The Chosen People
Part 4: The Reign of Simon I – Year 3
The new year began with further news that delighted the king. Travellers from the north told of Thracian forces attacking Byzantium. Should the Thracians be successful, and Macedon gain access to that territory, the Antigonids could find themselves under pressure from the west. Just as welcome was the news that the armies of the mighty Seleucid Kingdom were on the march. King Seleukos I Nikator Seleukid had declared war on Armenia. Are his plans for expansion further west, into the territory of the Antigonids?
One hopes so, because before the first month of the year was over, Simon issued his orders to the Shephat. No payment would be made to the Antigonids this month, nor in any month from now on. Judea will throw of the shackles and again be independent! (That did mean that the threat of civil war, previously non-existent because of Antigonid control, became a possibility, but nobody has anywhere near enough power to cause any serious concern).
Outwardly there was little sign of change. The new granary in Jerusalem was completed, but no new building projects were begun. Although it was not confirmed, I heard that a secret meeting between the king, the Shephat and the Mephaket had determined that funds should be saved for now, as it may be necessary to hire mercenaries to supplement our levies. There was another secret meeting, with the Chancellor, but I was present at that one. Our agents in Nabatea were ordered to begin fabricating a claim that Mempsis was really Judean, not Nabatean. When the time is right, that can be used to justify an invasion.
Egyptian armies on the move – further protection against Antagonid reprisals
The Antigonids may have been angered by our refusal to pay tribute any longer, but they had more pressing issues to worry about. Egyptian armies have been seen near our borders, heading north. It would appear that already the provinces northwest of Elousa have been captured by the Egyptians, including the fortress of Gaza. Now the forces of King Ptolemaios occupy Thala and are heading along the coast of the Great Sea. The Egyptian King himself, despite his 65 years, is leading the main force, the 13,000 men of the Army of Lower Egypt. General Marcus Grebus commands the much smaller Army of Palestine, barely 2,000 strong.
The atmosphere at the palace was much more relaxed. There were the normal events that provoked gossip: the heir, Onias Zadokite, sponsored some games and the Shephat, Eleazar Zadokite, started gambling. Personally I find the idea of the man in charge of the Treasury being exposed to money lenders and other unsavoury types a little alarming, but although I am sure Simon has heard the rumours, he has chosen to do nothing. I am not so sure he will do the same about Levi Maiman, a researcher in Oratory. That idiot has let it be known that he is planning to assassinate the Chancellor, Harqaq Yochanan. The likelihood of success is tiny, but what is he thinking?
Much more important than these palace intrigues, the major port of Apollonia Palaistinas has been captured by the Egyptians. How long before the Antigonids react? It may be that all their forces are tied up in Cappadocia. From what we can make out from the garbled and often contradictory tales from merchants, Cappadocian resistance to the invading Antigonids is now concentrated in the mountainous country to the east. To take those provinces would be difficult, which might explain the lack of action here in the south. The Seleucid invasion of Armenia is apparently going more smoothly, with several provinces already said to be under Seleucid control.
Rebuilding of the granary was undertaken by the original Egyptian architects and builders
Disaster struck towards the end of the year. Not a massive disaster, like the arrival of an Antigonid army, but a disaster no less. The newly constructed granary in Jerusalem caught fire and sustained severe damage. While there was a call by some to simply demolish it, King Simon considers it an important strategic keystone and authorised Treasury to pay for repairs. While this gave him a boost in his popularity, it was an expensive exercise, as specialist builders had to be brought from Egypt, and the loss of an enormous amount of grain could not be avoided.
There was worse to come. The Antigonids are celebrating the surrender of the Cappadocian king, Ariarathes II. All his lands are under control of the Antigonids, and Cappodicia is reduced to nothing but a satrapy. The Antigonid armies are free to move south. The only thing that might prevent that happening is that Thrace has forced Byzantium to cede its western provinces. As Macedon has the right to military passage through Thrace, perhaps it will turn its naval war with the Antigonids into a land war of conquest. One can but hope!
The other political news was disconcerting. As our spies spread rumours about our claim to the Nabatean province of Mempsis, the Nabateans have altered their diplomatic stance to bellicose. Could they be planning to pre-empt our invasion? Do we face a threat, not from the north, but from the south? Our recent payment to the Egyptian builders has made hiring mercenaries out of the question for some time. Would our local levies be enough to deter the Nabateans?
Our region following the surrender of Cappadocia: the Antigonid threat is only eased by the advance of the Egyptians, the expansion of the Seleucids into Armenia and the possible entry of Macedon into Asia through Thrace. Nabatea must also be considered a threat.
Just before the end of the year, there was a strange event. A wandering prophet passed through Jerusalem, spreading the normal tale of woe and destruction should we not all mend our ways. What was different about this one was that he had a specific source for this divine retribution. Somewhere far in the west, further even thea Greece, some city had defeated a local tribe, the Sabines. According to this man’s prophecy, this signalled the coming of the Lord’s wrath. This caused a lot of sniggers around the more secular members of the court, but the devout looked concerned. I really don’t know what to think, but the king did get me to make a note of the city’s name: Rome.
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