Antioch is now called Antakia, and, till the year 1822, it occupied a remote corner of the ancient enclosure of its walls; its splendid buildings being reduced to hovels, and its population living in Turkish debasement. At that period it was revisited by its ancient subterrancan enemy, and converted by an earthquake into a heap of ruins. It contains now about 10,000 inhabitants.

the same as Antioch. (See RIBLAH.) Theodoret | stantly had a great share in the affairs of the Eastern says, that in his time there was a city of Riblah, near church. Emesa, in Syria; which is contrary to Jerome. However that might be, it is certain that Antioch was not known under this name, till after the reign of Seleucus Nicanor, who built it, and called it Antioch, in consideration of his father Antiochus, ante A. D. 301. Being centrally situated, it became the seat of empire of the Syrian kings of the Macedonian race, and afterwards of the Roman governors of the eastern provinces. There also the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians, and making it a principal station, they from hence sent missionaries out in various directions, Acts xi. 26. Strabo describes Antioch as being in power and dignity not much inferior to Seleucia or Alexandria. Ammianus Mar-Avtoxsov Tov noos Aavn, which affords proof that cellinus says it was celebrated throughout the world; and Josephus characterizes it as the third city of the Roman provinces. It was long, indeed, the most powerful city of the East, and was famous among the Jews for the Jus Civitatis, or right of citizenship, which Seleucus had given to them in common with the Greeks and Macedonians, and which Josephus informs us they retained. These privileges, no doubt, contributed to render Antioch so desirable to the Christians, who were every where considered as a sect of Jews, since here they could perform their worship in their own way, without molestation or interruption. This may also contribute to account for the importance attached by the apostles to the introduction of the gospel into Antioch; and for the interest taken by them in its promotion and extension, in a city so distant from Jerusalem.

Antioch was almost square, had many gates, was adorned with fine fountains, and possessed great fertility of soil and commercial opulence. The emperors Vespasian, Titus, and others, granted considerable privileges to Antioch; but it has also been exposed to great calamities and revolutions. In the years A. D. 340, 394, 396, 458, 526, and 528, it was almost demolished by earthquakes. The emperor Justinian repaired it, A. D. 529, and called it Theopolis; that is, "The City of God." Cosrhoes, king of Persia, took it, A. D. 540, massacred the inhabitants, and burnt it. Justinian ordered it to be rebuilt, A. D. 552: Cosrhoes took it a second time, A. D. 574, in the reign of Justin, and destroyed its walls. A. D. 588, it suffered a dreadful earthquake, in which above 60,000 persons perished. It was again rebuilt, and again was exposed to new calamities. The Saracens took it, A. D. 638, in the reign of Heraclius: Nicephorus Phocas retook it, A. D. 966. Cedrenus relates that, A. D. 970, an army of 100,000 Saracens besieged it, without success; but they afterwards subdued it, added new fortifications to it, and made it almost impregnable. Godfrey of Bouillon, when engaged in the conquest of the Holy Land, besieged it, A. D. 1097. The siege was long and bloody; but at length the Christians, by their zeal and by treachery, obtained possession, on Thursday, June 3, A. D. 1098. In 1268, it was taken by the sultan of Egypt, who demolished it, destroyed its renown and magnificence, and placed it under the dominion of the

Turk.

Antioch abounded with great men, and its church was long governed by illustrious prelates. It suffered much, however, on several occasions, sometimes being exposed to the violence of heretics, and at other times being rent by deplorable schisms. The bishop of Antioch has the title of Patriarch; and has con

From the medals of this city which are extant, it appears that it was honored as a Roman colony, a metropolis, and an asylum. It was also Autonomos, or governed by its own laws. Among these medals, there are two which require notice. The first reads Antioch valued itself on its relation to the temple and worship established in that place. Daphne was, indeed, a league from the city, but by the zeal of the devotees, was considered as a suburb, or rather as a part of the city itself. But by far the most interesting medal to us as Christians, is one on which is read, "Of the Antiocheans under Saturninus," who was governor of Syria at the time of our Saviour's birth. See CYRENIUS.

