From the Taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes to the Death of Herod the Great - Flavius Josephus

Petra of Arabia.
9. As for the Parthians in Jerusalem, they betook themselves to
plundering, and fell upon the houses of those that were fled, and upon the
king's palace, and spared nothing but Hyrcanus's money, which was not
above three hundred talents. They lighted on other men's money also, but not
so much as they hoped for; for Herod having a long while had a suspicion of
the perfidiousness of the barbarians, had taken care to have what was most
splendid among his treasures conveyed into Idumea, as every one belonging
to him had in like manner done also. But the Parthians proceeded to that
degree of injustice, as to fill all the country with war without denouncing it,
and to demolish the city Marissa, and not only to set up Antigonus for king,
but to deliver Phasaelus and Hyrcanus bound into his. hands, in order to their
being tormented by him. Antigonus himself also bit off Hyrcanus's ears with
his own teeth, as he fell down upon his knees to him, that so he might never
be able upon any mutation of affairs to take the high priesthood again, for the
high priests that officiated were to be complete, and without blemish.
10. However, he failed in his purpose of abusing Phasaelus, by reason of
his courage; for though he neither had the command of his sword nor of his
hands, he prevented all abuses by dashing his head against a stone; so he
demonstrated himself to be Herod's own brother, and Hyrcanus a most
degenerate relation, and died with great bravery, and made the end of his life
agreeable to the actions of it. There is also another report about his end, viz.
that he recovered of that stroke, and that a surgeon, who was sent by
Antigonus to heal him, filled the wound with poisonous ingredients, and so
killed him; whichsoever of these deaths he came to, the beginning of it was
glorious. It is also reported that before he expired he was informed by a
certain poor woman how Herod had escaped out of their hands, and that he
said thereupon, "I now die with comfort, since I leave behind me one alive
that will avenge me of mine enemies."
55