Jewish and Roman History

By cytotoxic
  • 990 BCE

    King David brings the tribes of Israel together. David captures Jerusalem, which he makes his capital - bringing here the ark of the covenant.

  • 960 BCE

    King Solomon builds the Temple

  • 722 BCE

    The Assyrians bring the ten northern tribes into slavery

  • 586 BCE

    The Babylonians take the two southern tribes into slavery after destroying the city.

  • 580 BCE

    The Synagogue, basically a smaller temple, is invented

  • 550 BCE

    The Messiah is viewed as an end to the Israelite's captivity.

  • 539 BCE

    The southern tribes are allowed to return, and start reconstructing the temple.

  • 332 BCE

    Land conquered by Alexander the Great; Hellenistic rule.

  • 280 BCE

    The Jews of Alexandria commission the Greek translation of the Old Testament which becomes known as the Septuagint.

  • Period: 214 BCE to 205 BCE

    First Macedonian War: Rome defeats Philip V of Macedon.

  • Period: 200 BCE to 196 BCE

    Second Macedonian War: Roman victory.

  • 168 BCE

    Antiochus IV places a statue of Zeus above the altar of the Temple in Jerusalem, provoking violent reactions from the Jews

  • 165 BCE

    The Jewish leader Judas the Maccabee captures Jerusalem and cleanses the Temple

  • 142 BCE

    Jewish autonomy under Hasmoneans.

  • 141 BCE

    Simon the Maccabee is appointed high priest of the Temple in Jerusalem, with the position declared hereditary in his family

  • 140 BCE

    The priestly Sadducees are confronted in the Sanhedrin by a new opposition party - the Pharisees

  • 100 BCE

    The Essenes, a Jewish sect, withdraw from secular life to form monastic communities in the desert

  • 63 BCE

    Pompey captures Jerusalem, bringing Judaea under Roman control

  • 37 BCE

    Herod, appointed king of Judaea by the senate in Rome, establishes his rule over Palestine

  • 20 BCE

    Herod the Great, king of Judaea, begins to build a spectacular new Temple for the Jews on the sacred mount in Jerusalem

  • 5 BCE

    Birth of Jesus

  • 33

    Death of Jesus

  • 66

    The Zealots play a prominent part in the uprising which expels the Romans from Jerusalem

  • 70

    The city of Jerusalem is besieged and captured by Rome; the Second Temple destroyed.

  • 73

    The last of the Jewish insurgents are besieged in the stronghold of Masada, eventually killing each other to end their ordeal