II. ANTIOCH, of Pisidia, a city belonging to the province of Pisidia in Asia Minor, but situated within the limits of Phrygia. It was also built by Seleucus Nicanor. Paul and Barnabas preached here; but the Jews, angry to see that some of the Gentiles received the gospel, raised a tumult, and obliged the apostles to leave the city, Acts xiii. 14. It is at present called Versategli, according to some; but as others say, Tahoya, or Sibi, or Antiochio.

ANTIOCHIS, concubine of Antiochus Epiphanes, who gave her the cities of Tarsus and Mallo, that she might receive their revenues for her own use. This was regarded by their inhabitants as an insupportable mark of contempt: they took arms against Antiochus, who marched in person to reduce them, 2 Macc. iv. 30. It was a custom with the kings of Persia, to give their wives particular cities; some for their table, some for their head-dress, for their attire, for their girdles, &c. The idea was analogous to our pin-money. Cicero in Verrem, v.

I. ANTIOCHUS. There were many kings of this name in Syria, after Seleucus Nicanor, (the second king of Syria, Alexander the Great being the first,) who was father of Antiochus Soter, so named for having hindered the invasion of Asia by the Gauls.

II. ANTIOCHUS THEOS, (the divine,) son and successor of Antiochus Soter, was poisoned by his wife Laodice, and succeeded by his son Seleucus Callinicus.

III. ANTIOCHUS THE GREAT, so celebrated on account of his wars against the Egyptians, Romans, and Jews, was the son of Seleucus Callinicus, and brother of Seleucus Ceraunus, whom he succeeded, ante A. D. 223. Having resolved to become master of Egypt, Antiochus seized Colo-Syria, (the province lying between Libanus and Antilibanus,) Phoenicia, and Judea. The Jews having submitted, and received him into their cities, he granted them, as a reward, 20,000 pieces of silver, to purchase beasts for sacrifice, 1460 measures of meal, 375 measures of salt, to be offered with the sacrifices, and timber to rebuild the porches of the temple. The

senators, priests, scribes, and singers of the temple, | Antiochus, apprehending that the Jews would never he exempted from the capitation tax, and permitted be constant in obedience to him, unless he obliged the Jews to live according to their own laws, through-them to change their religion, and to embrace that out his dominions. He remitted the third part of of the Greeks, issued an edict, enjoining them to their tribute, to indemnify them for their losses in the conform to the laws of other nations, and forbidding war; forbade the heathen from entering the temple their usual sacrifices in the temple, their festivals, without being purified, and from bringing into the and their sabbath. The statue of Jupiter Olympus city the flesh of mules, asses, and horses to sell, under was placed on the altar of the temple, and the abomthe penalty of 3000 drachmas. Antiochus married ination of desolation polluted the house of God. his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy Epiphanes, king Many corrupt Jews complied with these orders, but of Egypt, (B. C. 193,) and gave Cœlo-Syria, Phoeni- others opposed them: Mattathias and his sons retired cia, and Judea, as her dowry, on condition that the to the mountains; and old Eleazar, and the seven tribute of these provinces should be equally divided brethren, Maccabees, suffered death, with great courbetween himself and the king of Egypt. Three age, at Antioch, 2 Macc. vii. After the death of years afterwards he was overcome by the Romans, Mattathias, Judas Maccabæus put himself at the and obliged to cede all his possessions beyond mount head of those Jews who continued faithful; and opTaurus, and to give twenty hostages, (among whom posed with success the generals who were sent was his own son, Antiochus, afterwards surnamed against him. Finding his treasures exhausted, AnEpiphanes,) and to pay a tribute of 12,000 Euboic tiochus went into Persia to levy tributes, and to talents, each fourteen Roman pounds in weight. To gather large sums, which he had agreed to pay the defray these charges, he resolved to seize the treas- Romans. Knowing there were very great riches in ures of the temple of Belus, at Elymaïs, which were the temple of Elymaïs, he determined to carry them very great; but the people of that country, informed off; but the inhabitants of the country made so vigorof his design, surprised and destroyed him, with all ous a resistance, that he was compelled to retreat his army, ante A. D. 187. He left two sons, Seleucus towards Babylonia. When he arrived at Ecbatana, Philopator, and Antiochus Epiphanes, who succeeded he received news of the defeat of Nicanor and Timohim. Josephus Ant. xii. 3. theus, and that Judas Maccabæus had retaken the temple of Jerusalem, and restored the worship of the Lord. On receiving this intelligence, transported with indignation, he commanded the driver of his chariot to urge the horses forward, threatening to make Jerusalem a grave for the Jews. He fell from his chariot, however, and died, overwhelmed with pain and grief, in the mountains of Paratacene, in the little town of Tabes, A. M. 3840, ante A.D. 164.

