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2009-01-20 12:02:48 UTC
Brief history of Palestine / Part....1
3'RD MILLENNIUM BC
3'rd millennium BC : The Canaanites were the earliest known
inhabitants of Palestine. They became urbanized and lived in city-
states, one of which was Jericho . They developed an alphabet.
Palestine's location at the center of routes linking three continents
made it the meeting place for religious and cultural influences from
Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor. It was also the natural
battleground for the great powers of the region and subject to
domination by adjacent empires, beginning with Egypt in the 3d
millennium BC.
2'ND MILLENNIUM BC
2'rd millennium BC : Egyptian hegemony and Canaanite autonomy were
constantly challenged by such ethnically diverse invaders as the
Amorites, Hittites, and Hurrians. These invaders, however, were
defeated by the Egyptians and absorbed by the Canaanites, who at that
time may have numbered about 200000.
14th century BC : Egyptian power began to weaken, new invaders
appeared: the Hebrews, a group of Semitic tribes from Mesopotamia, and
the Philistines (after whom the country was later named), an Aegean
people of Indo-European stock.
1230 BC : Joshua conquered parts of Palestine. The conquerors settled
in the hill country, but they were unable to conquer all of
Palestine.
1125 BC : The Israelites, a confederation of Hebrew tribes, finally
defeated the Canaanites but found the struggle with the Philistines
more difficult . Philistines had established an independent state on
the southern coast of Palestine and controlled the Canaanite town of
Jerusalem.
1050 BC : Philistines with there superior in military organization and
using iron weapons, they severely defeated the Israelites about 1050
BC .
1'ST MILLENNIUM BC
1000 BC: David, Israel's great king, finally defeated the Philistines,
and they eventually assimilated with the Canaanites . The unity of
Israel and the feebleness of adjacent empires enabled David to
establish a large independent state, with its capital at Jerusalem.
922 BC : Under David's son and successor, Solomon, Israel enjoyed
peace and prosperity , but at his death in 922 BC the kingdom was
divided into Israel in the north and Judah in the south .
722-721 BC : When nearby empires resumed their expansion, the divided
Israelites could no longer maintain their independence . Israel fell
to Assyria.
586 BC: Judah was conquered by Babylonia, which destroyed Jerusalem
and exiled most of the Jews living there. Nebuchadnezzar entered
Jerusalem. The Temple was sacked and set fire to, and razed to the
ground. The Royal Palace and all the great houses were destroyed, the
population carried off in chains to Babylon. And they lamented on
their long march into exile.
539 BC: Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylonia and he permitted
the Jews to return to Judea, a district of Palestine. Under Persian
rule the Jews were allowed considerable autonomy. They rebuilt the
walls of Jerusalem and codified the Mosaic law, the Torah, which
became the code of social life and religious observance. The Jews were
bound to a universal God.
333 BC : Persian domination of Palestine was replaced by Greek rule
when Alexander the Great of Macedonia took the region. Alexander's
successors, the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria ,
continued to rule the country . The Seleucids tried to impose
Hellenistic (Greek) culture and religion on the population.
141-63 BC : Jews revolted under the Maccabees and set up an
independent state.
132-35 BC : Jews revolts erupted, numerous Jews were killed, many were
sold into slavery, and the rest were not allowed to visit Jerusalem.
Judea was renamed Syria Palaistina.
63 BC : Jerusalem was overrun by Rome. Herod was appointed King of
Judea. He slaughtered the last of the Hasmoneans and ordered a lavish
restoration and extension of the Second Temple. A period of great
civil disorder followed with strife between pacifists and Zealots, and
riots against the Roman authorities.
37-4 BC : During the rule of King Herod the Great Jesus of Nazareth,
peace be upon him was born. And years after, he began his teaching
mission. His attempts to call people back to the pure teachings of
Abraham and Moses were judged subversive by the authorities. He was
tried and sentenced to death; "yet they did not slay him but only a
likeness that was shown to them."
