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requital be made to Hyrcanus； to the nation of the Jews； and to
the sons of Hyrcanus； by the senate and people of Rome； and that
suitably to what good…will they have shown us； and to the
benefits they have bestowed upon us。〃
8。 〃Julius Caius； praetor ＇consul＇ of Rome； to the magistrates；
senate； and people of the Parians； sendeth greeting。 The Jews of
Delos； and some other Jews that sojourn there； in the presence of
your ambassadors； signified to us； that； by a decree of yours；
you forbid them to make use of the customs of their forefathers；
and their way of sacred worship。 Now it does not please me that
such decrees should be made against our friends and confederates；
whereby they are forbidden to live according to their own
customs； or to bring in contributions for common suppers and holy
festivals； while they are not forbidden so to do even at Rome
itself； for even Caius Caesar； our imperator and consul； in that
decree wherein he forbade the Bacchanal rioters to meet in the
city； did yet permit these Jews； and these only； both to bring in
their contributions； and to make their common suppers。
Accordingly； when I forbid other Bacchanal rioters； I permit
these Jews to gather themselves together； according to the
customs and laws of their forefathers； and to persist therein。 It
will be therefore good for you； that if you have made any decree
against these our friends and confederates； to abrogate the same；
by reason of their virtue and kind disposition towards us。〃
9。 Now after Caius was slain； when Marcus Antonius and Publius
Dolabella were consuls； they both assembled the senate； and
introduced Hyrcanus's ambassadors into it； and discoursed of what
they desired； and made a league of friendship with them。 The
senate also decreed to grant them all they desired。 I add the
decree itself； that those who read the present work may have
ready by them a demonstration of the truth of what we say。 The
decree was this：
10。 〃The decree of the senate； copied out of the treasury； from
the public tables belonging to the quaestors； when Quintus
Rutilius and Caius Cornelius were quaestors； and taken out of the
second table of the first class； on the third day before the Ides
of April； in the temple of Concord。 There were present at the
writing of this decree； Lucius Calpurnius Piso of the Menenian
tribe； Servius Papinins Potitus of the Lemonian tribe； Caius
Caninius Rebilius of the Terentine tribe； Publius Tidetius；
Lucius Apulinus； the son of Lucius； of the Sergian tribe；
Flavius； the son of Lucius； of the Lemonian tribe； Publius
Platins； the son of Publius； of the Papyrian tribe； Marcus
Acilius； the son of Marcus； of the Mecian tribe； Lucius Erucius；
the son of Lucius； of the Stellatine tribe； Mareils Quintus
Plancillus； the son of Marcus； of the Pollian tribe； and Publius
Serius。 Publius Dolabella and Marcus Antonius； the consuls； made
this reference to the senate； that as to those things which； by
the decree of the senate； Caius Caesar had adjudged about the
Jews； and yet had not hitherto that decree been brought into the
treasury； it is our will； as it is also the desire of Publius
Dolabella and Marcus Antonius； our consuls； to have these decrees
put into the public tables； and brought to the city quaestors；
that they may take care to have them put upon the double tables。
This was done before the fifth of the Ides of February； in the
temple of Concord。 Now the ambassadors from Hyrcanus the high
priest were these： Lysimachus； the son of Pausanias； Alexander；
the son of Theodorus； Patroclus； the son of Chereas； and Jonathan
the； son of Onias。〃
11。 Hyrcanus sent also one of these ambassadors to Dolabella； who
was then the prefect of Asia； and desired him to dismiss the Jews
from military services； and to preserve to them the customs of
their forefathers； and to permit them to live according to them。
And when Dolabella had received Hyrcanus's letter； without any
further deliberation； he sent an epistle to all the Asiatics； and
particularly to the city of the Ephesians； the metropolis of
Asia； about the Jews； a copy of which epistle here follows：
12。 〃When Artermon was prytanis； on the first day of the month
Leneon； Dolabella； imperator； to the senate； and magistrates； and
people of the Ephesians； sendeth greeting。 Alexander； the son of
Theodorus； the ambassador of Hyrcanus； the son of Alexander； the
high priest and ethnarch of the Jews； appeared before me； to show
that his countrymen could not go into their armies； because they
are not allowed to bear arms or to travel on the sabbath days；
