The Ottawa School of Theology amp Spirituality

The Bible Archaeological and Historical Perspectives

September 16 ndash November 25 2013

Lecturer - David Steinberg

httpwwwhouseofdavidca

steinbergdavid0gmailcom Tel 613-731-5964

Lecture 7

Hellenism Maccabees and the Coming

of Rome

httpwwwhouseofdavidcalecture7pdf

To Learn More on Judaism and Hellenism

bullThe Greek Influence on Judaism from the Hellenistic Period

Through the Middle Ages c 300 BCE- 1200 CE

httpwwwadath-shalomcagreek_influencehtm

bull Flavius Josephus Judaea and Rome A Question of Context

httpwwwadath-shalomcajosep-dshtm

Levels of Hellenism

The Hellenistic world in the eastern Mediterranean (modern

Turkey Lebanon Syria IsraelPalestine Jordan Egypt and

eastern Libya) consisted of large populations speaking ldquonativerdquo

languages and living in the context of traditional cultures ruled by

a Greek speaking elite of composite origin These native societies

interacted with a range of levels of Hellenistic Greek culture Eg ndash

bull Popular religious social and religious beliefs values and

mores and with the Greek language

bull Greek social forms literature architecture modes of

organization and governance etc and

bull Greek philosophicalphilosophical thinking

Levels of Hellenism

For the monotheistic Jews of the period (c 300 BCE ndash c

350 CE) the challenge was particularly acute Other

groups could identify their gods with Greek gods (eg

Baal=Zeus) worship deliberate designed synthetic

gods such as Serapis which was devised during the

3rd century BC on the orders of Ptolemy I of Egypt as a

means to unify the Greeks and Egyptians in his realm

Due to lack of time I will only mention some of the

differences between Greek and Jewish thinking at the

third - philosophicalphilosophical - level However to

ordinary Jews it was the first two levels that would

have had the most impact to them

Judaism vs Hellenism 1

Centrality of

Man vs

Centrality of

God

Man is at the center and ldquoMan is

the measure of all thingsrdquo

Theocentric -

manrsquos task is to

serve God

Religion The gods in Greek traditional

polytheistic religion were capricious

and not particularly ethical The sole

requirement was to believe that the

gods existed and to perform ritual and

sacrifice through which the gods

received their due The very

unsatisfactory nature of this religion

from an ethical viewpoint opened the

way to secular science of ethics

Greek philosophers with their

demythologized world view could only

fit in the divine if the gods were

removed from the material world and

man

Ethical

monotheism

Judaism vs Hellenism 2

Law ndash divine or

secular Law (nomos) is to suit

society It can be made

and changed by the

society

Law (Torah) is

Godrsquos

revelation

regarding how

God wants

people to live

It cannot be

changed by

society in

theory though

it is adaptable

in practice

Judaism vs Hellenism 3

Secular or

theocratic rule

Democracy and other secular

forms of government follow from

above

Theocracy by authorized

interpreters of Godrsquos law

Ethics the

discipline

concerned with

what is morally

good and bad

right and wrong

Various philosophical schools ldquoUnlike the ethical system of

Greek philosophy which seeks

to define virtues (who is

courageous generous or just

etc) the bible demands of

every human being and behave

virtuously toward his fellow man

and is not concerned with

abstract definitionsrdquo In the

Torah however behaving

virtuously is equal to obeying

Godrsquos Law regardless of

whether we would view specific

laws as moral social or cultic

Judaism vs Hellenism 4

Source of Knowledge

Nb The incompatibility

of the Greek concept of

Nature as being

governed by immutable

natural laws and the

scriptural belief in

miracles

Science

- Reason is the key to finding

the truth about anything ndash

ethics nature of man the

natural world Popular

beliefs and commonly-held

opinions to be rejected as

sources of knowledge

The Torah tells

you everything

you need to know

ndash the rest should

be left to God

If the community

and individual are

in Godrsquos favor

god will ensure

that everything

will be fine with

the community

and individual

Sacred tradition

is binding

Judaism vs Hellenism 5

Medicine Greek medicine was scientific in that it

combined close observation with

generalized non-mythological theories

of how the body operates

Sickness is divine

punishment due to

sin

History Beginnings of scientific history

Non-mythological reasons for

events

This leads to a sense of uncertainty

and lack of confidence in the future ndash

bad luck uncontrollable actions of

enemies etc can destroy our future

and there is no supernatural salvation

in the real world

Salvation History

ndash the relationship

with God and

Godrsquos Law must

explain

everything

This leads to a

sense of

confidence in the

future ndash ie if the

Jews follow the

Torah God

guarantees a good

future

Judaism vs Hellenism 6

Role of Reason Philosophy ndash

rational thought to

gain knowledge

Israel is told what

it needs to know

Before

Deuteronomic

Reform Godrsquos

expectations were

through traditional

law and prophetic

messages After

the acceptance of

the Torah through

exegesis of the

Torah

Conquest

bull In 332-331 BCE Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine as part of this larger

