show
that his countrymen could not go into their armies； because they
are not allowed to bear arms or to travel on the sabbath days；
nor there to procure themselves those sorts of food which they
have been used to eat from the times of their forefathers； … I do
therefore grant them a freedom from going into the army； as the
former prefects have done； and permit them to use the customs of
their forefathers； in assembling together for sacred and
religious purposes； as their law requires； and for collecting
oblations necessary for sacrifices； and my will is； that you
write this to the several cities under your jurisdiction。〃
13。 And these were the concessions that Dolabella made to our
nation when Hyrcanus sent an embassage to him。 But