History Of Judaism Up To Roman Rule 2
After Solomon’s reign the nation split into two, Israel and Judah. Israel was 10 tribes in the north and Judah and Benjamin were 2 tribes in the south. Israel was conquered by the Assyrian ruler although there are no accepted records that prove the 10 tribes existed. A Babylonian army conquered Judah but after the Persian conquest of Babylonia the Judaists returned to their homeland Judea flourished under the Persians and then the Greeks. There was a period of Hellenistic Judaism and after the death of Alexander the Great there was a deterioration of relations between the Hellenized Jews and religious Jews. Decrees banning certain Jewish religious rites and traditions were imposed and consequently the orthodox Jews revolted under the leadership of the Hasmonaean family. This led to the formation of an independent Jewish kingdom known as the Hasmonaean dynasty which was followed by Herodians. Eventually the Jewish power in Judea declined and it came under the direct rule of the Romans. skorea.