Pompey

The final collapse of the [[Seleucid Empire]] allowed Pompey to annex [[Roman Syria|Syria]] in 64 BC, but its dissolution destabilised the region, while many of its cities had used the power vacuum to achieve independence.{{sfn|Leach|1978|p=93}} In early 63 BC, Pompey left [[Antioch]] and marched south, occupying coastal cities like [[Apamea, Syria|Apamea]], before crossing the [[Anti-Lebanon Mountains]] and capturing [[Pella, Jordan|Pella]] (in today's Jordan), and [[Damascus]].{{sfn|Leach|1978|p=96}}

The final collapse of the [[Seleucid Empire]] allowed Pompey to annex [[Roman Syria|Syria]] in 64 BC, but its dissolution destabilised the region, while many of its cities had used the power vacuum to achieve independence.{{sfn|Leach|1978|p=93}} In early 63 BC, Pompey left [[Antioch]] and marched south, occupying coastal cities like [[Apamea, Syria|Apamea]], before crossing the [[Anti-Lebanon Mountains]] and capturing [[Pella, Jordan|Pella]] (in today's Jordan), and [[Damascus]].{{sfn|Leach|1978|p=96}}

[[File:Lodovico_Pogliaghi_-_Pompey_in_the_Holy_of_Holies_in_Jerusalem,_63_BC.png|thumb|308x308px|Pompey in the [[Holy of Holies]] of the [[Second Temple|Jerusalem Temple]], drawing by [[Lodovico Pogliaghi]] (1883)]]

[[File:Lodovico_Pogliaghi_-_Pompey_in_the_Holy_of_Holies_in_Jerusalem,_63_BC.png|thumb|308x308px|Pompey in the [[Holy of Holies]] of the [[Second Temple|Jerusalem Temple]], drawing by [[Lodovico Pogliaghi]] (1883)]]

Pompey soon made an incursion into [[Hasmonean Judea|Judea]], taking advantage of the [[Hasmonean Civil War]], in which he backed [[Hyrcanus II]] against his brother [[Aristobulus II]]. Upon arriving in Damascus, he received delegations from both claimants: Hyrcanus argued that he was the rightful heir by primogeniture and accused Aristobulus of fomenting unrest and piracy, while Aristobulus maintained that he had assumed the kingship out of necessity because his brother was unfit to rule. According to [[Josephus]] and [[Diodorus Siculus]], a third delegation, representing "the Jewish nation," also appealed to Pompey to abolish the monarchy and restore priestly rule.{{Sfn|Grabbe|2020|p=432}}

Pompey's incursion further south, into [[Hasmonean Judea|Judea]], was occasioned on account of its inhabitants, under the leadership of [[Hyrcanus II]] and [[Aristobulus II]], having ravaged [[Phoenicia]] and Pompey wanting to bring a stop to it.{{cite book |last=Cassius Dio |author-link=Cassius Dio|title=Dio's Roman History |publisher=Harvard University Press |editor=E.H. Warmington |series=The Loeb Classical Library |volume=3 |date=1969 |location=Cambridge |page=127 (book XXXVII)|language=en, Greek |oclc=264964964}} The initial onslaught was disrupted by the [[Hasmonean Civil War]], in which Pompey backed Hyrcanus II over his brother Aristobulus II. When he compelled the latter to surrender [[Jerusalem]], its defenders took refuge in the [[Second Temple|Temple]], which the [[Siege of Jerusalem (63 BC)|Romans stormed]]. Judea became a client kingdom ruled by Hyrcanus, while its northern section was incorporated into the [[Decapolis]], a league of semi-autonomous cities (see map). Both Judea and the League were made subordinate to the new province of Syria.Josephus, ''Jewish Antiquities'', 14.54.79

Pompey postponed a final decision and advanced into Judea. He marched as far as [[Jericho]], where Aristobulus met him again and promised payment and entry into the kingdom's capital, [[Jerusalem]]; however, his supporters refused to admit the Romans. Hyrcanus's supporters opened the gates, and Aristobulus's faction withdrew to the [[Temple Mount]].{{Sfn|Grabbe|2020|p=432}} Pompey then [[Siege of Jerusalem (63 BC)|besieged the site for three months]] and, taking advantage of the [[Shabbat]], [[Judaism]]'s weekly day of rest, to advance his siege works.{{Sfn|Grabbe|2020|pp=432–433}} Upon capturing the [[Second Temple|Jerusalem Temple]], Pompey entered the [[Holy of Holies]], an act regarded as a desecration, since only the [[High Priest of Israel|high priest]] was permitted to enter, and only once each year. Nevertheless, he did not touch its treasures and ordered the Temple to be cleansed and regular worship to resume the following day.{{Sfn|Grabbe|2020|p=433}}

