Page:Light and truth.djvu/185

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ANCIENT KINGS AND WARS.
183

Seleucus Callinicus, reigned 20 years.
Seleucus Ceraunus, reigned 2 years.
Antiochus the Great, reigned 36 years.
Seleucus Philopator, reigned 12 years.
Antiochus Epiphanes, reigned 11 years.


Antiochus Epiphanes succeeded Seleucus in the kingdom of Syria, and reigned eleven years and some months.


Alexander Balas, the son of king Antiochus Epiphanes, enters with an army into Syria; the garrison of Ptolemais set open their gates to him, by reason of their hatred to king Demetrius, who prepares himself for war.


Demetrius desireth an alliance with Jonathan, who makes use of this occasion to repair the fortifications of Jerusalem.


Alexander Balas is no less careful to obtain the friendship of Jonathan; and, to oblige him, confers on him the high priesthood.


Jonathan puts on the holy vestment in the seventh month of the 160th year of the kingdom of the Grecians, at the feast of tabernacles. He was the first high priest of the Hasmonean family.


Demetrius and Alexander come to a battle, and Demetrius is slain.


Alexander Balas finding himself in the peaceable possession of the kingdom of Syria, espouseth Cleopatra, the daughter of Ptolemy Philometor king of Egypt. Alexander highly honors Jonathan the high priest at his nuptials.


Demetrius Nicanor, eldest son of Demetrius Soter, enters into Cilicia with an army. King Alexander Balas gives the command of Syria to Apollonius, who sets upon Jonathan the high priest; Jonathan defeats him, and takes Joppa and Azotus, and burns the temple of Dagon.


Ptolemy Philometor king of Egypt comes to the relief of king Alexander, his son-in-law. Alexander ungratefully sets Ammonius to lie in ambush to kill him. The treachery being discovered, Ptolemy takes away his daughter from Alexander, and marries her to Demetrius. Alexander having been driven from Antioch, the inhabitants of that place make offer of the kingdom to Ptolemy, but he refuseth it, and persuadeth them to accept of Demetrius for their king.


Alexander returns with a great army. Ptolemy and