IV. ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES, son of Antiochus the Great, of the former article. Having continued as a hostage at Rome fourteen years, his brother Seleucus resolved to procure his return to Syria, and therefore sent his own son, Demetrius, as a hostage to Rome, instead of Antiochus; but while Antiochus was on his journey to Syria, Seleucus died; (ante A. D. 175;) so that when he landed, the people received him as some propitious deity, come to assume the government, and to oppose the enterprises of Ptolemy, king of Egypt, who threatened to invade Syria. It was upon this occasion that he received the surname of Epiphanes, (the illustrious,) that is, of one appearing as it were like a god.

Antiochus soon directed his attention to Egypt, which he invaded, and reduced almost entirely to obedience, 2 Macc. iv. 5. ante A. D. 173. During his siege of Alexandria, an occurrence took place which exhibited that cruel and ferocious temper that subsequently exemplified itself so fully in the person of Antiochus Epiphanes. While besieging this city, a report was spread of his death, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, among others, who groaned under his yoke, gave expression to their feelings of joy, upon the receipt of the intelligence. The consequence of this was, that Antiochus, when returning from Egypt, entered the city forcibly, treated the Jews as rebels, and commanded his troops to slay all they met: 80,000 were killed in three days' time; 40,000 were made captives; and as many sold, 2 Macc. v. 14. He entered into the holy of holies, being conducted by the corrupt high-priest, Menelaus, from whence he took and carried off the most precious vessels, to the value of 1800 talents. In the year A. C. 171, Antiochus again entered Egypt, which he completely subdued, and in the year following he sent Apollonius into Judea (2 Macc. v. 24, 25.) with an army of 22,000 men, with orders to destroy all who were of full age, and to sell the women and young men. Apollonius executed his commission but too punctually. It was at this time that Judas Maccabæus retired into the wilderness, with his father and his brethren, 2 Macc. v. 29. These calamities, however, were but preludes of what they were to suffer; for

V. ANTIOCHUS EUPATOR, son of Antiochus Epiphanes, was but nine years old when his father died, and left him the kingdom of Syria. Lysias, who governed in the name of the young prince, led against Judea an army of 100,000 foot, 20,000 horse, and thirty elephants, 1 Macc. vi; 2 Macc. xiii. He besieged and took the fortress of Bethsura; from thence he marched against Jerusalem, and, notwithstanding the valor and resistance of the Maccabees, the city was ready to fall into his hands, when Ly sias received news that Philip (whom Antiochus Epiphanes, a little before his death, intrusted with the regency of the kingdom, during the minority of his son) was arrived at Antioch to take the government, according to the disposition of the late king. Lysias proposed an accommodation with the Jews, that he might return speedily to Antioch, and oppose Philip; and having thus made peace, he immediately led the young king and his army into Syria. In the mean time Demetrius Soter, son of Seleucus Philopator, nephew of Antiochus Epiphanes, to whom, by right, the kingdom belonged, (for Antiochus Epiphanes procured it by usurpation from his nephew,) having escaped from Rome, where he had been a hostage, came into Syria; and finding the people disposed for revolt, he headed an army, and marched immediately to Antioch, against Antiochus and Lysias. The inhabitants did not wait till he besieged it, but opened the gates, and delivered to him Lysias, and the young king, Antiochus Eupator, who were put to death by his orders, without being suffered to appear before him. A. M. 3842, ante A. D. 162.