conquest of the Persian Empire After

Alexanderrsquos death Egypt and Palestine were

taken over by Ptolemy while Syria

Mesopotamia and Persia were taken over by

Seleucus After a 23 year struggle the

Seleucids took over Palestine in 200 BCE

During this period a number of key

developments took place

Levels of Hellenism

For the monotheistic Jews of the period (c 300 BCE ndash c

350 CE) the challenge was particularly acute Other

groups could identify their gods with Greek gods (eg

Baal=Zeus) worship deliberate designed synthetic

gods such as Serapis which was devised during the

3rd century BC on the orders of Ptolemy I of Egypt as a

means to unify the Greeks and Egyptians in his realm

Due to lack of time I will only mention some of the

differences between Greek and Jewish thinking at the

third - philosophicalphilosophical - level However to

ordinary Jews it was the first two levels that would

have had the most impact to them

Judaism vs Hellenism 1

Centrality of

Man vs

Centrality of

God

Man is at the center and ldquoMan is

the measure of all thingsrdquo

Theocentric -

manrsquos task is to

serve God

Religion The gods in Greek traditional

polytheistic religion were capricious

and not particularly ethical The sole

requirement was to believe that the

gods existed and to perform ritual and

sacrifice through which the gods

received their due The very

unsatisfactory nature of this religion

from an ethical viewpoint opened the

way to secular science of ethics

Greek philosophers with their

demythologized world view could only

fit in the divine if the gods were

removed from the material world and

man

Ethical

monotheism

Judaism vs Hellenism 2

Law ndash divine or

secular Law (nomos) is to suit

society It can be made

and changed by the

society

Law (Torah) is

Godrsquos

revelation

regarding how

God wants

people to live

It cannot be

changed by

society in

theory though

it is adaptable

in practice

Judaism vs Hellenism 3

Secular or

theocratic rule

Democracy and other secular

forms of government follow from

above

Theocracy by authorized

interpreters of Godrsquos law

Ethics the

discipline

concerned with

what is morally

good and bad

right and wrong

Various philosophical schools ldquoUnlike the ethical system of

Greek philosophy which seeks

to define virtues (who is

courageous generous or just

etc) the bible demands of

every human being and behave

virtuously toward his fellow man

and is not concerned with

abstract definitionsrdquo In the

Torah however behaving

virtuously is equal to obeying

Godrsquos Law regardless of

whether we would view specific

laws as moral social or cultic

Judaism vs Hellenism 4

Source of Knowledge

Nb The incompatibility

of the Greek concept of

Nature as being

governed by immutable

natural laws and the

scriptural belief in

miracles

Science

- Reason is the key to finding

the truth about anything ndash

ethics nature of man the

natural world Popular

beliefs and commonly-held

opinions to be rejected as

sources of knowledge

The Torah tells

you everything

you need to know

ndash the rest should

be left to God

If the community

and individual are

in Godrsquos favor

god will ensure

that everything

will be fine with

the community

and individual

Sacred tradition

is binding

Judaism vs Hellenism 5

Medicine Greek medicine was scientific in that it

combined close observation with

generalized non-mythological theories

of how the body operates

Sickness is divine

punishment due to

sin

History Beginnings of scientific history

Non-mythological reasons for

events

This leads to a sense of uncertainty

and lack of confidence in the future ndash

bad luck uncontrollable actions of

enemies etc can destroy our future

and there is no supernatural salvation

in the real world

Salvation History

ndash the relationship

with God and

Godrsquos Law must

explain

everything

This leads to a

sense of

confidence in the

future ndash ie if the

Jews follow the

Torah God

guarantees a good

future

Judaism vs Hellenism 6

Role of Reason Philosophy ndash

rational thought to

gain knowledge

Israel is told what

it needs to know

Before

Deuteronomic

Reform Godrsquos

expectations were

through traditional

law and prophetic

messages After

the acceptance of

the Torah through

exegesis of the

Torah

Conquest

bull In 332-331 BCE Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine as part of this larger

