city Jerusalem also itself as of a most excellent structure, and
very large, and inhabited from the most ancient times. He also
discourses of the multitude of men in it, and of the construction
of our temple, after the following manner: "There are many strong
places and villages (says he) in the country of Judea; but one
strong city there is, about fifty furlongs in circumference,
which is inhabited by a hundred and twenty thousand men, or
thereabouts; they call it Jerusalem. There is about the middle of
the city a wall of stone, whose length is five hundred feet, and
the breadth a hundred cubits, with double cloisters; wherein
there is a square altar, not made of hewn stone, but composed of
white stones gathered together, having each side twenty cubits
long, and its altitude ten cubits. Hard by it is a large edifice,
wherein there is an altar and a candlestick, both of gold, and in
weight two talents: upon these there is a light that is never
extinguished, either by night or by day. There is no image, nor
any thing, nor any donations therein; nothing at all is there
planted, neither grove, nor any thing of that sort. The priests
abide therein both nights and days, performing certain
purifications, and drinking not the least drop of wine while they
are in the temple." Moreover, he attests that we Jews went as
auxiliaries along with king Alexander, and after him with his
successors. I will add further what he says he learned when he
was himself with the same army, concerning the actions of a man
that was a Jew. His words are these: "As I was myself going to
the Red Sea, there followed us a man, whose name was Mosollam; he
was one of the Jewish horsemen who conducted us; he was a person
of great courage, of a strong body, and by all allowed to be the
most skillful archer that was either among the Greeks or
barbarians. Now this man, as people were in great numbers passing