Persian, Greek, Hasmonean Periods

Cyrus

Persian ruler who conquered Babylon; let jews return to Judah and build new Temple

538 BCE

first return of Jews from Babylonian exile

Sheshbazzar

son of Jehoiachin; prince of Judah; led first return of exiles to Judah; returned with vessels from Temple; work on new temple began but ceased

520 BCE

second return of Jews from Babylonian exile

Zerubbabel

led second return of exiles to Judah governor of Judah; renewed and completed work on Second Temple

Darius I

ruled Persia 522-486; stabilized Persian empire; appointed Zerubbabel governor of Judah

515 BCE

Second Jewish Temple completed

Ezra

priest and scribe appointed by Artazerzes of Persian to make torah the law of Judah

458 BCE

traditional date of Ezra’s return to Judah

Nehemiah

appointed governor of Judah by Artazerzes; rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem

445 BCE

Traditional date of Nehemiah’s return to Judah

Alaxander

established and ruled the Greek empire 336-323; passed through Palestine to Egypt 332; destroyed Samaria on return trip

Ptolemy

general of Alexander; first king of Greek kingdom in Egypt

Alexandria

capital city of Greek kingdom of Egypt

Seleucus

general of Alexander; first king of Greek kingdom in Syria

Antioch

capitol city of Greek kingdom of Syria

Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)

Greek king who outlawed Judaism; desecrated the Temple by sacrificing a pig on its altar

167 BCE

Temple desecrated; inception of Maccabean Revolt

Modein

Judean village where Maccabean revolt began

Mattathias

priest whose actions sparked the maccabean revolt

Judas

called “Maccabeus”; succeed father Mattathias as leader of Maccabean resistance

164 BCE

Meaccabeans entered Jerusalem; took, cleansed, rededicated the Temple

Hanukkah

Feast of Rededication; celebrated Temple cleansing by maccabeans

Jonathan

succeeded Judas 160 BCE; named high priest 152; killed 143

Simon

succeeded Jonathan; established independent Jewish state 142/1

Hasmoneans

independent rulers of Jewish state 142/1-63; same family as Maccabeans

John Hyrcanus

son of Simon; ruled 134-104; forced conversion of Idumeans; destroyed Samaria and Samaritan shrine on Mt. Gerizim

Aristobulus I

son of John Hyrcanus; first to take title “king”; took much of Galilee and forcibly Judaized some Gentile groups

Alexander Jannaeus

ruled 103-76; half brother of Aristobulus; married his widow; ambition was military conquest and territorial expansion; unpopular with his subjects and had to subdue rebellion; trouble with Nabataeans; won control of territory almost identical with land claimed by 12 tribes of Israel

Salome Alexandra

wife of Jannaeus; ruled 67-63; removed by Romans

Hyrcanus II

son of Alexandra and high priest during her reign; legitaimate heir at mother’s death but unseated by brother Arisobulus II; befriended by Antipater, the father of Herod; proclaimed ethnarch by Rome; ruled 63-40