2 - Diaspora: The Historical Background

Summary

MAIN PERIODS OF HISTORY

The traditional ‘Persian/Greek period’ of Jewish history is 539–140 bc and subdivides into: Persian Empire 539–333 (this latter date is approximate); Macedonian Empire of Alexander the Great, c. 333 to 320: Seleucid period c. 320 to c. 140. The Parthian period has been traditionally held to extend from c. 140 bc to c. ad 226, when the Parthians were overthrown by the new Persian dynasty, the Sassanians. For Babylonian and Mesopotamian Jewry these divisions can be accepted as useful guides. For Jewish history in other parts of the world, dates shared with Greek and Roman history are more appropriate. (See the tables on pp. 221–5).

The Diaspora of the Jewish people took place within the context of historical events involving many different nations. These can be located easily in the Fertile Crescent and its westward extension, but before any account of the Diaspora is attempted, a very brief sketch of the main events is necessary.

In 520 bc, when our sketch begins, Darius I had established his position as king of Persia in spite of some disturbances; he ruled over a vast empire, which he had largely inherited from his predecessors Cyrus the Great and Cyrus’ son Cambyses, and to which he had added. It stretched to the valley of the Indus on the east and embraced the whole of the Fertile Crescent, including Egypt and Libya, while the extension to the west included Asia Minor and Thrace.