History of Ancient Israel

2nd Rebellion Against the Romans

132

A revolt followed the first in 132-135 CE. Jerusalem was completely destroyed and Jews that had not been executed were forbidden from reading the Torah, observing the Sabbath, and circumcising their sons. People were only allowed the enter the now rebuilt Roman city of Aelia Capitolina on the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple. Judaea was renamed Palestine and Judaism no longer had a geographic center.

Hasmonean Family

142

Under these kings, 3 sects of Jews were formed in Judaea. The first were the Sadducees conservatives whos intent was on preserving the letter of the law. The next were the Pharisees who were liberal citizens from all classes that studied the Torah in their everyday life. The last sect were the Essenes who emphasized discipline, communal living, obedience, and got spiritualed prepared for the Day of Judgement. Conflicts arose among the Hasmoneans causing a civil war.

Maccabees

164

A revolt led by the Hasmon family of priests was known as the Maccabean Rebellion. This won part indepedence for Judaea and established a new kingdom, Israel. This was the last indepedent Jewish nation after being conquested by the Roman general Pompay.

Antiochus IV

175

Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a Hellenistic ruler of Syria from 175-164 BCE. He tried to enforce Hellenism culture on the people to achieve political unity. He did this by burning the Torah, killing families who circumcised their sons, and buliding an altar to Zeus in the Temple and sacrificing a hog on it.

The Greeks

400

Alexander the Great introduced the Middle East to Greek lifestyle. The humanistic influences of Hellenism led wealthy Jews and priests in Jerusalem to adopt a Hellenistic attitude. This attitude was focused on scepticism rather than the questioning belief.

Ezra

430

A priest and scribe named Ezra and his preistly class undertook the role of editing the Pentateuch to reveal the hand of God. They were believed to write the creation story in Genesis 1. He created the Torah, 5 books of Moses, where he read this scroll in a public square. This book was a sacred covenant to the dispersed nation.

Persians

515

The Persian king, Cyrus, rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem. This became a symbol to a scattered Jewish nation and the Jews that stayed in Babylon and called it their home were then living in the Diaspora. The Temple developed a new emphasis on rites.

Assyrians

Oct 1, 722

God permitted kingdom of Assyria to take over the country. Assyria carried off Israelites to exile among Gentiles. These Israelites became dispersed within Assyria becoming known as the "Ten Lost Tribes of Israel". This caused the destruction of the northern kingdom attested in Assyrian annals.

King David

Oct 1, 1010

David is known as Israel's greatest king chosen by the prophet Samuel. David played songs to the former king, Saul, before he died and was annointed king. He created a prosperous empire with Jerusalem as its capital and brought the Ark of the Covenant. The sourthern kingdom renamed itself after David's tribe, Judah.

Messiah

Oct 1, 1901

A belief started to grow that a Mesiah would come to rescue the people from their sufferings in the first century CE. People thought God would gather the chosen people, free them from opressions, and reinstate Jewish political sovereignity in Israel. Some people believed this Messiah was Jesus.

Romans

Oct 1, 1963

The conflicts from the Hasmoneans lead to a civil war where the Roman general Pompey was called in from Syria. He had to choose between contenders to the Hasmonean throne where he decided to take over the country in doing so. This caused four centuries of oppressive Roman rule of Judaea.

1st Rebellion Against the Romans

Oct 1, 1966

Jews spurred by Zealots rose up in rebellion against Rome in 66 CE. The Jewish defenders were murdered in the holy walled city of Jerusalem after the rebellion was surpressed. The Roman legions destroyed the Temple which was never rebuilt. The foundation stones that were left were made into a place for prayer known as the Western Wall. The Essene movement was also annihilated in this uprising.

King Solomon

Mar 2, 2022

Solomon took over king after his father, David, died. He built a great Temple for the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem. This Temple was the main place for sacrifice in Judaism and where God seemed to be most present. Solomon gained great wealth for this building, which he used to create altars for the gods of his wives. This angered God and caused him to divide the kingdom.

Babylonians

Mar 2, 2022

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia captured Jerusalem and took down the walls and buildings with help of the Babylonians. The great Temple was completely destroyed and Judaeans were taken to exile in Babylonia for 50 years. This destruction was thought as a punishment from God for Judah's idolatry.