conquest of the Persian Empire After

Alexanderrsquos death Egypt and Palestine were

taken over by Ptolemy while Syria

Mesopotamia and Persia were taken over by

Seleucus After a 23 year struggle the

Seleucids took over Palestine in 200 BCE

During this period a number of key

developments took place

Judaism vs Hellenism 1

Centrality of

Man vs

Centrality of

God

Man is at the center and ldquoMan is

the measure of all thingsrdquo

Theocentric -

manrsquos task is to

serve God

Religion The gods in Greek traditional

polytheistic religion were capricious

and not particularly ethical The sole

requirement was to believe that the

gods existed and to perform ritual and

sacrifice through which the gods

received their due The very

unsatisfactory nature of this religion

from an ethical viewpoint opened the

way to secular science of ethics

Greek philosophers with their

demythologized world view could only

fit in the divine if the gods were

removed from the material world and

man

Ethical

monotheism

Judaism vs Hellenism 2

Law ndash divine or

secular Law (nomos) is to suit

society It can be made

and changed by the

society

Law (Torah) is

Godrsquos

revelation

regarding how

God wants

people to live

It cannot be

changed by

society in

theory though

it is adaptable

in practice

Judaism vs Hellenism 3

Secular or

theocratic rule

Democracy and other secular

forms of government follow from

above

Theocracy by authorized

interpreters of Godrsquos law

Ethics the

discipline

concerned with

what is morally

good and bad

right and wrong

Various philosophical schools ldquoUnlike the ethical system of

Greek philosophy which seeks

to define virtues (who is

courageous generous or just

etc) the bible demands of

every human being and behave

virtuously toward his fellow man

and is not concerned with

abstract definitionsrdquo In the

Torah however behaving

virtuously is equal to obeying

Godrsquos Law regardless of

whether we would view specific

laws as moral social or cultic

Judaism vs Hellenism 4

Source of Knowledge

Nb The incompatibility

of the Greek concept of

Nature as being

governed by immutable

natural laws and the

scriptural belief in

miracles

Science

- Reason is the key to finding

the truth about anything ndash

ethics nature of man the

natural world Popular

beliefs and commonly-held

opinions to be rejected as

sources of knowledge

The Torah tells

you everything

you need to know

ndash the rest should

be left to God

If the community

and individual are

in Godrsquos favor

god will ensure

that everything

will be fine with

the community

and individual

Sacred tradition

is binding

Judaism vs Hellenism 5

Medicine Greek medicine was scientific in that it

combined close observation with

generalized non-mythological theories

of how the body operates

Sickness is divine

punishment due to

sin

History Beginnings of scientific history

Non-mythological reasons for

events

This leads to a sense of uncertainty

and lack of confidence in the future ndash

bad luck uncontrollable actions of

enemies etc can destroy our future

and there is no supernatural salvation

in the real world

Salvation History

ndash the relationship

with God and

Godrsquos Law must

explain

everything

This leads to a

sense of

confidence in the

future ndash ie if the

Jews follow the

Torah God

guarantees a good

future

Judaism vs Hellenism 6

Role of Reason Philosophy ndash

rational thought to

gain knowledge

Israel is told what

it needs to know

Before

Deuteronomic

Reform Godrsquos

expectations were

through traditional

law and prophetic

messages After

the acceptance of

the Torah through

exegesis of the

Torah

Conquest

bull In 332-331 BCE Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine as part of this larger

conquest of the Persian Empire After

Alexanderrsquos death Egypt and Palestine were

taken over by Ptolemy while Syria

Mesopotamia and Persia were taken over by

Seleucus After a 23 year struggle the

Seleucids took over Palestine in 200 BCE

During this period a number of key

developments took place

Judaism vs Hellenism 2

Law ndash divine or

secular Law (nomos) is to suit

society It can be made

and changed by the

society

Law (Torah) is

Godrsquos

revelation

regarding how

God wants

people to live

It cannot be

changed by

society in

theory though

it is adaptable

in practice

Judaism vs Hellenism 3

Secular or

theocratic rule

Democracy and other secular

forms of government follow from

above

Theocracy by authorized

interpreters of Godrsquos law

Ethics the

discipline

concerned with

what is morally

good and bad

right and wrong

Various philosophical schools ldquoUnlike the ethical system of

Greek philosophy which seeks

to define virtues (who is

courageous generous or just

etc) the bible demands of

every human being and behave

virtuously toward his fellow man

and is not concerned with

abstract definitionsrdquo In the

Torah however behaving

virtuously is equal to obeying

Godrsquos Law regardless of

whether we would view specific

laws as moral social or cultic

Judaism vs Hellenism 4

Source of Knowledge

Nb The incompatibility

of the Greek concept of

Nature as being

governed by immutable

natural laws and the

scriptural belief in

miracles

Science

- Reason is the key to finding

the truth about anything ndash

ethics nature of man the

natural world Popular

beliefs and commonly-held

opinions to be rejected as

sources of knowledge

The Torah tells

you everything

you need to know

ndash the rest should

be left to God

If the community

and individual are

in Godrsquos favor

god will ensure

that everything

will be fine with

the community

and individual

Sacred tradition

is binding

Judaism vs Hellenism 5

Medicine Greek medicine was scientific in that it

combined close observation with

generalized non-mythological theories

of how the body operates

Sickness is divine

punishment due to

sin

History Beginnings of scientific history

Non-mythological reasons for

events

This leads to a sense of uncertainty

and lack of confidence in the future ndash

bad luck uncontrollable actions of

enemies etc can destroy our future

and there is no supernatural salvation

in the real world

Salvation History

ndash the relationship

with God and

Godrsquos Law must

explain

everything

This leads to a

sense of

confidence in the

future ndash ie if the

Jews follow the

Torah God

guarantees a good

future

Judaism vs Hellenism 6

Role of Reason Philosophy ndash

rational thought to

gain knowledge

Israel is told what

it needs to know

Before

Deuteronomic

Reform Godrsquos

expectations were

through traditional

law and prophetic

messages After

the acceptance of

the Torah through

exegesis of the

Torah

Conquest

bull In 332-331 BCE Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine as part of this larger

