and his sons kept Palestine in a state of constant political ferment.
Three times in five years they stirred the Jews to rebellion against Rome.
The first rebellion was in 57 B.C. and was led by Alexander. He was
ultimately driven by the Roman general to Alexandria, the fortress that
overlooks the middle-Jordan Valley, and was finally forced to surrender.
The three great fortresses, Alexandria, Machaerus, and Hyrcanium, were
thrown down, and the Jewish state was divided into five districts. Each of
these was under a local council consisting of the leading citizens. These
reported directly to the Roman proconsul. To neutralize still further
the Jewish national spirit, the Hellenic cities in and about Palestine
were restored, given a large measure of independence, and placed directly
under the control of Rome's representative in the East.

The second rebellion followed quickly and was led by Aristobulus. He was
soon obliged, however, to take refuge in the fortress of Machaerus, east
of the Dead Sea, where he was captured and sent back again as a captive to
Rome. The third rebellion was led by Alexander. It was more formidable,
and in the end more disastrous, for the Jews were signally defeated in a
battle near Mount Tabor. The only permanent results of these uprisings
were the intensifying of Jewish hatred of Roman rule and the increasing of
Rome's suspicion of this rebellious people. It was this suspicion that
made it possible for the high-priestly party at a later time to force the
Roman governor Pilate to put to death one whom he recognized to be an
inoffensive Galilean peasant simply because he was accused of having
assumed the historic title, King of the Jews.

II. Antipater's Policy. Through the troublesome first quarter-century
of Roman rule Antipater and his family prospered because they were able at
every turn in the political fortunes of Syria to make themselves
increasingly useful to Rome. At many critical periods he was able to save