But
when, by the utter fall of the family of the Caesars, he had gained the
Empire, he enticed Archelaus to Rome, by means of letters from his mother,
who, without dissembling her son's resentment, offered the King his mercy,
provided he came and in person implored it. He, who was either ignorant of
the snare, or dreaded violence if he appeared to perceive it, hastened to
the city, where he was received by Tiberius with great sternness and
wrath, and soon after accused as a criminal in the Senate. The crimes
alleged against him were mere fictions; yet, as equal treatment is unusual
to kings, and to be treated like malefactors intolerable; Archelaus, who
was broken with grief as well as age, by choice or fate ended his life;
his kingdom was reduced into a province, and by its revenues Tiberius
declared the tax of a hundredth penny would be abated, and reduced it for
the future to the two hundredth. At the same time died Antiochus, king of
Comagena, as also Philopator, king of Cilicia; and great combustions shook
these nations; whilst of the people many desired Roman government, and
many were addicted to domestic monarchy.
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