conquest of the Persian Empire After

Alexanderrsquos death Egypt and Palestine were

taken over by Ptolemy while Syria

Mesopotamia and Persia were taken over by

Seleucus After a 23 year struggle the

Seleucids took over Palestine in 200 BCE

During this period a number of key

developments took place

Judaism vs Hellenism 3

Secular or

theocratic rule

Democracy and other secular

forms of government follow from

above

Theocracy by authorized

interpreters of Godrsquos law

Ethics the

discipline

concerned with

what is morally

good and bad

right and wrong

Various philosophical schools ldquoUnlike the ethical system of

Greek philosophy which seeks

to define virtues (who is

courageous generous or just

etc) the bible demands of

every human being and behave

virtuously toward his fellow man

and is not concerned with

abstract definitionsrdquo In the

Torah however behaving

virtuously is equal to obeying

Godrsquos Law regardless of

whether we would view specific

laws as moral social or cultic

Judaism vs Hellenism 4

Source of Knowledge

Nb The incompatibility

of the Greek concept of

Nature as being

governed by immutable

natural laws and the

scriptural belief in

miracles

Science

- Reason is the key to finding

the truth about anything ndash

ethics nature of man the

natural world Popular

beliefs and commonly-held

opinions to be rejected as

sources of knowledge

The Torah tells

you everything

you need to know

ndash the rest should

be left to God

If the community

and individual are

in Godrsquos favor

god will ensure

that everything

will be fine with

the community

and individual

Sacred tradition

is binding

Judaism vs Hellenism 5

Medicine Greek medicine was scientific in that it

combined close observation with

generalized non-mythological theories

of how the body operates

Sickness is divine

punishment due to

sin

History Beginnings of scientific history

Non-mythological reasons for

events

This leads to a sense of uncertainty

and lack of confidence in the future ndash

bad luck uncontrollable actions of

enemies etc can destroy our future

and there is no supernatural salvation

in the real world

Salvation History

ndash the relationship

with God and

Godrsquos Law must

explain

everything

This leads to a

sense of

confidence in the

future ndash ie if the

Jews follow the

Torah God

guarantees a good

future

Judaism vs Hellenism 6

Role of Reason Philosophy ndash

rational thought to

gain knowledge

Israel is told what

it needs to know

Before

Deuteronomic

Reform Godrsquos

expectations were

through traditional

law and prophetic

messages After

the acceptance of

the Torah through

exegesis of the

Torah

Conquest

bull In 332-331 BCE Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine as part of this larger

conquest of the Persian Empire After

Alexanderrsquos death Egypt and Palestine were

taken over by Ptolemy while Syria

Mesopotamia and Persia were taken over by

Seleucus After a 23 year struggle the

Seleucids took over Palestine in 200 BCE

During this period a number of key

developments took place

Judaism vs Hellenism 4

Source of Knowledge

Nb The incompatibility

of the Greek concept of

Nature as being

governed by immutable

natural laws and the

scriptural belief in

miracles

Science

- Reason is the key to finding

the truth about anything ndash

ethics nature of man the

natural world Popular

beliefs and commonly-held

opinions to be rejected as

sources of knowledge

The Torah tells

you everything

you need to know

ndash the rest should

be left to God

If the community

and individual are

in Godrsquos favor

god will ensure

that everything

will be fine with

the community

and individual

Sacred tradition

is binding

Judaism vs Hellenism 5

Medicine Greek medicine was scientific in that it

combined close observation with

generalized non-mythological theories

of how the body operates

Sickness is divine

punishment due to

sin

History Beginnings of scientific history

Non-mythological reasons for

events

This leads to a sense of uncertainty

and lack of confidence in the future ndash

bad luck uncontrollable actions of

enemies etc can destroy our future

and there is no supernatural salvation

in the real world

Salvation History

ndash the relationship

with God and

Godrsquos Law must

explain

everything

This leads to a

sense of

confidence in the

future ndash ie if the

Jews follow the

Torah God

guarantees a good

future

Judaism vs Hellenism 6

Role of Reason Philosophy ndash

rational thought to

gain knowledge

Israel is told what

it needs to know

Before

Deuteronomic

Reform Godrsquos

expectations were

through traditional

law and prophetic

messages After

the acceptance of

the Torah through

exegesis of the

Torah

Conquest

bull In 332-331 BCE Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine as part of this larger

