Beginnings of the Hebrew People                                                                     

1850 BCE       Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

1450 BCE       Moses, Exodus from Egypt

1200 BCE       Joshua, Conquest/Settlement of Palestine

 

The Old Testament Kingdoms

1020 BCE       Saul, David, Solomon – the United Kingdom

930 BCE         The Divided Kingdoms: Israel and Judah

721 BCE         Northern Kingdom (Israel) ends – Isaiah, Micah

586 BCE         Southern Kingdom (Judah) ends – Jeremiah, Ezekiel

 

The Exile and Return

539 BCE         Cyrus, King of Persia, captures Babylon

520 BCE         Temple rebuilding begins – Haggai, Zechariah

515 BCE         Temple is completed

490 BCE         Greeks defeat Persians at Battle of Marathon

444 BCE         Nehemiah; walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt

400 BCE         Ezra. The Law is accepted as standard of Judaism. Malachi – End of the Old Testament Period

 

Spread of Greek Culture

333 BCE         Alexander the Great wins the Battle of Issus. He founds Alexandria (Greek city in Egypt)

323 BCE         Death of Alexander. Rise of Hellenistic Kingdoms

200 BCE         Palestine annexed by Syria under the Seleucids

175-163           Antiochus IV, Epiphanes, King of Syria captures Jerusalem

168 BCE         Antiochus IV defiles Temple. Revolt of the Jews under Mattathias

166 BCE         Judas the Maccabee

134 BCE         Jewish independence finally established

 

The Roman Empire Takes Over the Former Greek Dominions

63 BCE           Pompey makes Palestine part of the Roman Empire

37 BCE           Herod the Great, an Idumean, made King of Judea. Augustus becomes the Roman Emperor

19 BCE           Construction of Herod’s Temple in Jerusalem begins

 

The Christian Era Begins