From the Taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes to the Death of Herod the Great - Flavius Josephus
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Chapter 19<br />
An<strong>to</strong>ny Sent <strong>Herod</strong> <strong>to</strong> Fight Against <strong>the</strong> Arabians<br />
1. Now when <strong>the</strong> war about Actium was begun, <strong>Herod</strong> prepared <strong>to</strong> come<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> assistance <strong>of</strong> An<strong>to</strong>ny, as being already freed from his troubles in<br />
Judea, and having gained Hyrcania, which was a place that was held <strong>by</strong><br />
Antigonus's sister. However, he was cunningly hindered from partaking <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> hazards that An<strong>to</strong>ny went through <strong>by</strong> Cleopatra; for since, as we have<br />
already noted, she had laid a plot against <strong>the</strong> kings [<strong>of</strong> Judea and Arabia], she<br />
prevailed with An<strong>to</strong>ny <strong>to</strong> commit <strong>the</strong> war against <strong>the</strong> Arabians <strong>to</strong> <strong>Herod</strong>; that<br />
so, if he got <strong>the</strong> better, she might become mistress <strong>of</strong> Arabia, or, if he were<br />
worsted, <strong>of</strong> Judea; and that she might destroy one <strong>of</strong> those kings <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
2. However, this contrivance tended <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> advantage <strong>of</strong> <strong>Herod</strong>; for at <strong>the</strong><br />
very first he <strong>to</strong>ok hostages from <strong>the</strong> enemy, and got <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r a great body <strong>of</strong><br />
horse, and ordered <strong>the</strong>m <strong>to</strong> march against <strong>the</strong>m about Diespous; and he<br />
conquered that army, although it fought resolutely against him. After which<br />
defeat, <strong>the</strong> Arabians were in great motion, and assembled <strong>the</strong>mselves<br />
<strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r at Kanatha, a city <strong>of</strong> Celesyria, in vast multitudes, and waited for <strong>the</strong><br />
Jews. And when <strong>Herod</strong> was come thi<strong>the</strong>r, he tried <strong>to</strong> manage this war with<br />
particular prudence, and gave orders that <strong>the</strong>y should build a wall about <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
camp; yet did not <strong>the</strong> multitude comply with those orders, but were so<br />
emboldened <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir foregoing vic<strong>to</strong>ry, that <strong>the</strong>y presently attacked <strong>the</strong><br />
Arabians, and beat <strong>the</strong>m at <strong>the</strong> first onset, and <strong>the</strong>n pursued <strong>the</strong>m; yet were<br />
<strong>the</strong>re snares laid for <strong>Herod</strong> in that pursuit; while A<strong>the</strong>nio, who was one <strong>of</strong><br />
Cleopatra's generals, and always an antagonist <strong>to</strong> <strong>Herod</strong>, sent out <strong>of</strong> Kanatha<br />
<strong>the</strong> men <strong>of</strong> that country against him; for, upon this fresh onset, <strong>the</strong> Arabians<br />
<strong>to</strong>ok courage, and returned back, and both joined <strong>the</strong>ir numerous forces<br />
about s<strong>to</strong>ny places, that were hard <strong>to</strong> be gone over, and <strong>the</strong>re put <strong>Herod</strong>'s<br />
men <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> rout, and made a great slaughter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m; but those that escaped<br />
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