Chapter 53: The Ruler of the East (2) Marcus led two legions into Syria, where the Seleucid dynasty once ruled. As Pompey had noted, the Seleucid dynasty had long lost control over the region.
Marcus's mission was to occupy as much territory as possible before Pompey's main force arrived. Although he was nervous about commanding a legion for the first time, the resistance in Syria was minimal. The local population seemed to welcome Roman rule rather than oppose it.
This situation clearly demonstrated how powerless and insignificant the Seleucid dynasty had become. When a ruler is weak, the subjects inevitably suffer from invasions. The people of Syria, tired of frequent foreign invasions, preferred Roman rule—even with the imposition of taxes—since it promised an end to these invasions.
"Welcome, liberators from Rome!" the citizens greeted Marcus and his troops near Antioch, a city comparable to Alexandria. The warm reception made the Roman army question whether they had truly come to liberate Asia Minor.
Despite the positive atmosphere, Marcus moved his legion cautiously. A favorable environment did not guarantee the absence of enemies. Fortunately, the legion commanders, who had received orders from Pompey, were supportive of Marcus. They had no reason to dislike him: he was the eldest son of one of Rome's wealthiest families and was favored by Pompey. Aligning with him was a logical choice, considering his promising future.
Marcus's humble and sincere demeanor earned him respect. He did not look down on other legion commanders due to his background and was fair in his leadership. The legion commanders also appreciated the silver coins Marcus gave them as a gesture of goodwill.
The Roman army advanced carefully, defeating a few bands of bandits but encountering no organized resistance. This success led to an even warmer welcome from the Syrian people. Eventually, Marcus's forces entered Antioch without bloodshed, achieving unexpected success.
One of the legion commanders, observing the enthusiastic reception from the citizens, remarked, "I think I understand why Pompey wanted to annex this region."
Marcus chuckled and nodded. "The Seleucid dynasty was already in decline. Pompey's decision to annex this place was wise. If we hadn't, Parthia might have moved in next year."
"I can only admire Pompey's foresight," the commander replied.
"Me too," Marcus agreed, his tone tinged with curiosity.
Pompey's military insight was unparalleled in Rome, though Marcus wondered why that acumen didn't extend to other areas.
In any case, Marcus excelled in his mission. By the time Pompey's main force arrived, he had already subdued all regions except Damascus. It appeared he had achieved significant military success with minimal effort.
Pompey commended Marcus's achievements and then led the army into Damascus. There was no resistance here either; the king was too afraid to confront Rome, and the citizens welcomed the removal of their ineffective ruler. The local nobles, after receiving Rome's assurance to preserve their positions, opened the gates willingly.
Thus, the Seleucid dynasty, one of the three dynasties claiming to be Alexander the Great's successors, vanished from history. The Antigonid and Seleucid dynasties were both destroyed by Rome, leaving only the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt.
At this time, the Ptolemaic dynasty was also effectively a Roman vassal, which is why Pompey had no intention of addressing Egypt yet. Instead, he focused on stabilizing Syria, now a new Roman province.
Pompey honored his promise by recognizing the privileges of Syria's ruling class. Rome's policy was to retain as many existing elites as possible, even after removing the king. This approach helped minimize local resistance and facilitated Rome's control over the region.
While Pompey was integrating Syria smoothly into the Roman sphere, two unexpected visitors arrived in Damascus: representatives from the Hasmonean dynasty, the last Jewish dynasty.
In contrast to Rome, where there was some separation between religion and state, Israel had a system where religion and politics were intertwined. This often led to power struggles between the high priest and the king.
Hyrcanus II, the high priest, led the Pharisees, while Aristobulus II, the king of Judea, led the Sadducees. The power struggle between these two factions caused daily chaos in Israel.
With Pompey, the supreme commander of Rome, appearing in Syria, both Israeli rulers naturally sought his support. Pompey's position in the east was almost equivalent to that of an emperor. At some point, he began using the title "Pompey Magnus" in official documents, reflecting his pride and comparing himself to Alexander the Great, who had used the title "Megas."
Pompey assumed an emperor's demeanor when he met the envoys from Israel. Marcus stood by his side like a loyal servant.
"Pompey, envoys from the Hasmonean dynasty of Judea request an audience," Marcus announced.
"Let them in," Pompey responded.
Marcus signaled, and the door opened to admit the two envoys. One of them was dressed in overly flashy clothes and adorned with extravagant jewelry, his walk exuding arrogance. To an outsider, it might have seemed as though an envoy from a dominant power was visiting a subordinate state.
Pompey's expression shifted with discomfort, and Marcus found himself puzzled by the envoy's demeanor.
The first envoy, dressed in more modest attire, approached with respect, kneeling and bowing his head.
"I greet the commander of Rome. I come to convey the wishes of Hyrcanus II, the high priest of Judea."
The second envoy, who remained haughty, simply nodded and spoke.
"I come to deliver the message of Aristobulus II, the rightful ruler of Judea."
Marcus was taken aback by the second envoy's confident attitude. Pompey shared his disbelief and displeasure.
"Explain the reason for your visit," Pompey said.
Hyrcanus's envoy spoke first.
"The high priest is the legitimate ruler appointed by Queen Alexandra, the wife of the late king. However, Aristobulus forcibly seized the throne in rebellion."
Pompey tilted his head, confused by Israel's political system.
"The high priest is the legitimate ruler? Shouldn't he have taken the throne if he was the legitimate ruler?"
"The actual ruler was Queen Alexandra, so Hyrcanus only held the position of high priest. According to our law, women cannot be high priests."
In Rome, a similar position existed: Pontifex Maximus, the supreme priest, who held some political influence but did not rule directly. This cultural difference added to Pompey's confusion.
