1. Overview of Second Temple Period Geography

2. Major cities, regions and empires  Persia  Babylon / Mesopotamia  Syria (Antioch)  Palestine  Galilee  Samaria  Judea (Jerusalem)  Egypt (Alexandria)  Rome

4. Alexander the Great, 333-323

7.  Damascus  Galilee  Samaria  Mt. Gerizim  Shechem  Judea (Jerusalem)

8.  Romans  Seleucids  Hasmoneans  Ptolemies

9. Roman Empire

10. Overview of Second Temple Period Major periods of political history

11. Major periods within the Second Temple Period by control of Jerusalem  538-333, Persian Period  333, Alexander the Great, begins Hellenistic Period  305-198, Ptolemaic Period (Greek kings in Egypt rule over Jerusalem)  198-164, Seleucid Period (Greek kings in Syria rule over Jerusalem)  152-63 Hasmonean Period  164-152 could be categorized as the dawning of the Hasmonean period, or simply as anarchic  63 BCE until fourth or seventh century CE, Roman Period

12. 538-333 Persian Period  538 Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon  516 Jerusalem Temple rebuilt  458-432 Ezra and Nehemiah  Persia rulers gave Judeans considerable autonomy, especially in religion.  If there was a culture clash between Persia and Judea, it is not evident in the sources.

13. 333, Alexander the Great, begins Hellenistic Period  Alexander conquered from Macedonia to Egypt and then East to India, then died young with no adult heir  Alexander’s empire was divided between his generals (violently), with Jerusalem in the disputed region between the Ptolemies (based in Alexandria, Egypt) and the Seleucids (based in Antioch and Damascus)  In general, compared to the Persians, the Greeks were more interested in spreading Greek culture and less interested in tolerating local diversity.

14. 305-198, Ptolemaic Period (Greek kings in Egypt rule over Jerusalem)  Translation of the Torah (five books of Moses) into Greek (called the Septuagint, abbreviated LXX)  Jewish community in Alexandria seems to have had more ups than downs.  Relatively few conflicts with Jerusalem recorded in the available sources.

15. 198-164, Seleucid Period (Greek kings in Syria rule over Jerusalem)  The Ptolemies continued to rule in Egypt, but the border between Seleucids and Ptolemies moved south, such that Jerusalem was now under the Seleucids.  190, first major victory of the Romans in the region  175, Antiochus IV Epiphanes begins bidding war for high priesthood of Jerusalem Temple  175-172 Jason  172-162 Menelaus  162-159 Alcimus  167, non-Kosher altar brought into Temple, Maccabean revolt begins  164, Judah Maccabee redicates the Temple, forges alliance with Rome

16. 152-63 Hasmonean Period  164-152 could be categorized as the dawning of the Hasmonean period, or simply as anarchic  152, Judah Maccabee’s brother claims high-priesthood with Seleucid consent  Judah Maccabee’s family is the Hasmonean family  The Hasmoneans rule Palestine with relative independence while navigating between the Romans and Seleucids, and power struggles among the Seleucids  67-63, two Hasmonean brothers fight each other, and both appeal to the Romans for support.  63, the Roman general Pompey resolves the matter by taking over, beginning centuries of direct or indirect Roman rule.

17.  63 BCE, Roman general Pompey enters Jerusalem  37-4 BCE, Herod the Great, most famous vassal king under Romans  6-66 CE, direct rule of Roman procurators (except for Agrippa 1, 41-44)  66-74, Jewish revolt in Palestine against Rome  70, Temple destroyed  115-117, revolt of Jews in Egypt  132-135, Bar Kokhba revolt fails, ends Jewish life in Jerusalem  200-220, the editing of the Mishnah (first major Rabbinic document)  In the fourth century “Roman” rule of Palestine moves from Rome proper to Constantinople (Byzantium)  In the seventh century the Islamic conquest incorporates Jerusalem and the site of the Temple becomes holy in Islam 63 BCE until fourth or seventh century CE, Roman Period