Maccabean Revolt
UNDER PTOLEMAIC RULE
After the death of Alexander the Great, his Kingdom was divided into four; Egypt, the Seleucid Empire, the Kingdom of Pergamon and Macedon (including Greece). Egypt, governed by Ptolemy I Soter allowed for Judaism in Jerusalem to flourish with very little intervening in the 3rd century BCE. However, during the 2nd century BCE, the Seleucids having gained dominance over Judea went to enforce a dominion over Egypt and the Jews.
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JEWS UNDER PTOLEMAIC RULE
Theocracy and politics were intertwined in the 2nd century BCE in Jerusalem. The social structure of Jerusalem was run by the Jewish aristocracy such as the Priests and the High Priests. Although Hellenism, which had spread in the 3rd century BCE after Alexander's conquests, was the dominant culture around Judea and the Greek way of life pervaded the area, the Jewish community remained steadfast to their own practices. They largely ignored Hellenism and, under Alexander and the Ptolemies, were respected in doing so. The Ptolemies gave the Jewish people their civil rights and they lived contently under their rule.
The Holy Temple was the most important structure to the entire Jewish community in Jerusalem. It was the social and religious centre of the Jewish people, not to mention the economic benefits of trading in the Temple. More importantly, however, it was considered a sign of God’s presence amongst them. This feeling of the elect, the chosen ones, was crucial to the Jewish self-consciousness.
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