Batanaea, today known as Al-Bathaniya, is a fertile plain in the south of current-day Syria,<hr>
located east of Golan, west of Trachonitis and north of Auranitis, which borders Jordan.<hr>
        Trachonitis is the Greek name for a region of basaltic rocky chaos called Argob in<hr>
the Bible, situated south of Damascus, in Syria.<hr>
        Caligula, full name Caius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, was born on August<hr>
31, 12 AD in Antium and assassinated on January 24, 41 AD in Rome and was the third Roman emperor.<hr>
He reigned from 37 to 41, succeeding his adoptive father Tiberius.<hr>
        Agrippa II is the son of Agrippa I, who himself is the grandson of Herod the Great. The<hr>
Roman Emperor Claudius appointed him as king of Chalcis in 48. It is implied in this speech that he<hr>
died during the siege of Gamala, which is not true as he was only wounded whilst trying to<hr>
convince the besieged to surrender.<hr>
        Gamala is an ancient city located on the Golan plateau. It was besieged by Agrippa II and 
Titus during the great Jewish revolt of 66.<hr>
        Arrecina is a Roman lady who lived in the 1st century. She was the first official wife<hr>
of Titus.<hr>
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                        Ninth Speech - Panthea to Cyrus<hr>
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                                Panthea, Queen of Susiana<hr>
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                                                Context<hr>
        Queen Panthea of Susiana was a war prisoner of grand Cyrus.<hr>
However, she was treated with much courtesy, which prompted her to suggest to her husband,<hr>
Abradatas, to leave the Lydian camp and join the forces of Cyrus. In an act of gratitude and<hr>
bravery, Abradatas asked Cyrus for permission to fight on the front line. After being granted this<hr>
favor, he performed heroic feats, but he sacrificed so much that he won victory only at the cost of<hr>
his life. His body, covered with wounds, was brought back to the despondent Panthea. Cyrus<hr>
came to see her to offer her comfort or rather to share in her grief at this mutual loss. It was then<hr>
that the grief-stricken princess spoke to him somewhat in these terms.<hr>
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<hr>
                                            Panthea to Cyrus<hr>
<hr>
        You can see, great Cyrus, what your victory has cost you: Abradatas was the victim who<hr>
made the gods look favorably upon you. His blood dampened the laurels that crown your head.<hr>
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                                                    64<hr>