Marcus explained that, in Judaism, the authority of the high priest was akin to that of a Roman consul. With this clarification, Pompey's doubts began to resolve.
"So, you're saying that the high priest you support is the rightful ruler and should claim the throne because the current king took it unjustly?"
"That's right," confirmed Hyrcanus's envoy, visibly relieved.
The envoy supporting Aristobulus interjected sharply.
"Nonsense! His Majesty is the legitimate king, anointed by the Almighty Creator. Don't listen to the wicked claims of the high priest's faction. His Majesty instructed me to tell Rome not to meddle in our affairs. However, if Rome must take sides, it should obviously support His Majesty, the legitimate ruler."
Pompey sighed, clearly frustrated.
"Do you know who I am and are you speaking to me like this?"
"Aren't you just a commander sent from Rome?"
Pompey shook his head in disbelief.
"Ha, you say that knowing my position…"
"His Majesty is the glorious king anointed by the Almighty Creator. Rome should rightfully support Him and punish those rebellious scoundrels."
Pompey rubbed his temples, trying to stave off a headache. Although he was seething inside, he found that getting angry would be futile.
Aristobulus was well aware of Rome's superior power. Recently, he had even paid Scaurus, one of Pompey's subordinates, to defend the capital from Aretas II, the king of Nabatea. When Aretas II heard that the Roman army was approaching, he retreated without a fight.
This episode had shown both factions in Israel just how powerful Rome was. While Hyrcanus opted for a submissive approach, Aristobulus chose to confront Rome with arrogance, despite his need for help.
Pompey found Aristobulus's attitude puzzling.
'Does he really think that I'll help him despite his disrespect? He can't be that foolish…'
As expected, Pompey had no intention of supporting Aristobulus. However, he felt uneasy about aiding Hyrcanus as well.
It didn't seem rational for the highest religious leader to rule the country unchecked.
Pompey momentarily hesitated before suggesting a compromise.
"It seems to me that Israel's system is the root of the conflict. It doesn't matter who becomes the leader; the irrational merging of religion and state needs to be reconsidered."
"That's absurd! The authority of the high priest is a sacred right guaranteed by Scripture. No one can infringe upon it!"
"Rome is trying to trample on Israel's dignity!"
Pompey's mood soured as he faced a vehement rejection of his proposal. It wasn't just a matter of taking sides anymore; he began to question whether Israel should remain an independent nation.
"If you refuse to accept my suggestion, there's no point in continuing this discussion. Both of you, leave."
"Ha! How barbaric."
Aristobulus's envoy maintained his composure to the end, leaving with a disdainful snort.
Hyrcanus's envoy, sensing the unfavorable atmosphere, adopted a more cautious tone.
"I will convey your opinion to the high priest and try to bring a positive response."
Once the envoys had completely departed, Marcus exchanged a bemused smile and shrugged.
"What's your plan now?"
"..."
Pompey appeared to still be fuming. He took a few deep breaths, then chuckled sarcastically while rubbing his eyes with his fingers.
"Did you see their attitudes? I didn't miss anything, did I?"
"Yes, it's a classic case of culture shock."
"Culture shock… Yes, that's exactly what it is. An apt description."
"So, who are you going to support?"
Pompey was uncertain.
"Who do you think we should side with?"
Marcus, reading Pompey's indecision, offered a suggestion.
"Actually, we don't need to take sides. The cultural differences are greater than we imagined."
"Indeed. Even among those with similar cultures, conflicts arise. In this case, we should address the issue decisively. Depending on the situation, we might consider making them our subjects."
Pompey's decision wasn't simply a reaction to the envoys' attitudes. He reached this conclusion after analyzing the fundamental reasons behind their unreasonable behavior.
He couldn't ignore Israel, a diverse region just south of Syria that had become a Roman subject. From the envoys' accounts, it was clear that stable governance under Israel's current rulers was unlikely. Even if he supported one side, the chances of stabilizing Israel were slim. It was better to address potential sources of conflict proactively.
Pompey quickly assembled all his legions and marched south to Jerusalem. Israel's weak army stood no chance against Rome's advance. Pompey's legions methodically conquered Israeli cities one by one.
Aristobulus hastily gathered his forces and established a camp at the Alexandrium fortress on the route to Jerusalem. However, upon facing the Roman army, Aristobulus's resolve quickly diminished. The power of Rome, which had conquered much of the western world, was overwhelming compared to Israel's forces.
Even his advisers, who had previously opposed the war and pushed for Hyrcanus's exile, now acknowledged the futility of resisting Rome. They unanimously advised Aristobulus that fighting was equivalent to suicide.
Reluctantly, Aristobulus offered to surrender. "I made a mistake saying I wouldn't surrender. I only meant it would take longer to pay the compensation. I will pay whatever amount you demand and open the gates of Jerusalem to avoid bloodshed."
Pompey began to suspect that Aristobulus's true aim was not to win the war but to deceive him. Since Aristobulus had already broken a promise, Pompey decided to hold him as a hostage until he honored his agreement.
Aristobulus complied with this demand. Pompey thought the issue with Israel was settled and withdrew with his prisoners, believing Aristobulus would keep his promise now that he was in custody.
However, an unexpected development occurred. The hardliners in Jerusalem refused to pay the compensation and expelled the Roman embassy.
Pompey's patience wore thin. Despite his extensive experience in warfare, he had never been so infuriated.
"From now on, there will be no room for compromise. I will not accept any further surrenders. I will take Jerusalem and eliminate all supporters of the deceitful king."
Jerusalem's choice to reject a peaceful resolution led to its own destruction—a clear example of the tragedy that results from high pride combined with a lack of capability.
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