Intertestament Period (Bore Rule)

Edict of Cyrus allows Jews to return to Judah

[Ezra 1: 1 -4 KJV]
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying,

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah.

Who [is there] among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he [is] the God,) which [is] in Jerusalem.

And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem.

Maccabees revolt against Greek Syrian rule

YaHuudi revolt against Rome begins 66 AD
Romans destroy the Temple 70AD
Last skirmish at Masada 73AD

Masada was a palace fortress that was built by Herod the Great sometime between 37 – 31 B.C. and was located 1300 feet above sea level. During the revolt, a Roman garrison was stationed there but was overtaken when Jerusalem fell and the zealots took to the hills to avoid capture and to continue fighting. This was a great place to set up camp and continue raiding Roman sites. Masada was comprised of large storehouses, cisterns, an armory, barracks, and the palaces. This was not a small hideout. It was huge and built to withstand sieges. The only way to access this fortress located south of Jerusalem was by foot. This path was very narrow which added to the protected nature of Masada.

-Called ‘Metzada’ by the YaHuudi, it was not going to fall easily to Rome.
-(Modern Hebrew מצדה metzadá "fortress")

A series of ramparts were built around the site by the Romans to prevent anyone from escaping and thus avoiding punishment. The Roman army under Flavius Silva set up camp around the site. The army then began to build siege ramps using the natural formations around the fortress. Battering rams were then constructed and used to hit the walls. This was the only thing that worked to breach the walls. The group of Jews inside the fortress were not about to give up. As the Romans were constructing the ramps and battering rams, the Jews were busy constructing a second wall. When the Romans discovered the new wall, they set it on fire and completely destroyed it.

source: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art70093.asp

Shalmeneser III of ASSYRIA - defeats the first known king of Urartu, Aramu .

The Assyrian dream of empire began with the monarch, Tiglat-Pileser (1116-1090), who extended Assyrian dominance to Syria and Armenia.
But the greatest period of conquest occurred between 883 and 824, under the monarchies of Ashurnazirpal II (883-859 BC) and Shalmeneser III (858-824 BC), who conquered all of Syria and Palestine, all of Armenia, and, the prize of prizes, Babylon and southern Mesopotamia.

Assyria was at the height of its power, but persistent difficulties controlling Babylonia would soon develop into a major conflict. At the end of the seventh century, the Assyrian empire collapsed under the assault of Babylonians from southern Mesopotamia and Medes, newcomers who were to establish a kingdom in Iran. Nimrud was destroyed twice, first in 614 and again in 612 B.C. In that final year, Ashur and Nineveh also fell, and Assyrian rule in the Near East came to an end.

-Medes capture Ashur (614 B.C.)
-Medes ally with Babylonia to conquer Assyria (612 B.C.)
-Ashur-Uballit II, the last Assyrian king, retreats and is defeated at Harran (609 B.C.)

source: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Assyrians.html

606 The Babylonian Period.
The approaching "times of the gentiles" is signaled by Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Judah. Jerusalem is taken and the first wave of Yahuudi carried into captivity, Daniel among them. Jerusalem will soon be lose her national sovereignty as a self-governing entity from the time of the Babylonian captivity until the end of the great tribulation period. The Babylonian dominion of Israel is the head-of-gold period
(Daniel 2:36-38; 2 Kings 24:1; 2 Chronicles 36:5-6; Daniel 1:1-2; Luke 21:24).

598 Jerusalem is plundered by Nebuchadnezzar for a second time.

597 King Jehoiachin is carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar and the second wave of Yahuudi is taken into Babylon, Ezekiel among them
(2 Kings 24:10-16; 2 Chronicles 36:10; Ezekiel 1:2).

587 Zedekiah rebels against Nebuchadnezzar.
He is blinded and taken to Babylon where he dies. Zedekiah is the last king in the line of David to reign in Israel until the Messiahk reigns during the millennium
(Ezekiel 34:23-24; Jeremiah 23:5; 2 Kings 24:18-25:21; 2 Chronicles 36:13-21; Jeremiah 9:1-8).

586 9th of Av. Nebuchadnezzar burns the city, and destroys the Temple.
He murders many of the inhabitants and carries off a great number into captivity.
(2 Kings 24-25, 2 Chronicles 36).

573 Prophet Jeremiah predicts a seventy year captivity in Babylon.
The prophet Ezekiel, a captive in Babylon, receives a vision from YaH giving great detail of a future Temple that is to be built.

538 BC: The Fall of the Second Empire
The second empire fell when Cyrus defeated their army in 539 BC.
By 538 BC, the entire empire had been absorbed into the Persian Empire. Persia was a much larger and more powerful empire than Babylon had been. It stretched from the shores of Western Turkey all the way to India. Persia was recognized as the strongest empire of its time. It would later be taken by Alexander the Great.

source: http://history.answers.com/men/timeline-of-the-babylonian-empire

539 Belshazzar desecrates the Temple vessels in Babylon.
Handwriting on the wall seals his fate that night as Babylon is taken by the Medes and Persians.
(Daniel 5)

source: http://ldolphin.org/chron.html

Land conquered by Alexander the Great, beginning Hellenistic rule.

source:
http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/charts/Time%20Line%20of%20Historical%20periods%20in%20the%20Holy%20Land.htm

Birth of YaHuuShuWaH. 4 AD
Romans appoint the Idumean Herod as King of Judea. 37 BC
Judea becomes a Roman province. 37 BC
Romans make Judah a vassal state. 37 BC
Jerusalem captured by Roman general Pompey. 63 BC