Page:Historical Works of Venerable Bede vol. 2.djvu/321

The Fifth Age

dies, and is succeeded by Xenocrates. In the fourth the fifth year of Ochus, Alexander, son of Philip and Olympias, Alexander the Great. [A.M. 3668. B.C. 336.] year of his age.

A.M. 3624 [4972].

DariusDarius, son of Arsanes, reigned 6 years. Alexander, after fighting successfully against the Illyrians and Thracians, and overthrowing Thebes, turned his arms against Persia, and after defeating the king's generals at the river Granicus, he takes Sardis, and afterwards Tyre. He then invades Judaea; where being favourably received, he offers sacrifices to God, and treats the Pontiff Jaddua with distinguished honours, and dismisses Andromachus the governor. In the seventh year of his reign he founded Alexandria in EgyptBuilding of Alexandria, and Building of Darius being slain, he straightway possessed himself of Babylon, by which the Persian monarchy was ended, after a continuance of 231 years. At the same time the Latins were subdued by the Romans.

A.M. 3629 [4977].

Alexander reigned 5 years after the death of Darius, having reigned 7 years previously. He subdued the Hyrcani and Marsi, and on his return built Parætonium in Ammo. He penetrated India as far as the Ocean,Ammo, now the Oasis of Siwah Ammo, now in a series of victories rather than of battles, and having returned to Babylon, he died from drinking poison, in the thirty-second year of liis age, and the twelfth of his reign. His empire was divided. Ptolemy, Ptolemy Soter son of Lagus, obtained Egypt. Philip, who is also called Arideus, brother of Alexander, obtained Macedon. Syria, Babylon, and all the kingdoms of the East fell to Division of the Macedonian Empire. [A.M. 3681. B.C. 321.] Seleucus Nicanor. Antigonus reigned over Asia. These are designated in the book of Daniel, as the four horns of the he-goat which smote the ram.