VI. ANTIOCHUS THEOS, or the Divine, son of Alexander Balas, was placed on the throne of Syria by Diodotus, or Tryphon, who had deposed Demetrius Nicanor, and compelled him to retire to Seleu

cia, 1 Macc. xi. 39, &c. ante A. D. 145. To strengthen | Azotus. Antiochus followed Tryphon, till he forced himself in his new dominions, Antiochus secured him to kill himself, after five or six years' reign. the friendship and assistance of Jonathan Macca- Antiochus now thought of nothing but reducing bæus, whom he confirmed in the high-priesthood, those cities which, in the beginning of his brother's and also granted him four toparchies (considerable reign, had thrown off subjection. Simon Maccadistricts) in Judea. The career of young Antiochus, bæus, prince and high-priest of the Jews, being however, was but short, for Tryphon, to whose per- treacherously killed by Ptolemy, his son-in-law, in fidy he owed the crown, resolved to take it for him- the castle of Docus, near Jericho, the murderer sent self. He made Jonathan Maccabæus a prisoner at immediately to Antiochus Sidetes to demand troops, Ptolemais, and put him to death at Bascama, after that he might recover for him the country and cities which he returned into Syria, and procured the of the Jews. Antiochus came in person with an death of Antiochus. Thus Tryphon was left master army, and besieged Jerusalem: John Hircanus, howof Syria. A. M. 3861, ante A. D. 143. 1 Macc. xiii; ever, defended it with vigor, and the siege was long 2 Macc. xiv. protracted. The king divided his army into seven parts, guarding all the avenues to the city. It being the proper time for celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jews desired of Antiochus a truce of seven days, which was granted; and sent them bulls with gilded horns, and vessels of gold and silver, filled with incense, to be offered in the temple: he also ordered such provisions to be given to the Jewish soldiers as they wanted. This courtesy of the king so won the hearts of the Jews, that they sent ambassadors to treat of peace, and to desire that they might live according to their own laws. Antiochus required of them to surrender their arms, to demolish the city walls, to pay tribute for Joppa, and the other cities they possessed out of Judea, and to receive a garrison into Jerusalem. They consented to these conditions, the last excepted; for they could not submit to see an army of strangers in their capital: they rather chose to give hostages, and 500 talents of silver. The king therefore entered the city, beat down the breast-work above the walls, and returned to Syria, A. M. 3870, ante A. D. 134. Three years afterwards, Antiochus marched against the Parthians, demanding the liberty of his brother, Demetrius Nicanor, who had been made prisoner by Arsaces; but, being deserted by his own forces, he was killed, A. M. 3874, A. C. 130. Demetrius Nicanor, or Nicator, re-ascended the throne, after the death of Sidetes.

VII. ANTIOCHUS SIDETES, or SOTER, (the saviour,) or EUSEBES, (the pious,) was son of Demetrius Soter, and brother of Demetrius Nicanor. Tryphon, the usurper of the kingdom of Syria, having rendered himself odious to his troops, they deserted him, and offered their services to Cleopatra, wife of Demetrius Nicanor, who lived in the city of Seleucia, shut up with her children, while her husband, Demetrius, was a prisoner in Persia, where he had married Rodeguna, daughter of Arsaces, king of Persia. (Jos. Ant. xiii. 12.) Cleopatra, therefore, sent to Antiochus Sidetes, her brother-in-law, and offered him the crown of Syria, if he would marry her, to which Antiochus consented. He was then at Cnidus, where his father, Demetrius Soter, had placed him with one of his friends: he came into Syria, and wrote to Simon Maccabæus, to engage him against Tryphon, 1 Macc. xv. He confirmed the privileges which the kings of Syria had granted to Simon, permitted him to coin money with his own stamp, declared Jerusalem and the temple exempt from royal jurisdiction, and promised other favors, as soon as he should become peaceable possessor of the kingdom which had belonged to his

ancestors.

Antiochus Sidetes, being come into Syria, married his sister-in-law, Cleopatra, A. M. 3865. Tryphon's troops resorted to him in crowds, and Tryphon, thus abandoned, retired to Dora, in Phoenicia, whither Antiochus pursued him with an army of 120,000 foot, and 8000 horse, and with a powerful fleet. Simon Maccabæus sent him 2000 chosen men, but Antiochus refused them, and revoked all his promises. He sent Athenobius to Jerusalem, to oblige Simon to restore Gazara and Joppa, with the citadel of Jerusalem, and to demand 500 talents, as tribute for the places Simon held out of Judea; and 500 talents more, as reparation for injuries the king had suffered, and as tribute for his own cities; threatening war against him if he did not comply. Simon showed Athenobius all the lustre of his wealth and power, told him he had no place in his possession which belonged to Antiochus, and, as to Gazara and Joppa, which cities had done infinite damage to his people, he would give the king one hundred talents for the property of them.

