Might the Jews have construed Hadrian as being a King of Tyre?

by Damien F. Mackey “While in Tyre, Hadrian probably spent time with the public. He was a very popular Emperor and was usually embraced by the majority of the people”. A. R. Birley It is most important for what follows that emperor Hadrian, the Grecophile, be recognised as being the very same evil entity as the Seleucid, Antiochus ‘Epiphanes’ (“God Manifest”), as according to e.g. my series: Antiochus ‘Epiphanes’ and Emperor Hadrian. Part One: “… a mirror image” (4) Hadrian's Reflection on Antiochus IV Antiochus ‘Epiphanes’ and Emperor Hadrian. Part Two: “Hadrian … a second Antiochus” (4) Hadrian as a Second Antiochus Epiphanes Like Hadrian, Antiochus had significant association with the important city of Tyre. In the case of king Antiochus, for instance, we read: 2 Maccabees 4:18-20: When the quadrennial games were being held at Tyre and the king [Antiochus] was present, the vile Jason sent envoys, chosen as being Antiochian citizens from Jerusalem, to carry three hundred silver drachmas for the sacrifice to Hercules. Those who carried the money, however, thought best not to use it for sacrifice, because that was inappropriate, but to expend it for another purpose. So this money was intended by the sender for the sacrifice to Hercules, but by the decision of its carriers it was applied to the construction of triremes. And: 2 Maccabees 4:44-49: When the king [Antiochus] came to Tyre, three men sent by the senate presented the case before him. But Menelaus, already as good as beaten, promised a substantial bribe to Ptolemy son of Dorymenes to win over the king. Therefore Ptolemy, taking the king aside into a colonnade as if for refreshment, induced the king to change his mind. Menelaus, the cause of all the evil, he acquitted of the charges against him, while he sentenced to death those unfortunate men, who would have been freed uncondemned if they had pleaded even before Scythians. And so those who had spoken for the city and the villages and the holy vessels quickly suffered the unjust penalty. Therefore even the Tyrians, showing their hatred of the crime, provided magnificently for their funeral. That the well-travelled Hadrian was heavily invested in Tyre is apparent from the following article (2023) [I totally reject the dates as being about 300 years too late]: https://bibliotecanatalie.com/f/following-hadrian-to-tyre?blogcategory=Ancient Following Hadrian To Tyre HADRIAN'S TRAVELS In 128 CE, Hadrian set off from Rome reaching Ephesus. The following year, he traveled to Antioch. Hadrian reached Syria in 130 CE and went to Palmyra. From there, he roamed Syria Palaestina, Arabia, and Egypt (Aegyptus). On his way back to Ephesus, sometime between 130 and 131 CE, Hadrian went to Tyre (Tyrus or Sur in modern-day Lebanon). Hadrian might have been in the city around January, celebrating his 54th birthday! The Emperor was accompanied by a long entourage representing the Roman government. This probably included his wife and her staff, imperial secretaries, personal friends and advisors, officials, servants, guards, architects, craftsmen, and also men of letters. Documentary sources reveal that extensive preparations were required many months in advance. A papyrus attests that a large supply of food, including 372 suckling pigs and 2,000 sheep, as well as dates, barley, olives, and olive oil, were ordered for Hadrian's travel in 130 CE. AL-BASS SITE IN LEBANON The triumphal arch in the Al Bass site of Tyre (Arabic: sour) was erected to honor Hadrian's arrival. The monument is twenty-one meters high with a core made of sandstone. Originally, it was covered with plaster. A small fragment proves that the arch was once painted in various colors. It was one of the formal gateways to the city. The Al-Bass archaeological area consists of an extensive necropolis, a three-bay monumental arch, and one of the largest Roman hippodromes ever found. They have different dates from the 2nd century to the 6th century AD. On both sides of Hadrian's arch are smaller gates for pedestrians. Back in those days, a wall above these small arches was used. This was high and probably had niches for statues. The two sides had large guard rooms. The southern room was paved with normal stones. In the northern room, mosaic remains are still visible. The presence of these guard rooms suggests that the large arch was placed at Tyre's outer border. Two levels of the road that lead to the Tower of Pagan King Hiram in Tyre's center are still visible. These were paved later in the Byzantine period. The Roman road at the west of Hadrian's Arch has an upper layer with remains of the Byzantine era. It is paved with large limestone blocks. Traces of the chariot wheels are still visible on the road. Various Greek games and chariot racing (the Actia Heraclia and the Olympia) took place every four years in the nearby hippodrome of Tyre. Cf. 2 Maccabees 4:19: When the quadrennial games were being held at Tyre and the king [Antiochus] was present …. …. This Roman road is bordered on each side by a Doric colonnade. It has a convex shape with two smaller channels for collecting rainwater set on both sides. Another paving belongs to a Byzantine Pedestrian road. This gives access to several shops in the southern part of the site. The remains of these shops were discovered under the arches of the aqueduct. The Byzantine road runs along a distance of more than 300 meters and is paved with well-preserved limestone slabs and a necropolis on both sides. It reaches the foot of Hadrian's arch. …. HADRIAN IN TYRE While in Tyre, Hadrian probably spent time with the public. He was a very popular Emperor and was usually embraced by the majority of the people. Hadrian concerned himself with all aspects of people's lives. He was particularly devoted to his arm and would, many times, eat and sleep with the soldiers. He was famous for the commission of several projects when he visited cities and supervised their buildings. Hadrian was one of the highly cultured Roman [sic] Emperors. He was interested in literature, and Egyptian mysticism. He even wrote his own poetry. Not many details are known about his visit to Tyre, but the archeology suggests that Hadrian might have worked on raising the city's triumphal arch, improving roads, and strengthening the infrastructure. Perhaps Hadrian spent his leisure time enjoying the Tyrian games at the Hippodrome, placed south of the Triumphal Arch. The horseshoe-shaped structure accommodated around 30,000 spectators who gathered to watch the death-defying sport of chariot racing. Tyre's Hippodrome is considered the second-largest in the ancient world. The preserved seats give an idea of the huge stadium that was once lively. The spina of the Hippodrome has a red granite obelisk at the center. Hadrian would have enjoyed the various types of sports and events that took place.