HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDI. ALEXANDER THE GREAT (336-323 BC) & THE DIADOCHI (323-301 BC)A. Alexander’s Conquered the Entire Near East, 334-331 BC; made Babylon capitalB. Greek Language and Culture was Spread Throughout Near East1. Greek Culture = Hellenic; Mixture of Greek with Oriental Elements = Hellenistica. Hellenizing of the East; Orientalizing of Greeksb. Gradually Developed in Last Centuries BCc. Classical Greek Evolved to Koine Greek2. Numerous Cities Founded on Model of the Greek Polisa. Many Est. by Alexander; Most Important: Alexandria in Egyptb.Poleis had Certain Standard Elements + CitizenshipC. 323 BC: Alexander Contracted Fever, Died With No Apparent HeirD. 323-301 BC: Alexander's Generals(Diadochi—”Strugglers”) Vie for Control until Battle ofIpsus, 301 determined Epigoni (“Heirs”):1.Cassander: Greece2.Lysimachus: Thrace and Asia Minor3.Seleucus: Mesopotamia and Syria = Seleucid Empire4.Ptolemy: Egypt = Ptolemaic EmpireII. THE PTOLEMAIC EMPIRE: Ruled Palestine 301-198 BCA. Based in Egypt; Ruled Palestine 301-198 BC1. Wealthy Period for Egypt; Cities Refortified in Palestine2. Wars with Seleucid Empire Beginning with Ptolemy II (Daniel 11)B. Condition of Jews/Palestine1. No Forced Hellenization of the Jews2. Septuagint (LXX) produced (tradition: under Ptolemy II Philadelphus [283-246 BC])3. Zenon Papyri: Some Jews resisted HellenizationIII. SELEUCID EMPIRE: Ruled Palestine 198-140 BCA. Seleucus I (312-281 BC): founded empire; Antiochus I (281-261 BC): Capital AntiochB. Antiochus III the Great (223-187 BC)1. 198 BC: Conquered Palestine at Battle of Paneas2. Invasion of Greece Caused Roman Interventiona. Repulsed; Defeated by Rome at Magnesia on the Meanderb. Treaty of Apamea (188 BC) Imposed Heavy Reparations1) Financial Burden on Seleucids; Son, Ant. IV, sent to Rome as hostage2) Antiochus Killed While Plundering a Temple (187)C. Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-163 BC): Hostage 14 Years in Rome1. Allowed Jewish High Priesthood to be Sold to High BidderDead Sea Scrolls: Historical Background page 2a. 174 BC: Replaced Onias III with Jason (2 Macc 4)b. 171 BC: Menelaus Outbid Jason: Unrest in Jerusalem2. Invasion of Egypta. 1st Aborted (because of unrest in Jerusalem)b. 168 BC: renewed invasion blocked by Romans3. Attempted to Force Hellenization of the Jews, 167 BCa. Syrian Garrison Stationed at Akra in Jerusalemb. Sacrifice of Swine to Zeus at Jewish Templec. Forbade: Scriptures; Circumcision; Sabbath WorshipIV. THE MACCABEAN REVOLT (167-140 BC)A.Hasidim (“Pious Ones”) resisted forced HellenizationB. Revolt by Mattathias, A Priest in Modein (1 Macc 2); Supported by HasidimC.Judas Maccabeus (the “Hammer”) 166-161 BC1. Military Successes after Death of Mattathias2. 164 BC: Partial Maccabean victorya. Temple in Jerusalem Taken, Cleansed, Rededicatedb. Festival of Dedication/Lights (Hannukah)3. 163 BC: Antiochus IV killed in battle; Antiochus V/Lysias rule Seleucid Empirea. Menelaus Killed; Alcimus (Zadokite) = New High Priestb. Hellenistic Alcimus Accepted by Hasidim; not by Judasc. 162: Religious Freedom Granted by Antiochus V (163-162)4. Demetrius I Soter (162-150) (& Hasidim) Supported Alcimus5. 160: Judas killed in Battle by General BacchidesD.Jonathan (also son of Mattathias)1. 