Culture and Society

​The Jews in the Mediterranean World.

​Arrival of Greek Rule

• Jews were ruled by Persia for nearly 200 years ( Us history is only about 200 years old)

• 331 BCE Alexander the Great from Macedonia defeated the Persians after he defeated Greece.

• He introduced the Greek language to Judah and allowed the

  Jews to stay Judah.

Multiple Choice

Who defeated the Persians in 331 B.C.E

• Abraham

• Nebuchadnezzar

• Alexander the Great

• Moses

How did Jewish ideas Spread?

• Under the rule of Alexander, Judah was still the center for Judaism.

• During that time many Jews had already lived out side of Judah for many years. Many stayed in Babylon but others went to other Mediterranean Lands.

• Jews who lived out side of the Jewish homeland of Judah and practice known as the Jewish Diaspora

• Diaspora is a greek word that means "The scattered"

• Since Jews practiced their culture in other lands, their ideas spread.

Multiple Choice

Diaspora means

• The scattered

• The sacred

• The secret

• The Society

The Septuagint

• The Jews of the Diaspora remained loyal to Judaism.

• Many learned the Greek language and adopted some features of the Greek Culture. ​

• Jewish scholars in Egypt copied the Hebrew Bible into Greek and this spread Jewish ideas throughout the Mediterranean world.

Multiple Choice

What is the Septuagint?

• The Hebrew Bible copied into Samarian

• The Hebrew Bible copied into Greek

• The Hebrew Bible Copied into Assyrian

• The Hebrew Bible Copied into English

​The Revolt of Maccabeus

• Alexander the Great died and his generals split in empire into four separate kingdoms.

• The kingdom that covered much Southwest Asia was ruled by the Seleucids family.

• This family controlled Judah by 200 B.C.E

• 176 BCE Antiochs IV came to power as the Seleucids king and required Jews to worship the Greek gods and goddesses.

• Jews refused so Judas Maccabeus a jewish priest who led the fight against the Seleucids rule.

Multiple Choice

What king came to power in 176 B.C.E and required he Jews to worship Greek Gods and Goddesses?

• Antiochus

• Maccabeus

• Alexander the Great

• Judas

Maccabeus

• Led the rebellion against the Seleucid family rule

• Led his followers to the hills and formed a an army known as the Maccabees.

• The Maccabees captured the temple after many battles

• They took all the statues of the Greek gods and goddess

• Then rededicated the temple to the worship of God.

• Each year Jews celebrate the cleansing calling it Hanukkah

Multiple Choice

What was the name of the army that helped Maccabeus take back the temple?

• Applebees

• Septuagint

• Maccabees

• Judah

Roman Rule in Judaea

• by 100 BCE Romans controlled a great amount of the eastern Mediteranean lands.

• Roman comes from Rome which was their capital

• It was located in the far west and today is known as Italy

Multiple Choice

Italy use to be Rome

• True

• False

Herod

• Was of the Jewish faith and chosen by the

  Romans to be King of Judaea

• Built many forts and cities in Judaea

• The Second Temple was built under his rule.

Open Ended

What do you know about Herod?

Jewish Groups

• When Herod died, Roman officials ruled Judea.

• Jews argued about how Judaism should be practiced and how to deal with the Romans

• Jewish Groups

  1. Pharisees

  2. Sadducees

  3. Essenes

  4. zealots

Pharisees

• Common people supported them

• Taught in Synagogues

• Applied Torah teachings to daily life

• Wanted to help people obey the 10 commandments so enforced both the written and oral law (oral law was the written law interpreted and passed down by word of mouth)

• Told Jews not to fight Roman rule. Instead told them that practicing the teachings from the Torah will help them resist the Romans.

Multiple Choice

The Pharisees the Jews to Fight against Roman rule.

• True

• False

Sadducees

• Served as priests and scribes in the temples

• Accepted the laws of the Torah and main concern was applying the to Torah to temple ceremonies.

• Did not agree with the Pharisees' teachings

• Thy accepted the written law and rejected oral law.

• liked cooperating with the Romans because they wanted to keep the peace.

Multiple Choice

The Sadducees agreed with the Pharisees' teachings

• True

• False

• Priests who broke away from the temple in Jerusalem.

• Many lived in Qumran near the Dead Sea

• Spent their lives praying and waiting for God to deliver the Jews from Roman rule.

• followed the written rules of the Torah.

• 1947 Dead Sea Scrolls written by the Essenes were found in a cave near the Dead Sea and are important because it shows that Judaism was not always established and wasn't practiced the same way during the Roman times.

​The Essenes

Multiple Choice

What was found in a cave near the Dead Sea?

• The Dead Sea Scrolls

• The Books of Ezra

• The Torah Scrolls

• The Septuagint

The Zealots

• Lived in Judea

• Wanted to fight the Romans for their freedom

• 60s CE Jewish hatred for the Romans was at an high and they were waiting for God to send them deliverance.

• Things Got worse and the Zealots prepared to act.

The Jewish - Roman Wars

• 66 C.E revolted and overpowered a small roman army in Jerusalem.

• Rome took over Jerusalem 4 years later. They killed thousands of Jews and made others leave.

• They destroyed the second temple leaving only the west wall. Today it is a custom to go to the west wall and pray

Multiple Choice

Rome took over Jerusalem, killed thousands of Jews, forced some to leave and destroyed the Second Temple. What part of the Second Temple is left standing?

• The South Wall

• The East Wall

• The North Wall

• The West Wall