re for the East, had rewarded
the Jews for services rendered him in his war with Tryphon by an open,
acknowledgment of their independence. Sidetes, though indebted to the
Jewish High Priest, Simon, for offers of aid against the same adversary,
could not bring himself to pay the price for it which Demetrius had
thought reasonable--an independent Palestine appeared to him a danger
close to his doors, and one that imperilled the very existence of the
Syrian State. Accordingly, he had no sooner put down Tryphon than he
resolved to pick a quarrel with the Jews, and to force them to resume
their old position of vassalage to Syria. His general, Cendebseus,
invaded their country, but was defeated near Azotus. Antiochus had to
take the field in person. During two years, John Hyrcanus, who had
succeeded his father, Simon (B.C. 135), baffled all his efforts; but at
last, in B.C. 133, he was forced to submit, to acknowledge the authority
of Syria, to dismantle Jerusalem, and to resume the payment of tribute.
Sidetes then considered the time come for a Parthian expedition, and,
having made great preparations, he set out for the East in the spring
of B.C. 129.

It is impossible to accept without considerable reserve the accounts
that have come down to us of the force which Antiochus collected.
According to Justin, it consisted of no more than 80,000 fighting men,
to which was attached the incredible number of 300,000 camp-followers,
the majority being composed of cooks, bakers, and actors. As in other
extreme cases the camp-followers do but equal or a little exceed the
number of men fit for service, this estimate, which makes them nearly
four times as numerous, is entitled to but little credit. The late
writer, Orosius, corrects the error here indicated; but his account
seems to err in rating the supernumeraries too low. According to him,
the armed force amounted to 300,000, while the camp-followers, including
grooms, sutlers, courtesans, and actors, were no more than a third
of the number. From the two accounts, taken together, we are perhaps
entitled to conclude that the entire host did not fall much short of
400,000 men. This estimate receives confirmation from an independent
statement made by Diodorus, with respect to the number who fell in the
campaign--a statement of which we shall have to speak later.

The army of Phraates, according to two accounts of it (which, however,
seem to represent a single original authority), number