Athenobius returned with great indignation to Antiochus, who was extremely offended at Simon's answer. In the mean time, Tryphon, having stolen privately from Dora, embarked in a vessel and fled. Antiochus pursued him, and sent Cendebeus with troops into the maritime parts of Palestine, with orders to build Cedron, and to fight the Jews. John Hircanus, son of Simon Maccabæus, being then at Gazara, gave notice to his father of Cendebeus's coming. Simon furnished troops to his sons, John Hircanus and Judas, and sent them against Cendebeus, whom they routed in the plain, and pursued to

VIII. ANTIOCHUS GRYPHUS, or PHILOMETOR, son of Demetrius Nicanor, ascended the throne of Syria, A. M. 3881. He reigned eleven years alone, and fifteen with his brother Cyzicus, and died A. M. 3907.

IX. ANTIOCHUS CYZICUS, having obtained from his brother Gryphus, as his share of the kingdom, Colo-Syria, became extremely luxurious, and abandoned himself to excesses of every description.

John Hircanus, prince and high-priest of the Jews, besieged Samaria, A. C. 109. The Samaritans invited Antiochus Cyzicus to their assistance. He advanced speedily to help them, but was overcome by Antigonus and Aristobulus, sons of John Hircanus, who commanded the siege, and who pursued him to Scythopolis; after which they resumed the siege of Samaria, and blocked up the city so closely, that the inhabitants again solicited Cyzicus. Having received 6000 men from Ptolemy Lathyrus, son of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, he wasted the lands belonging to the Jews, designing thereby to oblige Hircanus to raise the siege of Samaria; but his troops were at last dispersed, and Samaria was taken by storm, and razed by Hircanus. Antiochus was also conquered, and put to death by Seleucus, A. C. 90, after a reign of eighteen years. Jos. Ant. xiii. 18.

I. ANTIPAS HEROD, or HEROD ANTIPAS, son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra of Jerusalem, was declared by Herod, in his first will, to be his succes

It was Herod Antipas who mocked Jesus at Jerusalem before his condemnation, sending him back to Pilate arrayed in a gorgeous robe, Luke xxiii. 7, seq. The manner in which the death of John the Bap

is so extraordinary, as compared with what occurs among European nations, that a few remarks upon it may not be without their use.

sor in the kingdom; but he afterwards substituted | known, but it is certain he died in exile, as well as Archelaus, king of Judea, giving to Antipas only the Herodias. (Ant. xviii. 9.) title of tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. Archelaus going to Rome, to petition Augustus to confirm his father's will, Antipas went also, and the emperor gave Archelaus one moiety of what had been assigned to him by Herod's will, with the title of eth-tist is stated in this narrative to have been procured, narch, and promised to grant him the title of king, when he had shown himself deserving of it, by his virtuous conduct. His revenues amounted to 600 talents. To Antipas Augustus gave Galilee and Peræa, which produced 200 talents; and to Philip, Herod's other son, the Batanæa, Trachonitis, and Auranitis, and some other places, whose income was 100 talents. (Jos. Ant. xvii. 13.) Antipas, having returned to Judea, took great pains in adorning and fortifying the principal places of his dominions; he gave the name of Julias to Bethsaida, in honor of Julia, wife of Augustus ; and Cinnereth he called Tiberias, in honor of Tiberius, afterwards emperor. He married the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia, whom he divorced, about A. D. 33, to marry his sister-in-law, Herodias, who was his own niece and wife of Philip, his brother, who was still living. (Jos. Ant. xviii. 2.) (See HEROD II.) John the Baptist, exclaiming against this incest, was seized by order of Antipas, and imprisoned in the castle of Machærus, Matt. xiv. 3, 4; Mark vi. 14, 17, 18; Luke iii. 19, 20. Even Herod feared and respected the virtue and holiness of John, and did many things out of regard to him; but his passion for Herodias had, no doubt, much sooner prevailed against his life, had he not been restrained by his fears of the people, who universally esteemed John the Baptist as a prophet, Matt. xiv. 5, 6, &c. At a time, however, when the king was celebrating his birth-day, with the principal persons of his court, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and so much pleased him, that he swore to give her whatever she should ask. Her mother, Herodias, who was anxious to get rid of the Baptist, advised her to ask for his head. The king was vexed at the request; but, in consideration of his oath, and of the persons at table with him, he sent one of his guards, who beheaded John in prison. The head was brought in a basin, and given to Herod's favorite, who carried it directly to her mother.

