Those Related to Syria
Cleopatra is believed to have been familiar with Syria before she met with Julius Caesar.
In 48 B.C. they removed Cleopatra from power and she was forced into exile in Syria along with her younger sister Arsinone IV. Cleopatra would not give up her throne easily and she began amassing an army on Egyptian border.
Cleopatra devised a plan to meet Julius Caesar on her own terms seeking a political alliance and a return to the throne. She had herself wrapped inside a rolled rug which was smuggled into Alexandria and delivered to Caesar. When the rug was opened, Cleopatra rolled out and immediately charmed Caesar. Within that same evening, Cleopatra seduced Caesar, who was married, and became his lover, but more importantly linked herself with the Roman Empire.http://departments.kings.edu/womens_history/cleop7.html
After Julius Caesar Cleopatra associated with Antony to fight the son-in-law of Julius Caesar, namely Octavius.
Accordingly, on September 2, 31 BC, a great battle was fought in Greece:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Actium
The Battle of Actium was the decisive confrontation of the Final War of the Roman Republic, a naval engagement between Octavian and the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra on 2 September 31 BC, on the Ionian Sea near the city of Actium, in the Roman province of Epirus vetus in Greece. Octavian's fleet was commanded by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, while Antony's fleet was supported by the ships of Queen Cleopatra of Ptolemaic Egypt.
Flavius Josephus, a Judaist who survived the Jewish-Roman War mysteriously, wrote about some about this battle at the early part of his great book The Jewish War. And after the Battle or after Mark Antony and Cleopatra were both dead, Syria was put under regal power of King Herod.
The Works of Flavius JosephusWar of the JewsBook 1Chapter 20
Chapter 20
3. When Caesar had spoken such obliging things to the king, and had put the diadem again about his head, he proclaimed what he had bestowed on him by a decree, in which he enlarged in the commendation of the man after a magnificent manner. Whereupon Herod obliged him to be kind to him by the presents he gave him, and he desired him to forgive Alexander, one of Antony's friends, who was become a supplicant to him. But Caesar's anger against him prevailed, and he complained of the many and very great offenses the man whom he petitioned for had been guilty of; and by that means he rejected his petition. After this Caesar went for Egypt through Syria, when Herod received him with royal and rich entertainments; and then did he first of all ride along with Caesar, as he was reviewing his army about Ptolemais, and feasted him with all his friends, and then distributed among the rest of the army what was necessary to feast them withal. He also made a plentiful provision of water for them, when they were to march as far as Pelusium, through a dry country, which he did also in like manner at their return thence; nor were there any necessaries wanting to that army. It was therefore the opinion, both of Caesar and of his soldiers, that Herod's kingdom was too small for those generous presents he made them; for which reason, when Caesar was come into Egypt, and Cleopatra and Antony were dead, he did not only bestow other marks of honor upon him, but made an addition to his kingdom, by giving him not only the country which had been taken from him by Cleopatra, but besides that, Gadara, and Hippos, and Samaria; and moreover, of the maritime cities, Gaza and Anthedon, and Joppa, and Strato's Tower. He also made him a present of four hundred Galls [Galatians] as a guard for his body, which they had been to Cleopatra before. Nor did any thing so strongly induce Caesar to make these presents as the generosity of him that received them.
4. Moreover, after the first games at Actium, he added to his kingdom both the region called Trachonitis, and what lay in its neighborhood, Batanea, and the country of Auranitis; and that on the following occasion: Zenodorus, who had hired the house of Lysanias, had all along sent robbers out of Trachonitis among the Damascenes; who thereupon had recourse to Varro, the president of Syria, and desired of him that he would represent the calamity they were in to Caesar. When Caesar was acquainted with it, he sent back orders that this nest of robbers should be destroyed. Varro therefore made an expedition against them, and cleared the land of those men, and took it away from Zenodorus. Caesar did also afterward bestow it on Herod, that it might not again become a receptacle for those robbers that had come against Damascus. He also made him a procurator of all Syria, and this on the tenth year afterward, when he came again into that province; and this was so established, that the other procurators could not do any thing in the administration without his advice: but when Zenodorus was dead, Caesar bestowed on him all that land which lay between Trachonitis and Galilee. Yet, what was still of more consequence to Herod, he was beloved by Caesar next after Agrippa, and by Agrippa next after Caesar; whence he arrived at a very great degree of felicity. Yet did the greatness of his soul exceed it, and the main part of his magnanimity was extended to the promotion of piety.http://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-1/chapter-20.html
When King Herod died in 4 BC, any of his sons could not succeed his father as king. Judea became subject to direct rule of the Roman Empire. And then finally Christ Jess was born under this condition.
When a stupid man became the last king of Israelites, the fate of Judaists was determined by the God so severely.
If Israelites had joined Cleopatra and Antony to defeat Octavianus (Caesar Octavianus Augustus) and the Roman Empire and Herod had not been so foolish, the history must have been different.
If the Mediterranean Sea regions had been governed by Cleopatra and Antony and their descendants from Egypt while suppressing Romans, Alexandria must have been another Vatican, provided that Christ Jesus had been born in Judea.
Recent armed conflicts or a civil war in Syria has reminded me of the Battle of Actium when Cleopatra and Octavianus traveled through Syria to be under rule by King Herod.
So, if Israel today should interfere with the Syrian civil strife, Israelis today would probably have to face a sever situation like that which occurred 2000 years ago.
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Luk 9:22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.