What does Judas hear and what alliance follows?

Judas hears that the Romans are strong and powerful, ready to agree to requests and make amity. Reports recount Galatia’s conquest and tribute, Spain’s gold and silver mines gained through counsel and patience, distant kings defeated and others paying annual tribute. The edition explicitly says this history and character are what Judas heard, not the sacred writer’s own assertions. Reports include Philip and Perses of the Ceteans, explained as Macedonians, and Antiochus king of Asia defeated despite 120 elephants, horsemen, chariots and a great army. They say he was captured, assigned tribute with successors, and required to provide hostages and agreed terms; Indian, Median and Lydian provinces go to Eumenes, identified as Pergamus’s king.

The reported Greek plan against Rome is met by a general’s campaign: slaughter, captive wives and children, plunder, acquired land, demolished walls and servitude. Other resisting kingdoms and islands are subdued. Romans reportedly maintain amity with friends and dependents, inspire fear, elevate and depose kings, and wear neither crown nor purple for magnification. Their senate consults 320 men daily for right action on behalf of the people, and yearly government is committed to one man without envy or jealousy. The edition explains two consuls ruling in turn, each in his day. It qualifies the report of harmony as the absence of the later open factions and civil wars of Marius and Sylla. Reports are not silently turned into verified governance facts or a causal guarantee of civic strength.

Judas chooses Eupolemus son of John son of Jacob and Jason son of Eleazar to seek amity and confederacy at Rome, hoping to remove the Grecians’ oppressive yoke. After the long journey they enter the senate house and request alliance, peace and enrollment as friends and confederates on behalf of Judas, his brothers and the people. The proposal pleases the Romans. A writing engraved on brass tables is sent to Jerusalem as memorial, wishing perpetual good success by sea and land and distance from sword and enemy.

The articles require heartfelt Jewish aid if war first strikes Rome or its confederates, as time directs. The following provision names wheat, arms, money and ships, orders obedience without taking anything, and states: “Neither shall they give them, whilst they are fighting, or furnish them with wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans”. Reciprocal Roman aid if war first strikes the Jews is qualified by what time permits. The next article says nothing of those supplies shall be given to those coming to their aid, as seems good to Rome, with orders observed without deceit. These provisions retain this edition’s wording instead of silently resolving their pronouns into an enemy-embargo interpretation. Additions and removals desired by one party or the other are to be ratified. Rome writes Demetrius asking why his yoke burdens their Jewish friends and allies, threatening justice and war by sea and land if complaints recur. No actual Roman intervention or formal declaration of Judean independence is narrated.