nor there to procure themselves those sorts of food which they
have been used to eat from the times of their forefathers； … I do
therefore grant them a freedom from going into the army； as the
former prefects have done； and permit them to use the customs of
their forefathers； in assembling together for sacred and
religious purposes； as their law requires； and for collecting
oblations necessary for sacrifices； and my will is； that you
write this to the several cities under your jurisdiction。〃
13。 And these were the concessions that Dolabella made to our
nation when Hyrcanus sent an embassage to him。 But Lucius the
consul's decree ran thus： 〃I have at my tribunal set these Jews；
who are citizens of Rome； and follow the Jewish religious rites；
and yet live at Ephesus； free from going into the army； on
account of the superstition they are under。 This was done before
the twelfth of the calends of October； when Lucius Lentulus and
Caius Marcellus were consuls； in the presence of Titus Appius
Balgus； the son of Titus； and lieutenant of the Horatian tribe；
of Titus Tongins； the son of Titus； of the Crustumine tribe； of
Quintus Resius； the son of Quintus； of Titus Pompeius Longinus；
the son of Titus； of Catus Servilius； the son of Caius； of the
Terentine tribe； of Bracchus the military tribune； of Publius
Lucius Gallus； the son of Publius； of the Veturian tribe； of
Caius Sentins； the son of Caius； of the Sabbatine tribe； of Titus
Atilius Bulbus； the son of Titus； lieutenant and vice…praetor to
the magistrates； senate； and people of the Ephesians； sendeth
greeting。 Lucius Lentulus the consul freed the Jews that are in
Asia from going into the armies； at my intercession for them； and
when I had made the same petition some time afterward to Phanius
the imperator； and to Lucius Antonius the vice…quaestor； I
obtained that privilege of them also； and my will is； that you
take care that no one give them any disturbance。〃
14。 The decree of the Delians。 〃The answer of the praetors； when
Beotus was archon； on the twentieth day of the month Thargeleon。
While Marcus Piso the lieutenant lived in our city； who was also
appointed over the choice of the soldiers； he called us； and many
other of the citizens； and gave order； that if there be here any
Jews who are Roman citizens； no one is to give them any
disturbance about going into the army； because Cornelius
Lentulus； the consul； freed the Jews from going into the army； on
account of the superstition they are under； … you are therefore
obliged to submit to the praetor。〃 And the like decree was made
by the Sardians about us also。
15。 〃Caius Phanius； the son of Caius； imperator and consul； to
the magistrates of Cos； sendeth greeting。 I would have you know
that the ambassadors of the Jews have been with me； and desired
they might have those decrees which the senate had made about
them； which decrees are here subjoined。 My will is； that you have
a regard to and take care of these men； according to the senate's
decree； that they may be safely conveyed home through your
country。〃
16。 The declaration of Lucius Lentulus the consul： 〃I have
dismissed those Jews who are Roman citizens； and who appear to me
to have their religious rites； and to observe the laws of the
Jews at Ephesus； on account of the superstition they are under。
This act was done before the thirteenth of the calends of
October。〃
17。 〃Lucius Antonius； the son of Marcus； vice…quaestor； and
vice…praetor； to the magistrates； senate； and people of the
Sardians； sendeth greeting。 Those Jews that are our fellow
citizens of Rome came to me； and demonstrated that they had an
assembly of their own； according to the laws of their
forefathers； and this from the beginning； as also a place of
their own； wherein they determined their suits and controversies
with one another。 Upon their petition therefore to me； that these
might be lawful for them； I gave order that these their
privileges be preserved； and they be permitted to do
accordingly。〃
18。 The declaration of Marcus Publius； the son of Spurius； and of
Marcus； the son of Marcus； and of Lucius； the son of Publius： 〃We
went to the proconsul； and informed him of what Dositheus； the
son of Cleopatrida of Alexandria； desired； that； if he thought
good； he would dismiss those Jews who were Roman citizens； and
were wont to observe the rites of the Jewish religion； on account
of the superstition they were under。 Accordingly； he did dismiss
them。 This was done before the thirteenth of the calends of
October。〃
19。 〃In the month Quntius； when Lucius Lentulus and Caius
Mercellus were