Ancient Palestine
From Alexander the Great to
Herod the Great
• Main Geographical areas of Palestine
– Galilee
– Samaria
– Judea
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=001a
• Main topographical areas of Israel-Palestine
– Coastal plain
– Central hill country – Shephelah
– Jordan Valley
– Transjordan Plateau
– Negeb
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=007b
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=011
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=008
http://studylight.org/se/maps/browse.cgi?st=1#001a
• Persians invaded Greek territories
– Philip of Macedon rallied the Greek armies
– His son, Alexander the Great, pushed the
Persians back and recaptured the Greek
territory
– Alexander continued pursuing the Persians
– Invaded
-
Palestine
- Egypt
Syria
- Persia
Went as far as the Indus river –
Died on the trip home (323 B.C.)
• Territories were divided among
Alexander’s 3 generals
– Ptolemy
– Seleucus
– Antigonus
– They fought over control of Palestine and
further East
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=088&size=60
• Palestine was controlled by Seleucus
• Antiochus Epiphanes IV (175 B.C.)
– Ruled Palestine & other areas
• Forced many to worship of Zeus
–
–
–
–
Outlawed worship of Jewish God
Forbade circumcision
Built altar to Zeus in Jewish Temple
Offered a pig in the Jewish Temple
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=091
• The Hasmonean family (166 – 163 B.C.)
– Rebelled – refused to sacrifice to Zeus
– Mattathias (a priest) led his sons – he soon
died
• Judas “the hammer” (Maccabeus) became the
leader – brothers helped: Simon, Jonathan
– Recaptured Temple 164 B.C. (Kislev 25)
• Time of celebration, rededication of Temple – 8
days
• “Festival of Dedication” – Hanukkah
– Continued rebellion until regained freedom
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=093&size=60
• Jonathan then Simon later became the
political rulers in Palestine
• Simon’s descendants ruled over the next
century
• Much internal turmoil – religious and
political.
– Almost resulted in civil war
• Jewish leaders asked Rome for help
– They sent Pompey to take control – 63 B.C.
• Pompey ruled through the Maccabees for
a while, but they were not good rulers
• He appointed Antipater, an Idumean, as
ethnarch of Palestine
• In time his son, Herod, became ruler
– Rome gave him the title King
• Herod the Great
– Harsh ruler
• Killed the remaining Maccabean descendants
• Killed any he thought might try to take his power,
including his wife and son.
• Had male infants killed in Bethlehem area when he
heard a new king had been born
– “the Great?”
• Great builder – many projects, Caesarea,
Herodium, Masada
• Kept the peace
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=101&size=60
Harbor at Caesarea
Stadium at Caesarea
Herodium
Herod’s Palace at Herodium
Masada
Masada
www.Bibleplaces.com
Three levels at Masada
Buildings at Masada
Synagogue at Masada
Plastered walls (Frescos) at Masada
Roman camp viewed from Masada
Roman camp
• 3 of Herod’s sons wanted to rule Palestine
• Rome divided it among them
– Archeleaus – Idumea, Judea, Samaria
– Antipas – Galilee, Perea
– Philip – Batanaea, Trachonitis, Auranitis
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=102&size=60
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=103&size=60
http://studylight.org/se/maps/view.cgi?js=yes&number=103a&size=60