From Ezra to the Last of the Maccabees
by E. J. Bickerman
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Description
In this basic introduction to post-biblical Jewish history, the author examines the elements that shaped the Jewish people after their return from the Babylonian Exile in 538 B.C., and transformed them from an insignificant nation into a religious community and major historical force. The process of growth and development is shown as culminating in one of the great historical events of antiquity: the meeting of Jew and Greek. This confrontation of Mosaic religion and Hellenic culture, the show more author shows, had begun even before Alexander the Great's conquest of the Orient in 333 B.C. While struggling to preserve their spiritual heritage, and even rebelling against Greek political domination, the Jews, unlike other Mediterranean peoples, succeeded in assimilating Greek concepts and methods into their native thought. Out of this prolonged contact a richer and stronger community emerged, one which bore within it the seeds of both rabbinic Judaism and its eventual offspring, Christianity. show lessTags
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12+ Works 529 Members
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- From Ezra to the Last of the Maccabees
- Original publication date
- 1947 (Part II, The Maccabees: An Account of Their History from the Beginnings to the Fall of the House of the Hasmoneans) (Part II, The Maccabees: An Account of Their History from the Beginnings to the Fall of the House of the Hasmoneans); 1949 (Part I, The Jews: Their History, Culture, and Religion) (Part I, The Jews: Their History, Culture, and Religion)
- People/Characters
- Judas Maccabeus; John Hyrcanus I; Alexander the Great; Ben Sira or Joshua ben Sirach (Jesus ben Sirach, 2nd century BCE); Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175 to 164 BC/BCE); Mattathias (show all 14); Menelaus, High Priest of Judea; Lysias, Seleucid general; Antiochus V; Demetrius I, Seleucid Emperor; Alexander Balas; Simon Maccabee; Antiochus III the Great (241? to 287 BC/BCE); John Hyrcanus II (63-40)
- Important places
- Jerusalem; Elephantine, Egypt; Antioch; Beth-Zur
- Important events
- Maccabean Revolt
- First words
- I
The Return from the Babylonian Exile
The sacred history of the Chosen People ends chronologically with Nehemiah's prayer: "Remember us, O God, for good."
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Statistics
- Members
- 191
- Popularity
- 171,854
- Rating
- (4.00)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 6
- ASINs
- 5