conquest of the Persian Empire After

Alexanderrsquos death Egypt and Palestine were

taken over by Ptolemy while Syria

Mesopotamia and Persia were taken over by

Seleucus After a 23 year struggle the

Seleucids took over Palestine in 200 BCE

During this period a number of key

developments took place

Judaism vs Hellenism 5

Medicine Greek medicine was scientific in that it

combined close observation with

generalized non-mythological theories

of how the body operates

Sickness is divine

punishment due to

sin

History Beginnings of scientific history

Non-mythological reasons for

events

This leads to a sense of uncertainty

and lack of confidence in the future ndash

bad luck uncontrollable actions of

enemies etc can destroy our future

and there is no supernatural salvation

in the real world

Salvation History

ndash the relationship

with God and

Godrsquos Law must

explain

everything

This leads to a

sense of

confidence in the

future ndash ie if the

Jews follow the

Torah God

guarantees a good

future

Judaism vs Hellenism 6

Role of Reason Philosophy ndash

rational thought to

gain knowledge

Israel is told what

it needs to know

Before

Deuteronomic

Reform Godrsquos

expectations were

through traditional

law and prophetic

messages After

the acceptance of

the Torah through

exegesis of the

Torah

Conquest

bull In 332-331 BCE Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine as part of this larger

conquest of the Persian Empire After

Alexanderrsquos death Egypt and Palestine were

taken over by Ptolemy while Syria

Mesopotamia and Persia were taken over by

Seleucus After a 23 year struggle the

Seleucids took over Palestine in 200 BCE

During this period a number of key

developments took place

Judaism vs Hellenism 6

Role of Reason Philosophy ndash

rational thought to

gain knowledge

Israel is told what

it needs to know

Before

Deuteronomic

Reform Godrsquos

expectations were

through traditional

law and prophetic

messages After

the acceptance of

the Torah through

exegesis of the

Torah

Conquest

bull In 332-331 BCE Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine as part of this larger

conquest of the Persian Empire After

Alexanderrsquos death Egypt and Palestine were

taken over by Ptolemy while Syria

Mesopotamia and Persia were taken over by

Seleucus After a 23 year struggle the

Seleucids took over Palestine in 200 BCE

During this period a number of key

developments took place

Conquest

bull In 332-331 BCE Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine as part of this larger

conquest of the Persian Empire After

Alexanderrsquos death Egypt and Palestine were

taken over by Ptolemy while Syria

Mesopotamia and Persia were taken over by

Seleucus After a 23 year struggle the

Seleucids took over Palestine in 200 BCE

During this period a number of key

developments took place

Hellenistic World

Samaritans

Josephus etc

Philosophy

bull Philosophy remained centered in Athens The new schools of Skepticism Cynicism Epicurianism and Stoicism developed All of these were more concerned with manrsquos internal state and ethics than with man as a functioning member of society or with the larger questions of science metaphysics and other theoretical questions These developments were probably related to the end of the citizen-controlled city state and the inability of Hellenistic kingdoms to establish firm order These factors created the feeling that the outside world was in chaos and uncontrollable and that consequently one had to seek inside oneself for security

Philosophy ndashScience and Mathematics bull Alexandria became the center for these disciplines The

royal Museum was a great center of scientific and literary research It is interesting to note that astrology was a Hellenistic creation which they developed as a ldquosciencerdquo closely related to the doctrines of Stoicism It can be argued that the Greek belief in Fate or Necessity to which even the gods are subject predisposed them to developing a concept of nature as a system governed by immutable natural laws The extension of this paradigm into human affairs was the ultimate concept behind astrology]

bull The number of Greek philosopher-scientists who changed world history by laying the groundwork for the scientific method and a world view was small Outside of the Museum-Library at Alexandria the institutional basis to support research and the dissemination of results was very poor and haphazard

332

BCE

Judaea incorporated into Alexanderrsquos

Greco-Macedonian empire

323- Alexanderrsquos generals struggle for control

of his empire with frequent clashes in the

coastal region of Palestine

Hellenistic cities founded over the next

century in Palestine outside of the old

Persian province of Yehud

By 301 Seleucus controls Syria Mesopotamia

and Iran

Ptolemy I secures control of Egypt amp

Palestine

Status of Judea (Persian Yehud) as a

self-contained unit with its center in

Jerusalem continues

c 200 BCE The Selucid king Antiochus III with Jewish

support wrests control of Palestine from

Ptolemies

From 189

BCE or 188

to 177 BCE

Seleucid empire vanquished by Rome in 190

BCE Rome bankrupts Seleucids

July 187

BCE The royal minister Heliodorus comes to

confiscate money on deposit in the temple in

Jerusalem but fails to do so Some Jews believe

God miraculously prevented him

175 To strengthen the Seleucid Empire by copying

Roman institutions Antiochus proclaims an

Antiochene republic and invites subject

individuals and communities to accept

Antiochene citizenship

175-174

BCE

Jason brother of Onias III purchases the favor of

Antiochus by offering him increased revenue and by

bidding high for the privilege of being the founder of the

Antiochene community at Jerusalem

Antiochus appoints Jason high priest in place of Onias

and allows Jason to found an Antiochene citizen-

community at Jerusalem with gymnasium and ephebic

institutions exempt from Jewish law

170-169 Antiochus IV invades Egypt and

overruns all but Alexandria

169 Pious Jews rise against both Jason and

Menelaus

Antiochus regards all but Menelaus

faction as rebels punishes the city

plunders the temple and attempts to

reestablish order confirming Menelaus in

power over the Jews

Samaritans

Josephus etc

Philosophy

bull Philosophy remained centered in Athens The new schools of Skepticism Cynicism Epicurianism and Stoicism developed All of these were more concerned with manrsquos internal state and ethics than with man as a functioning member of society or with the larger questions of science metaphysics and other theoretical questions These developments were probably related to the end of the citizen-controlled city state and the inability of Hellenistic kingdoms to establish firm order These factors created the feeling that the outside world was in chaos and uncontrollable and that consequently one had to seek inside oneself for security

