III. John's Military Policy and Conquests. John possessed the
characteristic ambitions and energy of his family. In his policy he also
seems to have been strongly influenced by the achievements of Israel's
early conquering king, David. His aim was to build up a small empire,
and by crushing the ancient foes of Israel to secure immunity from
further attack. In employing foreign mercenaries he also followed the
example of King David. Doubtless he was influenced in doing so by his
experiences in the Parthian campaign. This policy, however, was far
removed from the spirit of the early Maccabean leaders who had unsheathed
the sword in behalf of their principles. John's first campaign was
against the cities to the east of the Jordan, and resulted in the conquest
of the towns of Medeba and Samaga and the territory subject to them. The
conquest of Shechem and southern Samaria was undoubtedly prompted both by
hereditary hatred toward the Samaritans and by the desire to provide an
outlet for the growing Jewish population. After standing for two
centuries, the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim was destroyed by the
Jews. This sacrilegious act naturally intensified that hatred between Jew
and Samaritan which burned so fiercely during the early part of the first
Christian century. Marissa and Dora, the chief cities of the Idumeans,
were next conquered. With strange inconsistency, John Hyrcanus, whose
ancestors had first taken up the sword in defence of religious liberty,
compelled the descendants of their old foes, the Edomites, to give up
their national religion or else go into exile. This policy was fraught
with far-reaching consequences, for among those appointed to rule over the
conquered Edomites was Antipater, the ancestor of Herod, who was destined
to rule the Jews and to initiate that long series of disasters that
culminated in the destruction of the Jewish state. Last of all, John
Hyrcanus advanced to the conquest of the Greek city of Samaria. Because of
its natural strength and formidable defences a year was required for the