The history of the world

§. II. Of the Kings of Tyre.

BVt whatsoeuer remaineth of the storie and Kings of Phoenicia (the bookes of Zeno, Sachoniatho, Mnaseas, and others of that Nation, be∣ing [unspec 30] no where found) the same is to be gathered out of the Scriptures, Iosephus, and Theophilus Antiochenus.

Agenor liued at once with Iosua, to whom succeeded Phoenix, of whom that part of Canaan, and so farre towards the North as Aradus, tooke the name of Phoenicia: what King succeeded Phoenix it doth not appeare: but at such time as the Graecians besieged Troy, Phasis gouerned Phoenicia.

In Hieremies time and while Iehotakim ruled in Iuda, the Tyrians had a King apart: for Hieremie speaketh of the Kings of Zidon, of Tyre, of Edom, &c. as of seuerall* 1.1 Kings. [unspec 40]

In Xerxes time, and when he prepared that incredible Armie wherewith hee inua∣ded Greece, Tetramnestus ruled that part of Phoenicia, about Tyre, and Zidon: who commanded, as some Writers affirme, Xerxes fleete, or rather, as I suppose, those 300. Gallies, which himselfe brought to his aide: for at this time it seemeth, that the Phoenicians were Tributaries to the Persian: for being broken into Reguli, and pet∣tie Kings in Hieremies time, they were subiected by Nabuchodonosor; of whose con∣quests in the Chapter before remembred, Hieremie prophecied.

Tennes, though not immediately, succeeded Tetramnestus: remembred by D. Si∣culus in his 14. Booke.

Strato, his successor, and King of Zidon, Alexander Macedon threw out, because of his dependancie vpon Darius, and that his Predecessors had serued the East Empire [unspec 50] against the Graecians. But diuers Kings, of whom there is no memorie, came be∣tweene Tennes and Strato. For there were consumed 130. yeeres and somewhat more betweene Xerxes and Alexander Macedon. And this man was by Alexander

esteemed the more vnworthie of restitution, because (saith Curtius) hee rather sub∣mitted* 1.2 himselfe by the instigation of his Subiects (who foresaw their vtter ruine by resistance) than that hec had any disposition thereunto, or bare any good affection towards the Maecedonians.

Of this Strato, Athenaeus out of Theopompus reporteth, that hee was a man of ill* 1.3 liuing: and most voluptuous; also that hee appointed certaine games and prizes for Women dancers, and singers: whom he to this end chiefly inuited, and assembled: that hauing beheld the most beautifull and liuely among them, hee might recouer them for his owne vse and delights. Of the strange accident about the death of one Strato King of these coalts, S. Hierome and others make mention: who hauing heard [unspec 10] * 1.4 that the Persians were neere him with an Armie too waightie for his strength, and finding that hee was to hope for little grace, because of his falling away from that Empire, and his adhering to the Aegyptians: hee determining to kill himselfe, but fainting in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, his wife being present wrested the sword out of his hand and slew him: which done shee also therewith pierced her owne bodie, and died.

After Alexander was possest of Zidon, and the other Sprato driuen thence, Hee gaue the Kingdome to Hephaestion, to dispose of: who hauing receiued great enter∣tainement of one of the Citizens, in whose house he lodged, offered to recompence him therewith; and willingly offered to establish him therein: but this Citizen no lesse vertuous than rich, desired Hephaestion that this Honour might bee inferred on [unspec 20] some one of the bloud and race of their ancient Kings: and presented vnto him Ba∣lonymus, whom Curtius calls Abdolominus, IVSTINE Abdolomius, and Plutarch Aly∣nomus: who at the very houre that hee was called to this regall Estate, was with his owne handes working in his Garden, setting hearbes, and rootes, for his reliefe and sustenance: though otherwise a wise man and exceeding iust.

These were the ancient Kings of Zidon: whose estate being afterward changed in∣to Popular or Aristocraticall: and by times and turnes subiected to the Emperours of the East: there remaineth no farther memorie of them, than that which is for∣merly deliuered in the Tribe of Asser.