3'RD MILLENNIUM BC
3'rd millennium BC : The Canaanites were the earliest known
inhabitants of Palestine. They became urbanized and lived in city-
states, one of which was Jericho . They developed an alphabet.
Palestine's location at the center of routes linking three continents
made it the meeting place for religious and cultural influences from
Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor. It was also the natural
battleground for the great powers of the region and subject to
domination by adjacent empires, beginning with Egypt in the 3d
millennium BC.
2'ND MILLENNIUM BC
2'rd millennium BC : Egyptian hegemony and Canaanite autonomy were
constantly challenged by such ethnically diverse invaders as the
Amorites, Hittites, and Hurrians. These invaders, however, were
defeated by the Egyptians and absorbed by the Canaanites, who at that
time may have numbered about 200000.
14th century BC : Egyptian power began to weaken, new invaders
appeared: the Hebrews, a group of Semitic tribes from Mesopotamia, and
the Philistines (after whom the country was later named), an Aegean
people of Indo-European stock.
1230 BC : Joshua conquered parts of Palestine. The conquerors settled
in the hill country, but they were unable to conquer all of
Palestine.
1125 BC : The Israelites, a confederation of Hebrew tribes, finally
defeated the Canaanites but found the struggle with the Philistines
more difficult . Philistines had established an independent state on
the southern coast of Palestine and controlled the Canaanite town of
Jerusalem.
1050 BC : Philistines with there superior in military organization and
using iron weapons, they severely defeated the Israelites about 1050
BC .
1'ST MILLENNIUM BC
1000 BC: David, Israel's great king, finally defeated the Philistines,
and they eventually assimilated with the Canaanites . The unity of
Israel and the feebleness of adjacent empires enabled David to
establish a large independent state, with its capital at Jerusalem.
922 BC : Under David's son and successor, Solomon, Israel enjoyed
peace and prosperity , but at his death in 922 BC the kingdom was
divided into Israel in the north and Judah in the south .
722-721 BC : When nearby empires resumed their expansion, the divided
Israelites could no longer maintain their independence . Israel fell
to Assyria.
586 BC: Judah was conquered by Babylonia, which destroyed Jerusalem
and exiled most of the Jews living there. Nebuchadnezzar entered
Jerusalem. The Temple was sacked and set fire to, and razed to the
ground. The Royal Palace and all the great houses were destroyed, the
population carried off in chains to Babylon. And they lamented on
their long march into exile.
539 BC: Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylonia and he permitted
the Jews to return to Judea, a district of Palestine. Under Persian
rule the Jews were allowed considerable autonomy. They rebuilt the
walls of Jerusalem and codified the Mosaic law, the Torah, which
became the code of social life and religious observance. The Jews were
bound to a universal God.
333 BC : Persian domination of Palestine was replaced by Greek rule
when Alexander the Great of Macedonia took the region. Alexander's
successors, the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria ,
continued to rule the country . The Seleucids tried to impose
Hellenistic (Greek) culture and religion on the population.
141-63 BC : Jews revolted under the Maccabees and set up an
independent state.
132-35 BC : Jews revolts erupted, numerous Jews were killed, many were
sold into slavery, and the rest were not allowed to visit Jerusalem.
Judea was renamed Syria Palaistina.
63 BC : Jerusalem was overrun by Rome. Herod was appointed King of
Judea. He slaughtered the last of the Hasmoneans and ordered a lavish
restoration and extension of the Second Temple. A period of great
civil disorder followed with strife between pacifists and Zealots, and
riots against the Roman authorities.
37-4 BC : During the rule of King Herod the Great Jesus of Nazareth,
peace be upon him was born. And years after, he began his teaching
mission. His attempts to call people back to the pure teachings of
Abraham and Moses were judged subversive by the authorities. He was
tried and sentenced to death; "yet they did not slay him but only a
likeness that was shown to them."