Intertestamental

Four hundred years without a prophet, but not without providence: Greek kingdoms trade the land back and forth, the Maccabees cleanse the temple, and Rome arrives — all of it setting the stage the Gospels open upon.

• 332 BCAlexander conquers the Persian empire
• 323 BCAlexander dies; his empire is divided
• 320 BCJerusalem under the Ptolemies
• 277 BCThe Septuagint translation begun in Alexandria
• 198 BCJudea passes from Egypt to Syria
• 176 BCHeliodorus attempts to seize the temple treasury
• 175 BCAntiochus IV Epiphanes becomes king
• 175 BCJason purchases the high priesthood
• 174 BCA Greek gymnasium is built in Jerusalem
• 172 BCMenelaus displaces Jason as high priest
• 171 BCOnias III is murdered near Antioch
• 170 BCAntiochus IV plunders the temple
• 168 BCAntiochus IV desecrates the temple
• 168 BCApollonius sacks Jerusalem
• 167 BCMattathias begins the Maccabean revolt
• 167 BCFaithful families are killed in the wilderness
• 166 BCMattathias dies; Judas takes command
• 166 BCJudas defeats Apollonius and Seron
• 166 BCJudas wins the battle near Emmaus
• 165 BCThe temple cleansed and rededicated (Hanukkah)
• 165 BCJudas defeats Lysias at Beth-zur
• 164 BCJudas rescues Jewish communities in Galilee and Gilead
• 164 BCAntiochus IV dies in the east
• 163 BCEleazar dies in the battle of Beth-zechariah
• 161 BCJudas defeats Nicanor at Adasa
• 161 BCJudas makes an alliance with Rome
• 161 BCJudas Maccabeus dies at Eleasa
• 161 BCJonathan succeeds Judas
• 158 BCJonathan and Simon make peace with Bacchides
• 153 BCJonathan becomes high priest
• 148 BCJonathan takes Joppa and defeats Apollonius
• 143 BCSimon leads Judea toward independence
• 143 BCJonathan is captured and killed
• 142 BCSimon clears the Jerusalem citadel
• 142 BCSimon's leadership is formally confirmed
• 135 BCSimon is murdered; John Hyrcanus succeeds him
• 130 BCJohn Hyrcanus takes Shechem and Mount Gerizim
• 109 BCThe Hasmoneans capture Samaria
• 108 BCAristobulus I takes the title of king
• 106 BCAlexander Jannaeus becomes king and high priest
• 78 BCSalome Alexandra rules Judea
• 67 BCHyrcanus II and Aristobulus II fight for the throne
• 63 BCPompey takes Jerusalem; Rome arrives
• 47 BCHerod rises as governor of Galilee
• 40 BCHerod made king of Judea
• 40 BCParthians install Antigonus in Jerusalem
• 37 BCHerod takes Jerusalem
• 25 BCHerod rebuilds Samaria as Sebaste
• 19 BCHerod prepares to rebuild the temple
• 17 BCHerod begins rebuilding the temple
• 8 BCHerod dedicates the rebuilt temple sanctuary