Josippon

In those days, a pregnant woman died in the city of Roma, the wife of one of the 320 counselors in Roma. Upon her death, the child wiggled in her womb and struggled, so they took a sword and cut the woman's stomach open and took the child out from her womb. The child lived and grew, and they called his name Julius, for he came from his mother's bowels in the month of Ab. They also called his name Caesar, for his mother was cut; and "cut" in the holy tongue is "caesar" in Latin.

That boy was valiant in war, and when the Elder sent Pompey to the East, he had sent this Julius Caesar to the West to subdue the kings of the West. Caesar fought in the West to subdue the Frankos (Franks) and the Brikatos (Britons), and all the pride of the West to the Ocean; then he returned to Roma, a hero in triumph. His heart filled with pride, and he said: "I will become king over all Roma!" But the Elder and his 320 counselors said: "We shall not accept a king over us, for a king has not reigned over Roma since the days of King Tarquinius, who raped a man's wife, and the woman became quite vexed and stabbed her belly, committing suicide. Since then, our fathers have sworn an oath never to place a king over them, and henceforth until now, no king has ruled over us these many years. And you, why should you disobey our ancestors' commandment? Your comrade Pompey was also a triumphant hero in the East, where he conquered twenty-two kings and also subdued the nation of Judaea, a great and noble nation, but he did not seek kingship. So, now, know that we will not accept you, nor will you rule over us."

Caesar said in his pride: "Nevertheless I shall rule over you; you will be my servants and I your king!" He challenged Roma in war, and men without number were killed; he ruled mightily and placed a royal crown upon his head; and being called Julius Caesar, he ruled as "Caesar." That is why all the kings who ruled after him were called by his name, "Caesar."

When Pompey, who was in Cappadocia, heard that Caesar ruled in Roma and had exiled the Elder and his 320 counselors, he assembled all the kingdoms of the land under his control to come fight against Caesar. When Caesar heard this, he brought forth Aristobulus from prison and gave him an army of two legions, twelve thousand men, commanding him to march into Aram and to incite the people of Judaea to join them and pressure Pompey from the rear. When Pompey heard of this, he greatly feared Aristobulus, so he sent a letter, and the matter was known to his allies in Jerusalem. The Jerusalemites sent men to greet Aristobulus in Aram with words of peace; they ate with him and drank, and they gave him a deadly poison to drink and killed him there.

Pompey crossed over to Kittim and fought with Caesar, and many fell dead. Pompey retreated from before Caesar, and Caesar pursued him, caught up with him, and killed him; now Caesar ruled over all the territory of Roma.

Caesar crossed into Aram and sought to enter Egypt, but the Egyptians would not receive him, for Pompey's generals were still among them. Mithridates, king of Armenia, came to help Caesar, and he encamped in Ashkelon, for the people of Pilosio (Pelusium), a great city on the frontier of Egypt, did not receive him.

When Hyrcanus heard that Caesar invaded Aram, he feared greatly, for he had been a loyal supporter of Pompey for a long time. So Hyrcanus said to Antipater: "Come let us send warriors to aid Mithridates, who is located in Ashkelon; perhaps we shall find favor in the eyes of Caesar." Antipater took a strong force of Judaean warriors and went to help Mithridates, who was pleased to greet him; the two joined forces and went into Egypt and, encamping at Pelusium, fought against it. Mithridates attacked the city walls, while Antipater attacked the gate; Antipater captured the gate and, entering the city with his Judaean warriors, smote the city with the sword and plundered it.

They marched on until they came to a city called the city of Oni (Ḥonia); there they found Egyptian Jews who had settled in Egypt, a very strong force that would not let Mithridates and Antipater pass into Egypt. Antipater showed them the letter in which Hyrcanus had written words of brotherhood and peace, that they should support Caesar and accept Mithridates; the Egyptian Jews did so and received Mithridates. Mithridates and Antipater marched from there, arriving at a place called Delta; here the whole army of Egypt, a great and mighty force, confronted them, and a massive battle ensued. Mithridates panicked, turned about, and fled, and his right wing surrendered.

When Antipater saw the flight of Mithridates and the defeat of his generals, Antipater raced with three thousand Judaean youths and rescued Mithridates from death; he turned back the entire Egyptian force, and they retreated before him. He pursued them and inflicted a huge defeat on them, pressing them as far as the banks of the Yeor (Nile). Egyptians fell by the sword on the banks of the Nile, and whoever survived Antipater's sword died in the Nile. Antipater captured the whole kingdom of Egypt, and Mithridates was with him.

Mithridates informed Caesar of Antipater's valor and victory in Egypt: that he had humbled the pride of Egypt and returned them under Caesar's rule; that he had fought and was beaten in battle; that he had been severely wounded and then healed. When Caesar heard about it, he loved greatly Antipater, praised him, and sent envoys to bring Antipater to him in honor. Mithridates and Antipater went to Caesar in Damascus.

When Antipater came before Caesar, Caesar said to him: "I have heard of all the hardship that has befallen you and the glory and victory that you accomplished in Egypt for our sake and how you restored Egypt to our rule; now it is our pleasure to honor you for your strength and bravery." Then Antigonus, son of Aristobulus the young, came and wept before Caesar and told him all about his father, Aristobulus: how Pompey's allies in Jerusalem, on the advice of Hyrcanus and Antipater, gave him deadly poison to drink. Aristobulus's son Antigonus added, saying to Caesar: "You know that my uncle Hyrcanus and Antipater were Pompey's loyal companions and his counselors, and they are your enemies."

Antipater answered Caesar and said: "I have indeed been Pompey's loyal companion, for he rendered good to me, and he had the authority of Roma at that time, and I fought his battles, but this war, which I have fought now and in which I placed my life on the line and in which I restored all the pride of Egypt to Caesar's authority, I did not fight in Pompey's name, for I knew that Pompey was dead; rather, I fought in Caesar's name and was severely wounded, as you can see with your own eyes today." Whereupon Antipater proceeded to strip off his clothes and show his flesh and head wounds. He continued: "Let my wounds answer for me as trustworthy witnesses and let my blows respond for me that in Caesar's name I fought this battle, and I did it all after Pompey's death."

Caesar answered Antipater and said: "Peace upon you, hero of Judaea and peace upon all who seek your health and well-being, for your wounds bear witness to your glory and your blows have testified to your strength! Now I appoint you over all my warriors until I fight against the nations across the Euphrates and have subdued them; then you shall return to your land and to your city." Caesar set Antipater over the army of Roma on that day and hence until he subdued all the pride of the East and all the land of Hind (India); then Antipater returned to his land and his city, Jerusalem, the holy city, and Caesar went his way to the city of Roma. Thus Joseph ben Gurion: "Now even many writers bore witness, like me, to Antipater's glory at that time: so too spoke Nicholaus of Damascus, and so too spoke Strabo of Caphtor, and many other writers bore witness."