Persian Period and Hellenistic Judaism

Diaspora

Dispersal of Jews around the world

Achaemenid Empire

Conquest of Babylon by Cyrus (538 BC)

Second Temple Judaism

Restoration of Jerusalem and rebuilding of the Second Temple by the Achaemenid Empire

Decree of Cyrus

Cyrus allowed Jewish exiles (Babylonian Captivity) to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, fulfilling biblical prophecies

Deutero-Isaiah

Framed Cyrus as a deliver for the Jewish people, highlighting god’s sovereignty over history

Cyrus Cylinder

Achaemenid royal inscription in cuneiform; praises Cyrus and what he did for Jews

Zoroastrianism

Dualist cosmology of Good and Evil; suspected to the prominent religion of the Achaemenid Empire

Ahura Mazda

Supreme deity of Zoroastrianism

Elephantine Papyri

Papyri dating back to 5th century BC discovered on the island of Elephantine; helped us discover lots of Jewish practices that emerged between the Persian and Hellenistic Periods

Imperial Aramaic

Lingua franca of the Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, and Achaemenid Empires

Yehud Medinata

Aramaic of “province of Judah”

Alexander the Great

Conquered the Achaemenid Empire with the Macedonian Empire, which split after his death

Hellenism

diffusion of Greek culture with Jewish culture

Koine Greek

Lingua franca during Hellenistic Period

Ptolemaic Egypt

Split from the Macedonian Empire after Alexander’s death: ruled Judah until 200 BC when it was conquered by Seleucid

Seleucid Kingdom

Split from the Macedonian Empire; Ruled Judah after Ptolemaic Empe

Philo of Alexandria

Hellenized Jewish philosopher who synthesized Jewish teaching with Greek philosophy; created allegorical interpretations of the Bible

Allegorical Interpretation

one thing stands for another

Septuagint

Earliest extant Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible

Dead Sea Scrolls

oldest extant Bible manuscripts

Samaritans

originates of Hebrew and Israelites indigenous to Samaria

Maccabean Revolt

Jews of Judea vs Seleucid Rulers; Response to repressive measures by Seleucid ruler; destroyed Second Temple

Hasmonean Dynasty

autonomous Jewish rule after Maccabean Revolt

Hanukkah

Commemorates rededication of the Second Temple after Maccabean Revolt