Greek and Roman History of Israel

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Alexander the Great

• From 334-324, Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world, including Israel.

• After Alexander’s death, his empire was split between four generals. Two are relevant for our study: Ptolemy controlled Egypt and Selecus controlled the Middle East. The two would fight over Israel (which was on the border between the two empires) for the next couple of centuries. Daniel 11 prophecies this struggle specifically and exactly.

Division of Alexander’s Empire

Influence of Greek Culture in Israel

• Common language switched to Greek (which is why New Testament was written in Greek)

• Greek temples, gymnasiums, and theatres were built throughout the Greek empires, including in Israel.

• Standardized coinage and better access to foreign markets caused trade to flourish.

• Slavery became commonplace.

Influence of Greek culture in Israel• Under the Ptolemies, freedom of religion was

guaranteed, as long as taxes were paid.• Under the Seleucids, the desire was for everyone to become Greek (Hellenization)– Many had learned from the hard lesson of exile because of

idolatry and did not wish to repeat it.– Others adopted Greek ways while still trying to remain Jewish.– This tension eventually exploded when Antiochus IV (Seleucid

emperor) decided to force Jews to worship him as God, make sacrifices of pigs, desecrated the temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar, built an altar to Zeus in the temple, and forbidding Jews from practicing circumcision and observing the Sabbath. In addition, the position of high priest was sold to the highest bidder.

Maccabean Kingdom

• The spark of revolt came with an elderly priest, Mattathias, refused to make a sacrifice to the emperor. Instead, he and his five sons rebelled. Mattathias died within the year, and his son Judas (nicknamed Maccabeus, “The Hammer”) took over. Judas was a master of strategy, luring three Seleucid armies into narrow passes, and then defeating them.

• Judas recaptured Jerusalem, including the temple, dismantled the pagan altar, and cleansed the temple. This cleansing is remembered in the celebration of Hanukkuh.

• In, 142 BC, after 20 years of warfare and political maneuvering, Simon (the last surviving son of Mattathias), became both high priest and ethnarch (“ruler of a people”); Israel was independent for the first time since 586 BC.

From Jewish Kingdom to Roman Client State

• Simon’s rule began a dynasty of rulers (called the Hasmoneans) which lasted until 63 BC, when the Roman general Pompey intervened in a civil war between two Hasmonean brothers, and put one of them (Hyrcanus II) over Judea as ruler and high priest.

• Shortly after this, Hyrcanus II was replaced by Antipater (an Idumean, from the lineage of Esau), as a Roman governor.

• In 40 BC, Antipater’s son, Herod the Great, was made “King of the Jews” by the Roman Senate.

Herod the Great

• Great builder– Beautified Temple and constructed Temple Mount

Herod the Great

• Great builder– Beautified Temple and constructed Temple Mount

Herod the Great

• Great builder– Many palaces

Palace at Masada

Herod the Great

• Great builder– Antonia Fortress (next to Temple Mount)

Herod the Great

• Great builder– Harbor at Caesarea Maritima (first harbor

anywhere in Israel)

Herod the Great

• Great builder– Also constructed pagan temples in non-Jewish

areas of his kingdom– Financed these projects through high taxes,

though they did provide many jobs

Herod the Great

• Was very paranoid (though some of his fears may have been justified)– Executed a wife, a mother-in-law, a brother-in-law,

and three sons. Macrobius, a Roman historian, records that emperor Augustus joked that “it is better to be Herod’s pig (Latin: hus), than his son (Latin: huios).” (Saturnalia, 2.4.11)

– These actions parallel the massacre of the children in Bethlehem (Matt 2:16-18)

Judea after Herod the Great

• After Herod died, his kingdom was divided among his sons. Herod Archelaus was given the southern part of the kingdom, which included Jerusalem; he was removed by the Romans ten years later, and a governor was sent from Rome to control a new province of Judea.

• Another son, Herod Antipas, ruled over Galilee and Perea; it was this son of Herod the Great who had John the Baptist beheaded, and who refused to judge Jesus when the Roman governor Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to him.

Division of Herod’s Kingdom

• Herod Archelaus: Pink

• Herod Agrippa: Purple

• Herod Philip: Brown

• Salome I (Herod the Great’s sister): Orange

• Green: attached to the Roman province of Syria

Judea after Herod the Great• Roman governors ruled Judea for most of the first

century AD, except for a three year period (41-44) when Herod Agrippa I (a grandson of Herod the Great) ruled as king over Judea and Galilee.– Herod Agrippa I put James (brother of John) to

death (Acts 12:2). He also arrested Peter, but an angel rescued Peter from prison (Acts 12:3-18). He was killed by God after he did not praise God when some people declared he was a god (Acts 12:19-23)

• Following Herod Agrippa I’s death, Judea returned to being a Roman province, with Galilee also being added to it.

Roman Rule in Judea

• 15 governors ruled Judea (and later, Judea and Galilee), between AD 6-70– Important ones:– Pontius Pilate (more later)– Marcus Antonius Felix (AD 52-60; arrested Paul in

Jerusalem -- Acts 24:24-27)– Porcius Festus (AD 60-62; sent Paul to Rome to be

tried before the emperor)

Pontius Pilate

• In describing Pontius Pilate, Philo (a first-century Jewish philosopher) writes that Pilate had a "vindictiveness and furious temper", and was "naturally inflexible, a blend of self-will and relentlessness". He writes that, at one point during his governorship, Pilate feared a delegation of the Jews might send a message to the Roman emperor Tiberius, exposing “his conduct as governor by stating in full the briberies, the insults, the robberies, the outrages and wanton injuries, the executions without trial constantly repeated, the ceaseless and supremely grievous cruelty.” (Embassy to Gaius, 38)

Pontius Pilate

• This passage by Philo has led many scholars to conclude that the Biblical account of Pilate is wrong; that Pilate would never have given in to the Jews when they demanded he crucify Jesus.

• However, a better source for study Pilate is the Jewish historian Josephus. Here, on four separate occasions, the Jews are able to convince Pilate to change his mind by showing a passive resistance (in one instance, they lie on the ground and tell Pilate that, if he doesn’t change his mind, he should cut their throats).

Pontius Pilate

• In addition, when Jesus is on trial, Sejanus (right hand man of Emperor Claudius, and a notorious hater of Jews) had just been executed for plotting to assassinate Claudius (he had Claudius’ son poisoned). Associates of Sejanus were also executed for being “friends of Sejanus” rather than “friends of Caesar.” This is the probable background of the Jews’ claim that, if Pilate doesn’t crucify Jesus, he is “not a friend of Caesar.” (John 19:12) They had previously proven their willingness to travel to Rome to complain about Pilate to the emperor; it is likely that Pilate is worried that they will do so again, and claim that he is just as anti-Jewish as Sejanus, potentially resulting in his own execution.

Upcoming Classes

• Next Week: Mother’s Day (No class)• May 18: Jewish Groups and Jewish Views on

the Messiah• May 25: Memorial Day (No Class)• June 1: Jesus’ Ministry• June 8: Jerusalem• June 15: Israel’s History, from the Jewish War

of AD 66-73 to the Modern State of Israel