en by the waves on either side, well describes the lot of the
Jews of Palestine during the Greek period. They were in turn victimized
and courted by the rival kings of Egypt and Syria. The Jews, on the
whole, favored the rule of the Ptolemies, who had made many concessions to
their kinsmen in Egypt. The presence of many Jews in Egypt also made this
relation more natural. As a rule the Ptolemies during the intervals of
peace left the Jews of Palestine largely to themselves, as long as they
paid the heavy tribute that was exacted. It was, however, one of the
most corrupt periods in human history. The Ptolemaic court was rich,
profligate, and constantly degenerating. The popular story of Joseph the
tax-collector (which Josephus recounts at length), while largely fanciful,
vividly reflects the conditions and spirit of the age. Joseph, who
evidently belonged to one of the leading families of Jerusalem, by his
energy and effrontery secured the valuable right of farming the taxes of
Palestine. By the iniquitous methods then in vogue, he succeeded in
amassing a great fortune. The splendid ruins of Arak el-Emir on the
heights of southern Gilead, east of the Jordan, represent the huge castle
and town built by his son Hyrcanus and testify to the wealth of this
Jewish adventurer. The stories that Josephus relates regarding Joseph
indicate that the materialism and sensuality which were regnant in
Alexandria had penetrated even into the province of Judea.

The one bright spot in the political history of this period is the reign
of the high priest Simon, known as the Just. He appears to have devoted
himself to developing, so far as was in his power, the interests and
resources of the Palestinian Jews and to have lifted the temple service
to a state of magnificence that received the unqualified commendation
of Jesus, the son of Sirach.

VI. Conquest of Palestine by the Seleucids in 311 B.C. Seleucus Nikanor
transferred the western capital of his empire, known as Syria (a shortened
form of the ancient name Assyria), to Antioch, near the northeastern end
of the Mediterranean. This city was situated at the point where the
Orontes breaks through the Lebanons and where the great roads from the
Euphrates and Coele-Syria converge and run westward to its seaport,
Seleucia. It was built in the midst of a fertile valley, partly on an
island in the river and partly on its northern bank. Not having natural
defences, the city depended for protectio