152 BC: Appointed High Priest by Alexander Balas (152-145)2. Not a Zadokite, opposed by religious Jews3. Killed by Trypho, a supporter of Antiochus VIE.Simon (another son of Mattathias)1. 142 BC: Granted Political Autonomy by Demetrius II• Favor for Support vs. Trypho; Syrian Garrison in Akra Expelled from Jerusalem2. 140 BC: Proclaimed “High Priest and Ethnarch Forever”3. 135 BC: Killed in Conspiracy by Son-in-Law PtolemyV. THE HASMONEAN DYNASTY (140-63 BC)A.John Hyrcanus (134-104 BC): Son of Simon; Overcame Ptolemy1. Expanded Jewish Territory: took hellenized citiesa. Idumea Taken, Forcibly Judaizedb. 128 BC: Samaritan Temple Destroyed; Samaria Taken 1092. Ideals of revolt lost; Pharisees emerge as opposition party3. At death: designated wife as secular ruler; son Aristobulus as High PriestB.Aristobulus I (104-103 BC): Imprisoned His Mother1. Seized control; 1st Hasmonean to claim title of king2. Gained control of Galilee; Jews settled thereDead Sea Scrolls: Historical Background page 3C.Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 BC): Son of John Hyrcanus1. Coins: obverse, “Jonathan the H.P.” (Hebrew); reverse, “Alexander the king” (Greek)2. Uprising of Pharisees Began 94 BC, for 6 Years; violently suppressed, 800 crucifiedD. Alexandra (76-67 BC): wife of Alexander, promoted PhariseesE. Civil War: Hyrcanus II (Supported by Idumean Antipater)vs. Aristobulus II; all appealed to Rome, 63 BCVI. THE ROMAN PERIOD IN PALESTINE (63 BC – AD 66)A. General Pompey took Palestine for Rome1. Went to Syria to organize territory as Roman province2. Received emissaries from Aristobulus II, Hyrcanus, people3.63 BC: Jerusalem taken; Pompey entered Temple; Aristobulus II a prisoner to RomeB. Direct Roman rule (63-40 BC): Palestine as part of province of Syria1. Hyrcanus II remained as high priest2. Aristobulus II and son Alexander cause revolts, 57-553.Antipater became procurator (55-43): Idumean (OT Edomite)a. Aided Julius Caesar in Egypt, 48-47; Privileges awarded Jews by Caesarb. Antipater’s sons: Phasael over Judea, Herod over GalileeC.Herod the Great (37-4 BC): son of Antipater1. Rise to powera. Antipater murdered 43 BC (related to Caesar’s murder)b. Herod married Hasmonean Mariamne I; supported Cassiusc. After battle of Philippi, Herod supported Marc Antonyd. Herod and Phasael appointed as tetrarchse.40 BC: Antigonus (son of Aristobulus II) seized power; Herod escaped to Romef. appointed king by Senate2. Consolidation of power (37-27 BC)a. Honored Essenes, as Menahem had predicted his kingship (Josephus Antiq. 15. 10. 5) b. Hadopponents murdered: high priest, Mariamne I, Hyrcanus IIc. After Battle of Actium (31 BC); Octavian confirmed Herod’s position and added to it3. Great building projects (27-13 BC)a. Rebuilt Samaria as Hellenistic city; renamed it Sebastiyab. Caesarea (on site of Strato’s tower)c. Temple in Jerusalem (beginning 20/19 BC)d. Fortress/palaces: Jerusalem, Herodium, Masada, Jericho4. Paranoia about his reign (13-4 BC)a. Herod’s character: kept Jewish law, killed opponentsb. Had 2 sons by Mariamne killed; heir Antipater drownedc. Died just before Passover, 4 BCD. Herod’s sons and successors1.Archelaus (4 BC - AD 6)a. Appointed ethnarch of Judah, Samaria, &