Following his conquest of Jerusalem, Pompey installed Hyrcanus as a [[Client kingdoms in ancient Rome|client ruler]], allowing him to serve as high priest while denying him the title of king; Aristobulus and his sons were taken as captives to Rome.{{Sfn|Grabbe|2020|pp=434, 436}} Pompey also reduced Judea's territory, assigning many Hellenistic cities to the province of Syria, with ten of them forming the [[Decapolis]].{{Sfn|Grabbe|2020|p=434}} The detached cities included [[Tel Dor|Dora]], [[Caesarea Maritima|Straton's Tower]], [[Apollonia–Arsuf|Apollonia]], [[Jaffa|Joppa]], [[Ashdod (ancient city)|Azotus]], [[Anthedon (Palestine)|Anthedon]], [[Gaza City|Gaza]], [[Rafah|Raphia]], [[Ascalon]], [[Maresha]], [[Samaria (ancient city)|Samaria]], [[Beit She'an|Scythopolis]], Arethusa, [[Yavne|Jamnia]], [[Abila (Decapolis)|Abila]], [[Hippos (Golan Heights)|Hippus]], [[Gadara]], [[Pella]] and [[Dium (Coele-Syria)|Dium]].{{sfn|Grabbe|2020|p=434}}

Other organisational changes included creating the province of [[Bithynia and Pontus]], with the rest of Mithridates' territories distributed among Roman allies. Elsewhere, [[Ariobarzanes I of Cappadocia]] was restored to his throne, while Lesser Armenia was taken from Tigranes and incorporated into [[Galatia]], with Pompey's client [[Deiotarus]] becoming ruler of the new kingdom. Finally, Cilicia received the coastal region of [[Pamphylia]], previously a centre of piracy, along with other inland areas, and was reorganised into six parts.{{efn|These were Cilicia Aspera, Cilicia Campestris, Pamphylia, [[Pisidia]], [[Isauria]], [[Lycaonia]], and [[Phrygia]]}}. These actions significantly increased Roman state income and presented Pompey with multiple opportunities to increase his personal wealth and patronage base.{{sfn|Morrill|2017|pp=57–97}}

Other organisational changes included creating the province of [[Bithynia and Pontus]], with the rest of Mithridates' territories distributed among Roman allies. Elsewhere, [[Ariobarzanes I of Cappadocia]] was restored to his throne, while Lesser Armenia was taken from Tigranes and incorporated into [[Galatia]], with Pompey's client [[Deiotarus]] becoming ruler of the new kingdom. Finally, Cilicia received the coastal region of [[Pamphylia]], previously a centre of piracy, along with other inland areas, and was reorganised into six parts.{{efn|These were Cilicia Aspera, Cilicia Campestris, Pamphylia, [[Pisidia]], [[Isauria]], [[Lycaonia]], and [[Phrygia]]}}. These actions significantly increased Roman state income and presented Pompey with multiple opportunities to increase his personal wealth and patronage base.{{sfn|Morrill|2017|pp=57–97}}

* {{cite book|last=Goldsworthy|first=Adrian |title=In the name of Rome: The Men Who Won the Roman Empire |publisher=Phoenix |place=London |year=2004|isbn=978-0753817896}}

* {{cite book|last=Goldsworthy|first=Adrian |title=In the name of Rome: The Men Who Won the Roman Empire |publisher=Phoenix |place=London |year=2004|isbn=978-0753817896}}

* {{cite book|last=Goldsworthy|first=Adrian |title=Caesar; The Life of a Colossus |publisher=Orion |year=2006|edition=2013 |isbn=978-0297864004}}

* {{cite book|last=Goldsworthy|first=Adrian |title=Caesar; The Life of a Colossus |publisher=Orion |year=2006|edition=2013 |isbn=978-0297864004}}

* {{Cite book |last=Grabbe |first=Lester L. |author-link=Lester L. Grabbe |title=A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period, Volume 3: The Maccabaean Revolt, Hasmonaean Rule, and Herod the Great (175–4 BCE) |publisher=T&T Clark |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-5676-9294-8 |series=The Library of Second Temple Studies}}

* {{cite web|last=Gray|first=Eric William |title=Pompey the Great|website=Encyclopaedia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pompey-the-Great|access-date=16 March 2023}}

* {{cite web|last=Gray|first=Eric William |title=Pompey the Great|website=Encyclopaedia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pompey-the-Great|access-date=16 March 2023}}

* {{cite book|last=Greenhalgh|first=P. |title=Pompey: The Republican Prince|publisher=Littlehampton Book Services Ltd|year=1981|isbn=978-0297778813}}

* {{cite book|last=Greenhalgh|first=P. |title=Pompey: The Republican Prince|publisher=Littlehampton Book Services Ltd|year=1981|isbn=978-0297778813}}