Ptolemy Seizes Jerusalem

When Alexander, king of Macedon, had put an end to the dominion of the Persians, and had settled affairs in Judea in the way described above, he died. His empire fell to many: Antigonus took Asia, Seleucus Babylon and the nations there; Lysimachus governed the Hellespont, Cassander held Macedonia, and Ptolemy the son of Lagus seized Egypt. While these princes contended ambitiously with one another, each for his own realm, there were continual wars, and long ones too; and the cities suffered, and lost a great many of their inhabitants in these times of distress, so much so that all Syria, at the hands of Ptolemy the son of Lagus, experienced the very reverse of the title of Savior which he then bore. [a]

He also seized Jerusalem, and used deceit and treachery to do it. He came into the city on a Sabbath day as if to offer sacrifice, and took the city without any trouble, since the Jews did not oppose him, for they did not suspect him to be their enemy. He took it in this way because they had no suspicion of him, and because on that day they were at rest and quiet; and when he had taken it, he ruled over it cruelly. Agatharchides of Cnidus, who wrote the history of Alexander’s successors, also bears witness to this account, reproaching us with superstition, as if we had lost our liberty through it. He says: “There is a nation called the nation of the Jews, who live in a strong and great city named Jerusalem. These men took no care, but let it come into the hands of Ptolemy, not being willing to take up arms; and so, because of their ill-timed superstition, they submitted to being under a harsh master.” This is what Agatharchides relates of our nation.

When Ptolemy had taken a great many captives, both from the hill country of Judea and from the places around Jerusalem and Samaria and near Mount Gerizim, he led them all into Egypt and settled them there. And since he knew that the people of Jerusalem were most faithful in keeping oaths and covenants, as he had learned from the answer they gave Alexander when he sent an embassy to them after he had beaten Darius in battle, he distributed many of them into garrisons, and at Alexandria gave them rights of citizenship equal to those of the Macedonians themselves; and he required them to take an oath that they would keep faith with the descendants of the man who had entrusted these places to their care. Not a few other Jews also went into Egypt of their own accord, attracted by the goodness of the soil and by Ptolemy’s generosity. However, there were quarrels between their descendants and the Samaritans, because of their determination to preserve the way of life handed down to them by their forefathers. So they contended with one another, those of Jerusalem saying that their temple was the holy one, and insisting on sending their sacrifices there, while the Samaritans insisted that they be sent to Mount Gerizim.