The fourth beast in SAFE0 's vision had arrived. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew chronicle preserved by Moses Gaster in 1899, the kingdom of Rome rose against Greece just as that terrible fourth animal "devoured, crushed, and trampled upon everything." Rome conquered Antiochus and his 120 war elephants, then turned its ambitions toward the entire known world.
The chronicle pauses to tell the story of Rome's defining struggle: the war against Hannibal of Carthage. Hannibal crossed from Africa to Europe with an army "as numerous as the sand upon the seashore," sweeping through the lands of the Goths and Germania before invading Italy itself. In eighteen pitched battles, the Romans could not defeat him. At the battle of Canusi (Cannae), 90,000 Romans died in a single day, including the commander Aemilius.
When the Roman counselors debated surrendering, a young man named Scipio stood before the 320 elders and proposed a radical strategy: "Give me five legions. I will attack Africa itself. When Hannibal hears his homeland is burning, he will abandon Rome." The gamble worked. Scipio destroyed Carthage, hunted Hannibal to Egypt, and brought him back in chains. Hannibal drank poison and died. Rome became the supreme power on earth.
It was this Rome that Judah Maccabee approached for alliance. The Romans sent a letter of friendship, pledging mutual defense. But the chronicle also records Rome's dark side—the treachery of the priest Alkimos, who ate swine's flesh under Antiochus and then convinced King Demetrius to send armies against Judah. The general Nicanor tried diplomacy first, then treachery, then open war. Judah defeated him and hung his severed head and outstretched arm before the Temple gate—a gate called "the Gate of Nicanor" from that day forward. The wicked priest Alkimos met his own end suffocated in the sacred ashes he had desecrated, "for just is the Lord, who requites man according to his deeds."
XCVI. (1) In those days the Lord began to render the
fourth kingdom more powerful than the third, that is the
kingdom of Eome, which was stirred up against the
kingdom of Greece. The name of the Koman was
exalted over all the empires of the world. That was the
fourth animal which Daniel, that greatly-beloved man, saw
in a vision. Just as that animal devoured, crushed and
trampled upon everything, so did this nation of Eomans
devour and crush all the other nations. It was they who
fought with Antiochus, King of Greece, his 120 elephants
and a strong and powerful army of infantry and cavalry,
whom they conquered in the battle, and compelled to pay
the Eomans tribute.
(2) They also humbled the pride of Annibal, King of
Africa, who reigned over the city whose name was
Carthagene. Annibal entered the field with an army as
mighty and as numerous as the sand upon the seashore.
With him were all the armies of Ethiopia, Phut and Lud,
and other mighty nations. Having crossed the narrow sea
between Africa and Sefarad, he humbled the pride of the
nation of the Goths (DiniJ). Journeying thence, he arrived
in the land of Germania by the sea Oceanus. Thence he
came to Italy and engaged in battle with the Eomans, who
went out to meet him. It was a long and fierce contest, in
which the Eomans were utterly routed.
(3) The Eomans, however, continued to fight, and in
ten years no less than eighteen battles were fought with
Annibal, but they could make no stand before him. At
length, they again mustered all their warriors, at the head
of whom were two valiant men, ^milius and Varros.
Having arranged their men in Kne of battle by the river
Eopiros (on^siNS), the battle was fought at Canusi (^Di::p),
a large city. Here a fierce and desperate battle was fought,
in which 90,000 Komans met their death. (4) Among
them was iEmilius, one of the Eoman commanders.
Varros (onn), however, managed to escape to Venosia
(nx^Dija), a city situated between the mountains and the
plain. Of Annibal's men, 40,000 were killed in that battle.
Having pursued the Romans up to the gates of the city, he
besieged the city for eight days, and building turrets in
front of the city, fought against it.
(5) Then the Roman counsellors said to each other,
* Let us open the gate and come and make a covenant with
Annibal, that we may live and not be put to death.' This
they determined to do, when a young man, whose name
was Scipios (d^N'-D''^), arose, and said to the 320 counsellors
of the city, ' Far be it from us to subject ourselves to
Annibal.' 'But what can we do,' answered they, 'since
we have not been able to make a stand before Annibal for
the last eighteen years?' 'Then,' said Scipio, 'come, let
us take counsel. Give me about five legions of men, and I
will go to the land of Africa and attack and destroy his
land. As soon as Annibal hears this, he will hasten away
from Rome to deliver his own land from my hands, and
thus will ye obtain rest.'
(6) Having consented to his proposal, he took with him
30,000 Romans, and marching to Africa, the country of
Annibal, he engaged in battle, in which Astrubal,
Annibal's brother, was slain. Scipio cut ofi' his head and
brought it to Rome, and, mounting the wall, he cried out to
Annibal, ' Why art thou so eager for our land, and dost
not go to deliver thy own land from my hands, which I am
destroying?' He then sent Annibal his brother's head.
When he recognised it he braced himself up, and hardening
his heart, swore not to leave the city until he had taken it,
and he besieged it for several days more.
