"Later in his reign this same Hasmonean ruler, now independent of the Seleucids laid siege to the city of Samaria (109 BCE?) and took it after a year's manoeuvring (Bell. I.64ff;Ant. XIII.275ff). The hated city was utterly destroyed by undermining literally allowed to be washed away.". cf. William David Davies (1999). “The early Roman period” (English). The Cambridge History of Judaism. 3. Cambridge University Press. p. 571. ISBN9780521243773. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=I6-JGAW2jjoC&printsec=&hl=en