Philosophy ndashScience and Mathematics bull Alexandria became the center for these disciplines The

royal Museum was a great center of scientific and literary research It is interesting to note that astrology was a Hellenistic creation which they developed as a ldquosciencerdquo closely related to the doctrines of Stoicism It can be argued that the Greek belief in Fate or Necessity to which even the gods are subject predisposed them to developing a concept of nature as a system governed by immutable natural laws The extension of this paradigm into human affairs was the ultimate concept behind astrology]

bull The number of Greek philosopher-scientists who changed world history by laying the groundwork for the scientific method and a world view was small Outside of the Museum-Library at Alexandria the institutional basis to support research and the dissemination of results was very poor and haphazard

332

BCE

Judaea incorporated into Alexanderrsquos

Greco-Macedonian empire

323- Alexanderrsquos generals struggle for control

of his empire with frequent clashes in the

coastal region of Palestine

Hellenistic cities founded over the next

century in Palestine outside of the old

Persian province of Yehud

By 301 Seleucus controls Syria Mesopotamia

and Iran

Ptolemy I secures control of Egypt amp

Palestine

Status of Judea (Persian Yehud) as a

self-contained unit with its center in

Jerusalem continues

c 200 BCE The Selucid king Antiochus III with Jewish

support wrests control of Palestine from

Ptolemies

From 189

BCE or 188

to 177 BCE

Seleucid empire vanquished by Rome in 190

BCE Rome bankrupts Seleucids

July 187

BCE The royal minister Heliodorus comes to

confiscate money on deposit in the temple in

Jerusalem but fails to do so Some Jews believe

God miraculously prevented him

175 To strengthen the Seleucid Empire by copying

Roman institutions Antiochus proclaims an

Antiochene republic and invites subject

individuals and communities to accept

Antiochene citizenship

175-174

BCE

Jason brother of Onias III purchases the favor of

Antiochus by offering him increased revenue and by

bidding high for the privilege of being the founder of the

Antiochene community at Jerusalem

Antiochus appoints Jason high priest in place of Onias

and allows Jason to found an Antiochene citizen-

community at Jerusalem with gymnasium and ephebic

institutions exempt from Jewish law

170-169 Antiochus IV invades Egypt and

overruns all but Alexandria

169 Pious Jews rise against both Jason and

Menelaus

Antiochus regards all but Menelaus

faction as rebels punishes the city

plunders the temple and attempts to

reestablish order confirming Menelaus in

power over the Jews

Philosophy

bull Philosophy remained centered in Athens The new schools of Skepticism Cynicism Epicurianism and Stoicism developed All of these were more concerned with manrsquos internal state and ethics than with man as a functioning member of society or with the larger questions of science metaphysics and other theoretical questions These developments were probably related to the end of the citizen-controlled city state and the inability of Hellenistic kingdoms to establish firm order These factors created the feeling that the outside world was in chaos and uncontrollable and that consequently one had to seek inside oneself for security

Philosophy ndashScience and Mathematics bull Alexandria became the center for these disciplines The

royal Museum was a great center of scientific and literary research It is interesting to note that astrology was a Hellenistic creation which they developed as a ldquosciencerdquo closely related to the doctrines of Stoicism It can be argued that the Greek belief in Fate or Necessity to which even the gods are subject predisposed them to developing a concept of nature as a system governed by immutable natural laws The extension of this paradigm into human affairs was the ultimate concept behind astrology]

bull The number of Greek philosopher-scientists who changed world history by laying the groundwork for the scientific method and a world view was small Outside of the Museum-Library at Alexandria the institutional basis to support research and the dissemination of results was very poor and haphazard