(7) Scipio then returned to Africa and entirely destroyed
282 [xcvi. 8
it. Thence he went to Carthagene and besieged it. And the
men of Carthagene sent Annibal a letter to Kome, saying,
' Why dost thoa desire a strange land, when thine own land
is taken from thee? If thou wilt not hasten here and
deliver us from the hand of Scipio, we shall open the gate
and give the city of Carthagene with thy palace into his
hands.' (8) When he read this letter he wept, and
immediately raised the siege, and going to Epirus, where
lay his ships, he slew there Komans without number, men,
women and children who were taken prisoners. He then
went to Africa with all his army. (9) But Scipio went out
to meet him, and a fierce war ensued between them, in
which Annibal was conquered and about 50,000 of his
men slain. He was likewise conquered in three pitched
battles with Scipio. After that Annibal fled to Egypt,
but Scipio followed him, and Ptolemy the king delivered
him into Scipio' s hands. He was brought to Africa in
great honour, and there he drank poison and died and was
buried. Scipio then captured the whole land of Africa,
and the place that abounds in gold and silver. Thus
Piome was exalted above all the other nations.
XCVn. (1) The following is the contents of the letter
which the Piomans sent to Judah, the son of Mattathiah:
' Qinsius Minios, Scipio and Menelaos, princes of Eome,
to Judah the Anointed one of battle, and to the elders
of Judah greeting to you ! for we have heard of your power
and of your battles, and are glad, also of what Antiochus
and Lysias have given you, and of what they wrote
concerning the Jews. Now we also write to ask you
whether you will become our associates and friends, but
not the friends of the Greeks, who have afflicted you. We
are now going to war against Antiochia, therefore hasten
to let us know who are your enemies and who your
friends.'
(2) The following is the text of the covenant made
between the Komans and the Jews:
' Whether on the sea or on land, whenever war is
declared against the Eomans, the Jews are to assist them
with all their power. They are not to supply Kome's
enemies with either implements of war, with wheat or
any other food, according to the decree of the Consul and
the 320 counsellors. A.nd if, on the other hand, war be
declared against the Jews, the Eomans in their turn are to
assist the Jews with all their power, and are not to provide
the enemies of the Jews with either implements of war, or
wheat or food of any kind. They should themselves not
take any food from them unless in trouble. Further,
neither party is to add or to diminish what had been
decreed by the Consul and the 320 counsellors.'
After that the land had rest for about eight months. At
that time Judah began to judge his people, and to weed out
the wicked from his people.
(3) At that time the Jews lived in all the cities on the
sea-coast, extending from Aza until Acco; but the
Macedonian nation and the people of Joppa and Jabneh
brought about great evil, for they induced the Jews living
among them to board their ships, together with their wives
and children, to go and have sports on the sea. The Jews,
trusting them, consented to go wdth them, but when they
arrived in mid-ocean they were thrown into the water and
drowned, to the number of 200 souls.
(4) When Judah was informed of it he wept and
proclaimed a fast. Then, hastening to Joppa, he besieged
it, and God delivered it into his hands After separating the
Jews, he smote the city with the edge of the sword, man,
woman, child and suckling, and burnt the city to the
ground. The same he did to Jabneh, besides burning the
ships of both cities. The burning and conflagration could
be seen as far as Jerusalem, a distance of 240 stadia. He
thus avenged the blood of the women and children that
were drowned in the sea. Journeying thence, he went
to the Arabian desert, and having smitten many Arabs,
imposed a tribute upon them.
(5) He then returned to the land of... and during
•284 [xcvii. 6
the journey had to pass a certain city by name Kaspon
(psDD). It was very strongly fortified, for nations of all
kinds dwelt therein. Eelying upon their strongholds,
they cursed Judah, and uttered countless slanders about
Judah's people. At this Judah exclaimed, ' 0 Almighty
God, at the sound of the trumpet Thou didst deliver the
city of Jericho by the hands of Thy servant Joshua;
now deliver this city into our hands, that I may avenge
the reproach they have cast upon the people of God.'
(6) Then, taking his shield in his left hand and unsheath-
ing his sword, he marched bravely onwards, followed by the
Hasmoneans, at a very quick pace until they reached the
gate of the city. After besmearing it with pitch, and
placing bushes and thorns of the desert upon it, they set
fire to it and it fell to the ground. God delivered the city
into his hands, and he effected a slaughter such as has
never yet been known, for the pool of blood which flowed
from the city as a pool of water was two stadia in length
and two in breadth.
(7) Journeying from that place, he travelled a distance of
750 stadia. And Timotheos came out to meet him with
120,000 foot and 1,000 horse. After offering up his sup-
plication to God, Judah marched out against Timotheos
with about 10,000 chosen men. A very fierce battle
ensued, in which Judah slaughtered 30,000 of Timotheos's
army. Timotheos forthwith tried to escape, but Dostios
(Dositheus), the captain of Judah's army, and Sosipater, a
gallant warrior of Israel, pursued him and brought him
back to Judah, who ordered his head to be cut off. But
Timotheos wept bitterly, and implored him, saying, ' 0 my
lord Judah, do not kill me, for there are many Jews
dwelling in my land, and I swear that I will do good to
them all the days of my life.' And he took an oath. Judah
had pity upon him and did not kill him, but allowed him
to go his way, and Timotheos did no more evil to the Jews
all the days of his life, for he kept the oath he had taken.
