V. The Reign of Aristobulus. The accession of Aristobulus marks a
triumph of that Hellenism against which Judas and Simon had unsheathed
the sword. Like many an Oriental monarch, he established his position on
the throne by the murder of all members of his family who might contest
his power. His inhuman cruelty to his mother and the suspicions which led
him to murder his brother reveal a barbarous spirit that can only be
explained as a result of the wrong ambitions that had already taken
possession of Israel's rulers. Aristobulus's brief reign of one year is
marked by two significant acts. The first is the assumption of the title
of king. On his own initiative, and apparently without the consent of the
people, he placed the diadem upon his head. The other important act was
the conquest of part of the territory of Iturea, which was known in later
times as Galilee. He found it occupied by a mixed Syrian and Greek
population in which were probably a few descendants of the ancient
Israelites. Following the policy of his family, he doubtless at once
inaugurated a system of colonization which carried to Galilee a strong
Jewish population. Henceforth, by virtue of race, language, and religion,
Galilee was closely bound to Judea.



Section CXIV. THE PHARISEES, SADDUCEES, AND ESSENES

[Sidenote: Jos. Ant. XVIII, 1:2, 3a-c]
The Jews have three sects of philosophy: the Essenes, the Sadducees, and
those called Pharisees. The Pharisees do not yield to luxury but despise
that kind of life; and they follow the guidance of reason, and what that
prescribes to them as good, they do. They also pay respect to those
advanced in years nor are they so bold as to contradict them in anything
which they have introduced. While they believe that all things are done by