four kingdoms (Macedonia, Thrace. Syria and Egypt) and Judea was
alternately under the rule of Syria and Egypt. All Palestine was
permeated with the influence of the Greek language and philosophy. It
was while Judea was under the rule of Ptolemy of Egypt that the
Septuagint version of the Old Testament was made. This made possible
the reading of the Hebrew Scriptures in the Greek language and was one
of the greatest missionary works of all times.

The Period of Independence. In 170 B.C. Antiochus Epiphiones began
to oppress the Jews in an attempt to force them into idolatry and
about 167 B.C. Judas Maccabeus began to lead a revolt which two years
later was successful in throwing off the foreign yoke and establishing
the independence of the Jews. They were now governed by a succession
of rulers from the Maccabean family for a period of one hundred years.
These rulers performed the double function of both civil and
ecclesiastical head of the people. They were descendants of David and
under their leadership Edom, Samaria and Galilee were added to their
territory and much of the splendor and wealth of the golden days of
the kingdom was restored.

The Roman Period. This period may be said to have begun in B.C. 63 and
to have extended to A.D. 70. In B.C. 63 Pompey overran Palestine,
destroyed Jerusalem and brought the Jews under Roman rule. By this
conquest Jewish independence was forever lost. In B.C. 37 Herod the
Great was appointed by the Roman emperor to the position of ruler of
Palestine. In B.C. 20-18 he rebuilt the temple at Jerusalem, though it
(all the buildings and walls) was not finished until many years after
his death. He also built the temple of Samaria and continued to reign
until Christ came and much longer.