(8) Journeying thence, Judah marched in the direction
of the wilderness, and, meeting the army of the king that
had come into Arabia, he smote them, and, pursuing them
further, slew 25,000 of their men. He next journeyed
to Ephron, a large city, and besieged it, and the Lord
delivered it into his hands. He slew 20,000 in the contest.
(9) Marching onwards a journey of 600 stadia, he came
to a city the name of which was Scitopolis (d^'pidid^::*); and
the inhabitants of Scitopohs being sorely afraid of them,
came out to meet them with entreaties and tears, saying,
' 0 lord, the Anointed one of battle, do thou, I pray thee, ask
the Jews who dwell in our midst whether we have treated
them kindly or not. Moreover, in the time of the cruel
Antiochus many Jews made their escape to us and we
maintained them.' To the truth of this the Jews among
them testified. As soon as Judah heard this he blessed
them, and desisted from attacking them, and he returned
to Jerusalem, arriving there three days before the festival
of Pentecost.
XCVni. (1) When the festival was at an end he marched
out to Gorgios, the captain of the army of Edom, with
3,000 foot and 4,000 horse. A fierce battle took place
between their two armies, in which some Hasmoneans
were slain, and among them was Dostios, the captain of
the host, who was sorely wounded on the shoulders; some
of the Hasmonean warriors were nearly thrown back.
When Judah realized what had happened, he then prayed
to the Lord, and, encouraging his men, leaped forward into
the camp of Gorgios and slaughtered many of his men.
He then shouted out, ' At thee, Gorgios !' and stretched out
his right hand to smite him, but Gorgios stepped back and
thus escaped the blow, and throwing down his weapons,
fled and made his escape, nor has he ever since been seen
or recognised alive or dead. Some hold the opinion that
he fled to the desert of Maresha (ncno), in the wilderness of
Edom, and there died.
(2) Judah now returned to Edom, and, after destroying
all their cities, took all the inhabitants prisoners. At this
time graven images of the nations were discovered under
the clothes of those Hasmoneans that were slain in battle.
286 [xcvili. 3
Judah then knew that they had fallen through then-
iniquity, and said, ' Blessed be the Lord, who discovers
that which is hidden, and who revealed these secrets.' He
then exhorted the people to serve the Lord in holiness and
purity, and returned to Jerusalem.
(3) Now, when Antiochus Eopator heard of all the battles
Judah had waged and of the cities he had captured, he
broke the covenant he had made with Judah, and marched
out against him with an army as numerous as the sand
upon the seashore, together with Lysias, his cousin, who
also marched out at the head of a huge army. Having
arrived in the land of Judah, he laid siege to Bethter.
(4) Seeing this, Judah and all the elders of Israel called
upon the Lord in fasting, tears, and in supplication. They
also sacrificed burnt-ofTerings and offered peace-offerings.
On that night Judah mustered all his chosen men of the
Hasmoneans, and, dividing them round the camp of the
king, he slew 4,000 men and the largest elephant. In the
morning the king arranged his men in line of battle
opposite Judah, and a very fierce engagement took place.
(5) Judah suddenly noticed an elephant coated with
armour of gold, and as it was greater than all the other
elephants, he thought the king must be riding it, and
shouted out to his men, ' Who of you are with me ?'
And forthwith Eleazar, one of the young Hasmoneans,
sprang forward and faced the elephant, felling to the
ground all who came in his way, and, striking out right
and left, the slain fell on either side of him; then, rushing
in the thick of the fight, and placing himself between the
elephant's legs, he pierced its belly with his sword, and it
fell upon him, so that he died, having sacrificed his life for
the Lord and for his people, and left a name after him, and
courage to all who heard it. It was a day of mourning to
his people. There fell in battle on that day 800 of the
king's nobles, besides the other people that were slain
among them.
(6) The king then ceased fighting, and returned to his
tent. Soon after his return, he was informed that Phillip
had revolted against him, and that Demetrius, the son of
Seleucus the king, was coming from Eome with a large
army, in order to wrest the kingdom from his hands.
Being sorely frightened, the king made peace, and made
a covenant with Judah, embracing and kissing him, and
ratified it by an oath, in which Lysias joined, saying, ' We
shall never as long as we live go to war against Jerusalem.'
The king then brought out much gold from his treasury,
and gave it as a present to the house of God in Jerusalem.
(7) He took Menelaus, a Jud^ean, prisoner, who brought
Antiochus to Jerusalem, and caused him to do evil, and
also Eopator. The king, being very wrath with him,
ordered him to be carried to a lofty tower, fifty cubits
in height, and near it there was dust and ashes in
immense quantities. Then, commanding him to be bound
hand and foot, they cast him into the ashes, and buried
him beneath them, so that he died in torment, through his
iniquity, for he had committed many abominations before
the altar of the Lord with the sacred dust and ashes.
Thus this wicked man died, suffocated with the very
ashes with which he committed abominations. Just is
the Lord, who requites man according to his deeds and
the fruit of his actions.
