Timeline of Events

BC   Israel   Greece and Rome   Egypt and the Near East

333

Alexander defeats the Persians at the battle of Issus.

Alexander conquers Egypt

332

Alexander 's Campaign in Israel

Alexander destroys Tyre

331

Alexander takes Babylon

330

Darius III is located and slain

327

Alexander invades India

323

Alexander claims to be the son of Zeus. Death of Alexander. His empire is divided between his four chief generals.

The Ptolemies conquer the Egyptian Kingdom and the Seleucids conquer the Syrian

322

Deaths of Demosthenes and Aristotle

320

Ptolemy Soter captures Jerusalem. Israel subject to Egypt

314

Israel subject to Syria

310

Simon the Just, High Priest

301

Israel reverts to Egypt

Rome becomes a major power in the Mediterranean

284

Beginning of the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament

264

First Punic War (264-241)

218

Second Punic War (218-201)

Colonies of Jews from Babylon transplanted to Asia Minor.

201

198

Antiochus the Great of Syria Dominates Israel

183

Death of Scipio Africanus and of Hannibal

175

Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria (175-163)

170

Tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes

168
Revolt of the Elasmonaeans (Maccabees) led by Mattathias

166
Judas Maccabeus, son of Mattathias, leads the Jewish insurgents, taking and holding Jerusalem

163

Death of Antiochus Epiphanes. Ptolemy Philometor, king of Egypt, on appealing to Rome is re-instated as sole king

160

Judas killed in battle at Eleasa. His brother Jonathan succeeds him

149

Third Punic War

146

Fall of Carthage and Corinth, Greece becomes a Roman province

142

Murder of Jonathan Maccabeus. Hasmonaean dynasty in Judea established under Simon, last of the brothers

134

Murder of Simon Maccabeus : John Hyrcanus succeeds him as High Priest and King

130

Hyrcanus destroys the temple on Mount Gerizim

103

Aristobulus succeeds John Hyrcanus

102

Alexander Jannaeus becomes High Priest and King (102-75).

75

Alexandra, queen (75-67) ; Hyrcanus II High Priest (75-66)

66

Aristobulus II, High Priest and King (66-63)

63

Hyrcanus II restored as High Priest (63-40)

Pompey subjugates Judea

60

The first triumvirate

55

Caesar invades Britain

54

The Temple plundered by Crassus

48

Battle of Pharsalia, death of Pompey

47

Antipater the Idumaean appointed by Caesar procurator of Judea. Herod made governor of Galilee

44

Assassination of Caesar

43

Death of Antipater

40

Hyrcanus banished : Antigonus succeeds (40-37), last of the Hasmonaean priestly line

Herod at Rome appointed king of Judea

37

Herod captures Jerusalem

31

Battle of Actium

30

Egypt becomes a Roman province. Line of Ptolemies ends

27

Augustus made emperor

19

Herod begins to rebuild the Temple

11

The Outer Temple finished

4

Herod dies at Jericho

The Birth of Jesus Christ