332

BCE

Judaea incorporated into Alexanderrsquos

Greco-Macedonian empire

323- Alexanderrsquos generals struggle for control

of his empire with frequent clashes in the

coastal region of Palestine

Hellenistic cities founded over the next

century in Palestine outside of the old

Persian province of Yehud

By 301 Seleucus controls Syria Mesopotamia

and Iran

Ptolemy I secures control of Egypt amp

Palestine

Status of Judea (Persian Yehud) as a

self-contained unit with its center in

Jerusalem continues

c 200 BCE The Selucid king Antiochus III with Jewish

support wrests control of Palestine from

Ptolemies

From 189

BCE or 188

to 177 BCE

Seleucid empire vanquished by Rome in 190

BCE Rome bankrupts Seleucids

July 187

BCE The royal minister Heliodorus comes to

confiscate money on deposit in the temple in

Jerusalem but fails to do so Some Jews believe

God miraculously prevented him

175 To strengthen the Seleucid Empire by copying

Roman institutions Antiochus proclaims an

Antiochene republic and invites subject

individuals and communities to accept

Antiochene citizenship

175-174

BCE

Jason brother of Onias III purchases the favor of

Antiochus by offering him increased revenue and by

bidding high for the privilege of being the founder of the

Antiochene community at Jerusalem

Antiochus appoints Jason high priest in place of Onias

and allows Jason to found an Antiochene citizen-

community at Jerusalem with gymnasium and ephebic

institutions exempt from Jewish law

170-169 Antiochus IV invades Egypt and

overruns all but Alexandria

169 Pious Jews rise against both Jason and

Menelaus

Antiochus regards all but Menelaus

faction as rebels punishes the city

plunders the temple and attempts to

reestablish order confirming Menelaus in

power over the Jews

Philosophy ndashScience and Mathematics bull Alexandria became the center for these disciplines The

royal Museum was a great center of scientific and literary research It is interesting to note that astrology was a Hellenistic creation which they developed as a ldquosciencerdquo closely related to the doctrines of Stoicism It can be argued that the Greek belief in Fate or Necessity to which even the gods are subject predisposed them to developing a concept of nature as a system governed by immutable natural laws The extension of this paradigm into human affairs was the ultimate concept behind astrology]

bull The number of Greek philosopher-scientists who changed world history by laying the groundwork for the scientific method and a world view was small Outside of the Museum-Library at Alexandria the institutional basis to support research and the dissemination of results was very poor and haphazard

