The Second Temple Period Flashcards
When was the second temple period
515 BCE - 70 CE
What happened after the Babylonian Exile in 539 BCE?
The Babylonians who forced the Israelites into exile were themselves conquered by the Persians in 539 BCE.
What happened that ended the Babylonian exile?
the persian conquest of babylonia
After how many years in exile did some jews return to jerusalem?
50
What led to the rebuilding of the Second Temple? When did it last until?
With the help of the Persians, they rebuilt the Second Temple which lasted until 70 CE.
Second Temple Period, almost___years after the second temple was destroyed by the___.
- 600
- Romans
Who was Alexander the Great’s former teacher?
Aristotle.
How old was Alexander the Great when he became leader?
20
What is Alexander the Great known for?
As he and his troops travelled across Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and down into the Mediterranean basin, he introduced Greek culture, architecture, and language.
-People from Asia Minor would understand the language spoken in North Africa.
What is ‘Koine’?
‘Koine’ or common Greek language became the lingua franca of the region.
- This is a very important achievement.
- Why so many people in these regions share cultures and customs.
Who brought an end to Persian control of Jerusalem?
Alexander the Great
What is hellenization?
The spread of Greek culture outside of the Greek borders.
What was the Jewish response to Hellenization?
Jewish responses to Hellenization varied. Some Jews embraced Greek ideas ad customs enthusiastically, while others resisted as contrary to Jewish life.
What may be considered a political tool to force citizens to assimilate (political unity)?
Hellenization
Who forced Jews to assimilate into Greek culture?
Antiochus IV Epiphanies (r. 175-163 BCE)
In what ways did Antiochus IV Epiphanies fore Jews to assimilate into Greek culture (3)?
- prohibited the reading and the teaching of Torah
- observation of the Sabbath was a crime punishable by death
- women who had had their son circumcised be put to death
How did Antiochus disrespect Jewish temples and dietary customs?
- erected alters to other gods and placed the statue of Zeus in the Temple’s courtyard
- he also sacrificed pigs animals considered inappropriate for Jews to eat, let alone to offer in ritual sacrifice
Who revolted against Antiochus? When?
a family of priests known as the Hasmonean in 167 BCE
What was the revolt against Antiochus known as?
- The leader of the revolt was Judah, whose nickname was Maccabee (the hammer)
- The Maccabean revolt
What was the result of the Maccabean revolt?
The Maccabees recaptured the Temple rededicated it to its rightful deity in 164 BCE
Was holiday resulted from the rededication of the Temple to Jewish rituals?
Hanukkah holiday
For how long did the Hasmonean family rule for?
164-63 BCE
When did the Romans take over control of Judea?
63 BCE
Who did the Romans appoint as King of Israel?
Herod the Great
Why did many Jews not accept Herod’s authority as legitimate?
He was not of Judean descent – his ancestors converted to Judaism.
How does Herod appearing the Christian New Testament?
as the ruler of Judea at the time of the birth of Jesus
In which was was Herod one of the most successful leaders in all Jewish history?
He built many cities, public infrastructures, including renovating the Temple in Jerusalem.
How supposedly ordered the massacre of the innocent?
Herod
What are the Sadducees?
- the power elites, came primarily from the upper echelon of society
- they have had close connections with the priests; some of them were priests themselves
What did the Sadducees believe in?
they did not believe in a future resurrection of the dead, including the day of judgment
Who administered the state and collected taxes?
the Sadducees
What did the sadducees regard as the only authoritative text?
the pentateuch
Who were the precursors of the rabbis – Rabbinic Judaism?
the pharisees
Unlike the sadducees, what did the pharisees believe in?
The Pharisees believed in resurrection and the future day of judgment
How did the Pharisees interpret scripture?
They interpreted the scriptural texts broadly in order to facilitate Jews to follow God’s law and to help other do likewise
What was the only group to survive after the Romans destroyed the Second Temple?
The Pharisees
What is ‘Mishnah’?
The oral interpretation of the Torah by the Pharisees. It survived the destruction of the Second Temple and was canonized around the year of 220 CE.
Who were the Essenes community (4 points)?
- the Essenes was a monastic community of observant priests
- they thought of themselves as the new children of Israel
- they would take back the promised land from what they saw as the corrupt leadership of the Hellenized Jews
- they sought to apply the Bible to their daily life in a rigorous manner
Who were the Zealots?
- a group of Jews who refused to cooperate with Romand encourage fellow Jews
When did the Zealots form an organized group?
the first century CE
What is the Zealot revolt agains the Romans known as? When did it take place?
The First Jewish Revolt (66-73), also ‘Great Revolt”
What are 4 points of consensus among the different Jewish groups?
- The oneness of God (By the Second Temple period, Judaism was a monotheistic tradition, entered on the idea of a single, all-powerful God).
- The authority and sacred nature of the Torah
- The special status of Israel as the “chosen people” in the “land of God”
- The status of the Temple in Jerusalem as the place where God and his people met.
What is Judaism as we know it today?
- is a religious tradition that was defined by the interpretation of the rabbinic movement
What are rabbis?
- the rabbis are the successors of the Pharisee
- they played important role in leading Jewish community after the devastating loss of the Second Temple
What did rabbis replace the priests and the practice of sacrifice with?
liturgical prayer and an emphasis on ethical behaviour
Where do Jews meet to learn and read the Torah?
in a synagogue
Who is Rabbi Hillel?
He is an important figure among the rabbis.
- known to have been a humble and pious scholar
- many of his thought and arguments are recorded in the Talmud
