To their native subjects the Seleucid and Ptolemaïc kings were always
foreigners. It was considered wonderful in the last Cleopatra that she
learnt to speak Egyptian (Plut. _Anton._ 27). Natives were employed, as
we have seen, in the army, and Iranians are found under the Seleucids
holding high commands, e.g. Aspasianus the Mede (Polyb. v. 79, 7),
Aribazus, governor of Cilicia (Flinders Petrie, _Papyri_, II., No. 45),
Aribazus, governor of Sardis (Polyb. vii. 17, 9), and Omanes (Michel,
No. 19, l. 104). Native cults the Hellenistic kings thought it good
policy to patronize. Antiochus I. began rebuilding the temple of Nebo at
Borsippa (_Keilinschr. Bibl._ iii. 2, 136 seq.) Antiochus III. bestowed
favours on the Temple at Jerusalem. Even if the documents in Joseph,
_Arch._ xii. SS 138 seq. are spurious, their general view of the
relation of Antiochus III. and Jerusalem is probably true. Even small
local worships, like that of the village of Baetocaece, might secure
royal patronage (_C.I.G._ No. 4474). Of course, financial straits might
drive the kings to lay hands on temple-treasures, as Antiochus III. and
Antiochus IV. did, but that was a measure of emergency.