Page:Selections. Translated by H. St. J. Thackeray (1919).djvu/73

 Archelaus to obtain his kingdom, but in reality intending to oppose him, and in particular to protest loudly against his proceedings in the Temple.—Ant. XVII. 9. 3 (218-220).  After the departure of Archelaus, Sabinus, the procurator of Judæa, tries to get possession of Herod's treasures in the Temple. A Rival Claimant to the Kingdom

About this time Antipas, another of Herod's sons, also set sail for Rome, to make a rival claim to the throne, to which he was instigated to aspire by Salome's promises. He claimed that he had a much better right than Archelaus to the succession, in virtue of his nomination as king in Herod's former will, which, in his opinion, had greater validity than the later codicils. He took with him his mother and the brother of Nicolaus, Ptolemy, one of Herod's most honoured friends, and now a staunch champion of Antipas. But the man who more than any other prompted him to think of claiming the throne was Irenæus, a professional speaker, who on account of his reputation for ability had been entrusted with the administration of the realm. Thus supported, Antipas declined to listen to those who advised him to make way for Archelaus as the elder son and the one who had been declared king in their father's later will.

When Antipas reached Rome, his relatives went over to him in a body; not for love of Antipas, but from hatred of Archelaus. What they really desired was to be free and placed under a Roman governor; but, if anything prevented this, they thought Antipas would serve their ends better than Archelaus, and therefore lent him their aid in his suit. Another of Archelaus's accusers was Sabinus in a letter addressed to Cæsar. —Ant. XVII. 9. 4 (224-227).