Aretas, king of Arabia, to revenge the insult which Herod had offered to his daughter, declared war against him; and vanquished him in a very obstinate | fight. Josephus (Antiq. xviii. 7.) assures us, that the Jews considered the defeat of Antipas as a punishment for the death of John the Baptist. Some years afterwards, (A. D. 39.) Herodias, being jealous of her brother Agrippa's prosperity, (who, from a private person, had become king of Judea,) persuaded her husband, Antipas, to visit Rome, and to solicit the same dignity from the emperor Caius. Agrippa, however, being jealous also, though on another ground, wrote to the emperor and accused Antipas. Agrippa's messenger arrived at the very time when Herod obtained his first audience with the emperor. Caius read Agrippa's letters with great earnestness, and, finding Herod Antipas accused of having been a party in Sejanus's conspiracy against Tiberius, and of still carrying on a correspondence with Artabanus, king of Parthia, against the Romans, he demanded to know if it were true. Antipas, not daring to deny that he had a large quantity of arms in his arsenal, was banished instantly to Lyons in Gaul. Herodias followed her husband, and shared his fortune in banishment. The year of Antipas's death is not

|

In the East, then, it is customary for public dancers at festivals in great houses to solicit, from the company they have been entertaining, such rewards as the spectators may choose to bestow. These are usually small pieces of money, which the donor sticks on the face of the performer; and a favorite dancer will sometimes have her face covered with such presents: nothing further is expected. Herod the Great, however, offered half his kingdom to Salome, the daughter of Herodias, who had danced to please him; and in this, if he were not equal in wisdom, he was certainly superior in extravagance, to a monarch, "Shah Abbas, who, being one day drunk, [in his palace,] gave a woman that danced much to his satisfaction the fairest Hhan in all Ispahan; which was not yet finished, but wanted little: this Hhan yielded a great revenue to the king, to whom it belonged, in chamber-rents." So far the parallel is tolerably exact; for that Herod was far from being sober, is a pardonable suspicion ;—but the sequel is different: "The nazer, having put him in mind of it, next morning, took the freedom to tell him, that it was unjustifiable prodigality; so the king ordered to give her a hundred tomans, (2001.) with which she was forced to be contented." Thevenot, in Persia, p. 100. This may assign a reason for the hurry of Herodias, to secure the execution of John the Baptist; for, had she waited till the next morning for the fulfilment of the king's oath, he might have been by that time calmer, and some of his servants might have remonstrated with him on the violence and injustice of his order, as the Persian nazer did with his master; and Salome, who now insists, "Give me here the head of John in a charger,” might have been otherwise forced to accept, in full payment for her activity, the vacant charger only; without accomplishing that death, which was so vehemently desired by Herodias; or, perhaps, the pitiful value of a few tomans, instead of the half of the promised kingdom.

II. ANTIPAS, a faithful witness, or martyr, mentioned Rev. ii. 13. It is said that he was one of our Saviour's first disciples, and suffered martyrdom at Pergamus, of which city he was bishop.

I. ANTIPATER, an Idumæan, father of Herod the Great, was son of another Antipas, or Antipater, who had been appointed governor of Idumæa, by Alexander Jannæus, king of the Jews. (Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 2. de Bello, i. 5.) He was, both for antiquity of family and for riches, the principal person of Idumæa, and obtained from Julius Cæsar the government of Judea for himself, and that of Jerusalem, and the country adjacent, for his eldest son Phasael; and the government of Galilee for his other son, Herod, who was not at that time above fifteen years of age. He was poisoned by Malichus, who afterwards took possession of hi government, ante A. D. 43.

II. ANTIPATER, son of Herod the Great, and of Doris his first wife, was educated as a private person, and did not appear at court, until his father re