Greeks, Hasmoneans and Romans

TIMELINE 4

Timeline 4 of 26

Greeks, Hasmoneans and Romans

350 BCE to 100 CE

Alexander brings Greek rule and Greek culture. A revolt against Greek rule creates the Hasmonean kingdom. Rome takes over, Herod rebuilds Jerusalem, and in 70 the Romans destroy the Second Temple.

TURNING POINTS

332 BCE Alexander the Great conquers the land. Greek culture and Greek-style cities arrive with him.

167 BCE The Maccabean Revolt begins. Antiochus IV desecrates the Temple and bans Jewish practice. Judah Maccabee leads the revolt.

164 BCE The Temple is rededicated. The Maccabees retake Jerusalem. The rededication is the first Hanukkah.

140 BCE The Hasmonean dynasty. Simon is confirmed as ruler and high priest, and Judea is independent.

63 BCE Pompey takes Jerusalem. Judea becomes a client state of Rome.

37 BCE Herod becomes king. Rome’s client king launches huge building projects, among them the rebuilding of the Temple.

66 CE The First Revolt against Rome. Heavy taxes and religious tension set off a rebellion.

70 CE The Romans destroy the Second Temple. Titus takes Jerusalem and burns the Temple. Masada falls in 73.

ALSO IN THIS PERIOD

c. 350 BCE A Jewish revolt against Persia is put down.

320 BCE The Ptolemies of Egypt take control of the land.

312 BCE The Seleucids win control after the Battle of Gaza. The two dynasties keep fighting for the land.

c. 250 BCE The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, is begun in Alexandria.

198 BCE Antiochus III takes Judea. The Seleucid king defeats the Ptolemies at Panium and Seleucid rule begins.

c. 180 BCE Ben Sira writes his book of wisdom in Jerusalem.

175 BCE Antiochus IV takes the Seleucid throne and presses Hellenization.

160 BCE Judah Maccabee dies and his brothers Jonathan and Simon lead.

c. 150 BCE The Qumran community gathers scrolls written from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE.

c. 104 BCE Aristobulus I takes the title of king. He is the first Hasmonean ruler to do so.

c. 103 BCE Alexander Jannaeus rules as king and expands the kingdom further.

76 BCE Queen Salome Alexandra rules in relative peace.

c. 22 BCE Herod builds the harbor and theater of Caesarea.

c. 20 BCE Herod begins the great renovation of the Temple. 4 BCE Herod dies and his kingdom is divided among his sons. 6 CE Judea becomes a Roman province under a governor.

c. 26 CE Pontius Pilate becomes governor of Judea. He governs for about ten years.

c. 30 CE Jesus is crucified in Jerusalem. The event is the foundation of Christianity.

c. 50 CE Paul begins his journeys across the Roman Empire.

67 CE Vespasian’s army begins the conquest of the Galilee.

c. 75 CE Josephus writes The Jewish War in Rome.

c. 90 CE Scholars at Yavne reorganize Jewish practice without the Temple.

c. 100 CE The core of the Hebrew Bible reaches its settled form.