The Kings of Tyre, who they were before Samuels time, it doth not appeare: Io∣sephus [unspec 30] the Historian, as is saide, had many things wherewith hee garnished his Anti∣quities from the Tyrian Chronicles: and out of Iosephus, and Theophilus Antiochenus, there may be gathered a descent of some twentie Kings of the Tyrians, but these Au∣thors, though they both pretend to write out of Menander Ephelius, doe in no sort agree in the times of their raignes; nor in other particulars.

Abibalus is the first King of the Tyrians, that Iosephus and Theophilus remember: whom Theophtlus calls Abemalus: the same perchance that the sonne of Sirach men∣tioneth* 1.5 in his fourtie and sixth Chapter, speaking of the Princes of the Tyrians.

To this Abibalus, Suron succeeded, if hee be not one and the same with Abibalus. Dauid (saith Eusebius out of Eupolemus) constrained this Suron to pay him Tribute, of [unspec 40] * 1.6 whom also Dauid complaineth Psal. 83.

Hiram succeeded Suron, whom Iosephus calls Irom, and Theophilus sometime Hie∣romenus, sometime Hieromus, but Tatian and Zonaras Chiram. He entred into a league with Dauid, and sent him Cedars with Masons, and Carpenters, to performe his buil∣dings in Hierusalem: after he had beaten thence the Iebusites. The same was hee that so greatly assisted Salomon: whom he not only furnished with Cedars, and other Ma∣terialls towards the raising of the Temple, and with great summes of money, but al∣so he ioyned with him in his enterprize of the East India, and of Ophir: and furnished Salomon with Mariners and Pilots: the Tyrians being of all Nations the most excellent Nauigators: and lent him 120. talents of gold. Of this Hiram there is not onely [unspec 50] mention in diuers places of Scripture, but in Iosephus in his Antiquities the 7. and 8.* 1.7 chap. 2. & 3. in Theophilus his 3^d^ booke, in Tatianus his Oration against the Greekes: and* 1.8 in Zonaras Tome the first. This Prince seemed to be very mighty and magnificent,* 1.9 * 1.10 he despised the 20. townes which Salomon offered him: he defended himselfe against* 1.11

that victorious King Dauid 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gaue his Daughter in marriage to Salomon, called the Zidonian: for whose sake he was contented to worship Asteroth, the Idoll of the* 1.12 Phoenicians. Hiram liued 53. yeeres.

Baleastartus whom Theoph. Antiochenus, calleth Bazorus, succeeded Hiram, King of* 1.13 Tyre and Zidon, and raigned 7. yeeres according to Iosephus.

Abdastartus the eldest sonne of Baleastartus, gouerned 9. yeeres, and liued but 20. yeeres according to Iosephus: but after 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he raigned 12. yeere, and liued 54. who being slaine by the foure sonnes of his owne Nurce, the eldest of them held the Kingdome 12. yeeres.

Astartus brother to Abdastartus, recouered the Kingdome from this Vsurper, and [unspec 10] raigned 12. yeeres.

Astarimus, or Atharimus, after Theophilus, a third brother followed Astartus, and* 1.14 ruled 9. yeeres, and liued in all 54.* 1.15

Phelles the fourth sonne of Baleastartus, and brother to the three former Kings,* 1.16 slew Astarimus, and raigned 8. Moneths; liued 50. yeeres.