332

BCE

Judaea incorporated into Alexanderrsquos

Greco-Macedonian empire

323- Alexanderrsquos generals struggle for control

of his empire with frequent clashes in the

coastal region of Palestine

Hellenistic cities founded over the next

century in Palestine outside of the old

Persian province of Yehud

By 301 Seleucus controls Syria Mesopotamia

and Iran

Ptolemy I secures control of Egypt amp

Palestine

Status of Judea (Persian Yehud) as a

self-contained unit with its center in

Jerusalem continues

c 200 BCE The Selucid king Antiochus III with Jewish

support wrests control of Palestine from

Ptolemies

From 189

BCE or 188

to 177 BCE

Seleucid empire vanquished by Rome in 190

BCE Rome bankrupts Seleucids

July 187

BCE The royal minister Heliodorus comes to

confiscate money on deposit in the temple in

Jerusalem but fails to do so Some Jews believe

God miraculously prevented him

175 To strengthen the Seleucid Empire by copying

Roman institutions Antiochus proclaims an

Antiochene republic and invites subject

individuals and communities to accept

Antiochene citizenship

175-174

BCE

Jason brother of Onias III purchases the favor of

Antiochus by offering him increased revenue and by

bidding high for the privilege of being the founder of the

Antiochene community at Jerusalem

Antiochus appoints Jason high priest in place of Onias

and allows Jason to found an Antiochene citizen-

community at Jerusalem with gymnasium and ephebic

institutions exempt from Jewish law

170-169 Antiochus IV invades Egypt and

overruns all but Alexandria

169 Pious Jews rise against both Jason and

Menelaus

Antiochus regards all but Menelaus

faction as rebels punishes the city

plunders the temple and attempts to

reestablish order confirming Menelaus in

power over the Jews

332

BCE

Judaea incorporated into Alexanderrsquos

Greco-Macedonian empire

323- Alexanderrsquos generals struggle for control

of his empire with frequent clashes in the

coastal region of Palestine

Hellenistic cities founded over the next

century in Palestine outside of the old

Persian province of Yehud

By 301 Seleucus controls Syria Mesopotamia

and Iran

Ptolemy I secures control of Egypt amp

Palestine

Status of Judea (Persian Yehud) as a

self-contained unit with its center in

Jerusalem continues

c 200 BCE The Selucid king Antiochus III with Jewish

support wrests control of Palestine from

Ptolemies

From 189

BCE or 188

to 177 BCE

Seleucid empire vanquished by Rome in 190

BCE Rome bankrupts Seleucids

July 187

BCE The royal minister Heliodorus comes to

confiscate money on deposit in the temple in

Jerusalem but fails to do so Some Jews believe

God miraculously prevented him

175 To strengthen the Seleucid Empire by copying

Roman institutions Antiochus proclaims an

Antiochene republic and invites subject

individuals and communities to accept

Antiochene citizenship

175-174

BCE

Jason brother of Onias III purchases the favor of

Antiochus by offering him increased revenue and by

bidding high for the privilege of being the founder of the

Antiochene community at Jerusalem

Antiochus appoints Jason high priest in place of Onias

and allows Jason to found an Antiochene citizen-

community at Jerusalem with gymnasium and ephebic

institutions exempt from Jewish law

170-169 Antiochus IV invades Egypt and

overruns all but Alexandria

169 Pious Jews rise against both Jason and

Menelaus

Antiochus regards all but Menelaus

faction as rebels punishes the city

plunders the temple and attempts to

reestablish order confirming Menelaus in

power over the Jews

c 200 BCE The Selucid king Antiochus III with Jewish

support wrests control of Palestine from

Ptolemies

From 189

BCE or 188

to 177 BCE

Seleucid empire vanquished by Rome in 190

BCE Rome bankrupts Seleucids

July 187

BCE The royal minister Heliodorus comes to

confiscate money on deposit in the temple in

Jerusalem but fails to do so Some Jews believe

God miraculously prevented him

175 To strengthen the Seleucid Empire by copying

Roman institutions Antiochus proclaims an

Antiochene republic and invites subject

individuals and communities to accept

Antiochene citizenship

175-174

BCE

Jason brother of Onias III purchases the favor of

Antiochus by offering him increased revenue and by

bidding high for the privilege of being the founder of the

Antiochene community at Jerusalem

Antiochus appoints Jason high priest in place of Onias

and allows Jason to found an Antiochene citizen-

community at Jerusalem with gymnasium and ephebic

institutions exempt from Jewish law

170-169 Antiochus IV invades Egypt and

overruns all but Alexandria

169 Pious Jews rise against both Jason and

Menelaus

Antiochus regards all but Menelaus

faction as rebels punishes the city

plunders the temple and attempts to

reestablish order confirming Menelaus in

power over the Jews

175-174

BCE

Jason brother of Onias III purchases the favor of

Antiochus by offering him increased revenue and by

bidding high for the privilege of being the founder of the

Antiochene community at Jerusalem

Antiochus appoints Jason high priest in place of Onias

and allows Jason to found an Antiochene citizen-

community at Jerusalem with gymnasium and ephebic

institutions exempt from Jewish law

170-169 Antiochus IV invades Egypt and

overruns all but Alexandria

169 Pious Jews rise against both Jason and

Menelaus

Antiochus regards all but Menelaus

faction as rebels punishes the city

plunders the temple and attempts to

reestablish order confirming Menelaus in

power over the Jews

167

BCE

Antiochus IV decrees that on penalty of

death the turbulent Jews including all

those in Judaea must cease observing

the Torah and follow an imposed

polytheistic cult said to be a purified

Judaism free of the tendencies which

had turned the Jews into rebels

167 Antiochus IV takes drastic measures to

enforce the imposed cult Abomination

of Desolation a framework containing

three he meteorites representing the

three gods of the imposed cult is placed

upon the sacrificial altar of the temple

167-166

BCE

Mattathias and his family the

Hasmonaeans wage guerrilla warfare

against the royal government and

against Jews who violated the Torah

Some Pietist Jews still believe that God

forbids violent rebelIion and trust in vain

the prophecies that God will protect

Sabbath observers Believing that God

forbade them to flee or defend

themselves on the Sabbath they are

massacred by royal troops

167-166

BCE

Mattathias and his family the

Hasmonaeans wage guerrilla warfare

against the royal government and

against Jews who violated the Torah

Some Pietist Jews still believe that God

forbids violent rebelIion and trust in vain

the prophecies that God will protect

Sabbath observers Believing that God

forbade them to flee or defend

themselves on the Sabbath they are

massacred by royal troops

164

BCE

Jewish priests resume sacrifice of meal

offerings in the temple upon the new

altar

164-163 The Jews decide to make the eight-day

celebration an annual observance at first

under the name Festival of Tabernacles

in the month of Kislev later under the

name Days of Dedication (Hanukkah)

63 Pompey imposes roman rule in Syria-

Palestine

67-70

CE

Jewish war against Rome ndash Romans

destroyJerusalem

Languages in First Century Palestine

bull Greek was widely spoken in Hellenistic cities mainly along the coast

and north of the country

bull Aramaic was the majority language of the country Probably it was

the only language other than Greek spoken throughout the country

except for some areas of Judea between Lod and Jericho It seems

to have been the language of the upper classes in Jerusalem and

bull A Proto-Mishnaic or Proto-Rabbinic Hebrew was probably spoken

along with Aramaic in some areas of Judea between Lod and

Jericho and

bull Late Biblical Hebrew which was a literary language along side

Greek and Aramaic for the Jewish population There were no

speakers of this artificial tongue This is not dissimilar to the

situation of Modern Literary Arabic today or Church Latin in the

middle ages

Languages in First Century Palestine

bull Greek was widely spoken in Hellenistic cities mainly along the coast

and north of the country

bull Aramaic was the majority language of the country Probably it was

the only language other than Greek spoken throughout the country

except for some areas of Judea between Lod and Jericho It seems

to have been the language of the upper classes in Jerusalem and

bull A Proto-Mishnaic or Proto-Rabbinic Hebrew was probably spoken

along with Aramaic in some areas of Judea between Lod and

Jericho and

bull Late Biblical Hebrew which was a literary language along side

Greek and Aramaic for the Jewish population There were no

speakers of this artificial tongue This is not dissimilar to the

situation of Modern Literary Arabic today or Church Latin in the

middle ages