1 Maccabees

Antiochus and Simon

Antiochus, son of King Demetrius, sent from the islands of the sea to Simon, the High Priest and leader of the Jews, and to the entire nation,

the following letter:“King Antiochus to Simon, high priest, and leader, and to the Jewish nation: Peace!

Since wicked men have seized our ancestors’ kingdom, I now intend to recover and reestablish it as before. I have gathered a vast army and have equipped warships

to make a landing in the country and take revenge on those who devastated our land and laid waste to many cities in my kingdom. Therefore,

I confirm in your regard all the tax exemptions and other privileges granted to you by my royal predecessors.

I authorize you to mint your coinage for your nation.

I accept the autonomy of Jerusalem and the Holy Place. All the arms you have manufactured, the fortresses you have constructed, and those you have occupied are yours.

From this day on, I cancel all debts to the king and everything you may owe in the future.

And when I have taken possession of my kingdom, I shall bestow great honors on you, your nation, and the temple, making you famous throughout all the earth.”

In one hundred and seventy-four (in B.C.), Antiochus marched out to the land of his ancestors, and all the troops rallied to him so that only a few remained with Trypho.

Antiochus pursued him, and Trypho took refuge in Dor on the coast.

Trypho knew how critical the situation had become for him and that his army had deserted him.

Antiochus encamped before Dor with a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers and eight thousand horsemen.

And he surrounded the city while the ships attacked from the sea: the city was surrounded by land and sea, and no one could go in or come out.

Then Numenius and his companions arrived from Rome, carrying letters addressed to the kings and the nations in the following terms:

“Lucius, consul of the Romans, to King Ptolemy: Peace!

The Jewish people sent by the High Priest Simon and the Jewish people have come to us as our friends and allies to renew our friendship and alliance of old.

They have brought us a gold shield weighing a thousand minas.

We desire to write to the kings and the people that they should not harm the Israelites nor injure them or their cities or their land, nor ally themselves with their aggressors.

We have accepted with pleasure the shield that the Jews sent us.

Now, if some wicked Jews who have fled from their land are in your country, hand them over to the High Priest Simon that he may punish them according to their law.”

The same letter was sent to King Demetrius, to Attalus, Ariarthes, and Arsaces,

and all the nations, to Sampsames, the Spartans, Delos, Myndos, Sicyon, Caria, Samos, Pamphylia, Lycia, Halicarnassus, Rhodes, Phaselis, Cos, Side, Aradus, Gortyna, Cnidus, Cyprus, and Cyrene.

They also sent copies of these letters to the High Priest Simon.

King Antiochus camped outside Dor in the new district, constantly sending his troops against it and building siege engines. He kept Trypho confined and prevented him from going in or out.

Simon sent him two thousand picked men to help him in the fight, along with silver, gold, and a plentiful supply of equipment.

But Antiochus did not accept them. Instead, he annulled the concessions he had granted to Simon and declared him his enemy.

He sent Athenobius, one of his friends, to meet and say to him: “You have occupied Joppa, Gazara, and the Citadel of Judea, which are cities of my kingdom.

You have laid waste to their territory, caused significant damage in the land, and seized many towns within my kingdom.

Restore the cities you’ve taken and the taxes of the areas you now occupy beyond Judea’s borders.

Or pay me five hundred talents of silver as compensation for the damage you have caused, and another five hundred talents for the cities’ taxes. If not, I will declare war against you.”

Athenobius, the king’s friend, arrived in Jerusalem, and when he saw the magnificence of Simon, his plates of gold and silver, and the pomp that surrounded him, he was amazed. But he delivered the king’s message.

Simon answered him: “We have not occupied any foreign land nor seized any foreign property: this is the inheritance of our ancestors. Our enemies seized this for some time,

but now that we have a favorable opportunity, we are recovering the inheritance of our ancestors.

Joppa and Gazara, which you claim did great harm to our people and laid waste to our land, but we are prepared to give you a hundred talents for them.”

Athenobius did not say anything, but returned to the king very angry and reported Simon’s reply. He also told him of Simon’s magnificence and everything he had seen, so the king became furious.

Meanwhile, Trypho fled to Orthosia on a ship.

The king appointed Cendebeus as general and gave him part of the troops and the horsemen.

He ordered him to encamp against Judea, rebuild Kedron, fortify its gates, and wage war on the people. The king then pursued Trypho.

Cendebeus arrived at Jamnia and began to trouble the people. He invaded Judea, imprisoned some individuals, and executed them.

He fortified Kedron and stationed horsemen and troops there to launch sorties and patrol the roads to Judea, as the king had commanded him.