Ithobalus (or Iuthobalus, in Theophilus) son to the third brother Astarimus, who was the chiefe Priest of the Goddesse Astarta, which was a dignitie next vnto the King, reuenged the death of his father, and slaughtered his Vncle Phelles: and raigned 32.* 1.17 yeeres, the same which in the first of Kings chap. 16. is called Ethbaal, whose Daughter* 1.18 Iezabel, Achab married. [unspec 20]

Badezor or Bazor the sonne of Ithobalus or Ethbaal, brother to Iezabel, succeeded his* 1.19 Father, and raigned 6. yeeres, and liued in all 45.* 1.20

Mettimus succeeded Badezor, and raigned but 9. yeeres, (saith Iosephus) he had two* 1.21 * 1.22 sonnes Pygmalion and Barca, and two Daughters Elisa and Anna.* 1.23

Pygmalion raigned after Mettimus his Father 40. yeeres, and liued 56: In the 7. yeere of whose raigne, Elisa sailed into Affrica, and built Carthago, 143. yeeres and 8. Moneths, after the Temple of Salomon: which by our accompt was 289. yeeres after Troy taken, and 143. before Rome: and therefore that fiction by Virgil of Ae∣neas and Dido must be farre out of square. For Pygmalion couetous of Sicheus his ri∣ches, who had married his sister Elisa, slew him traiterously as hee accompanied him [unspec 30] in hunting: or if wee beleeue Iustine and Virgil, at the Altar: whereupon Elisa fearing* 1.24 to be despoiled of her husbands treasure, fled by Sea into Affrica as aforesaid: whom* 1.25 when Pygmalion prepared to pursue, he was by his Mothers teares, and by threates from the Oracle arrested. Barca accompanied his sister, and assisted her, in the erecti∣on of Carthage: and from him sprang that noble Familie of the Barcae in Affrica, of which race descended many famous Captaines, and the great Hannibal. Seruins in∣terprets this name of Dido by Virago, because of her man-like acts, others from Iedi∣dia, a surname of Salomon.

Eluleus succeeded Pygmalion: and raigned 36. yeeres: the same that ouerthrew the fleete of Salmanassar, in the Port of Tyre: notwithstanding which hee continued his [unspec 40] siege before it on the Land side fiue yeeres, but in vaine.

After Eluleus, Ethobales gouerned the Tyrians, who vaunted himselfe to bee as wise as Daniel: and that he knew all secrets (saith Ezekiel) of whom the Prophet writeth at large in his 28. Chapter: out of whom it is gathered, that this Prince died, or was slaine in that long siege of Nabuchodonosor: who serrounded and attempted Tyre 13: yeeres together, ere he preuailed.

Baal followed Ethobales, and raigned 10. yeeres a tributarie, perchance, to Nabucho∣donosor: for after his death it was gouerned by diuers Iudges, succeeding each other: First, by Ecnibalus, then by Chelbis, Abarus the Priest, Mittonus, and Gerastus, who held it among them some 7. yeeres, and odde Moneths: after whom Balatorus commanded [unspec 50] therein as a King for one yeere: after him Merbalus sent from Babylon 4. yeeres: after him Irom sent thence also, 20. yeeres. In the 17. of whose raigne Cyrus beganne to gouerne Persia.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iehoiakim. 27. v. 3.
• * 1.2

  L. 4.
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. 12. c. 13
• * 1.4

  Hieron. l. 1. cont. Iouin.
• * 1.5

  C. 46.
• * 1.6

  Praep. Euang. l. 9. c. 4.
• * 1.7

  2. Sam. 5. &c.
• * 1.8

  2. Sam. c. 5.
• * 1.9

  1. King. c. 1. 9. 20
• * 1.10

  1. Chron. 14.
• * 1.11

  2. Chron. 2. 8. 9.
• * 1.12

  1. King. 11.
• * 1.13

  Theoph. 17. yeeres.
• * 1.14

  Ioseph. 54.
• * 1.15

  Theoph. 58.
• * 1.16

  Theoph.
• * 1.17

  Ioseph. 32.
• * 1.18

  Theoph. 12.
• * 1.19

  1. King. 16. v. 31
• * 1.20

  Ioseph 6. yeeres
• * 1.21

  Theoph. 26.
• * 1.22

  Ioseph. 9.
• * 1.23

  Theoph. 29.
• * 1.24

  Iustin. l. 11.
• * 1.25

  Virgil. l. 1.