Amy – Page 8 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on November 18, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

China: Zhou Dynasty 11th-3rd centuries

The history of the China Zhou dynasty, based on Chinese mythology, started when Qi was conceived by Emperor Ku’s consort. In the texts, Qi was referred to as a type of cultural hero, and he was said to have survived three periods of abandonment by his birth mother. He was noted for having introduced much improvements to the Xia agriculture. As a result, he was given the name “Lord of Millet”.

China advanced in several ways after the start of these events peaking around 1000 BC where it can be found on the Biblical Timeline with world history.

In Western Zhou, the old capital of the dynasty remained with King Wu, which was used for ceremonial purposes. When he died, the Duke of Zhou became his heir, and he developed the fengjian system in maintaining the Zhou authority throughout the broad territory.

Eventually, the decentralized system of the Western Zhou dynasty was strained due to the thinning of the regional dynasties and Zhou kings. Soon, the capital was transferred to Changzhou in the east, and this marked the start of the Eastern Zhou dynasty.

The rise of the influence of Eastern Zhou is linked with the collapse of the royal authorities. It is also worth noting that the Eastern Zhou was the time when the Chinese philosophy became widespread. There came the Nine Schools of Thought, and these included Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, Agricultural, Naturalism, Militarism, Logism, Mohism and Diplomatism.

Zhou-thinking — ‘King Zhou of Shang and his consort Daji’

‘King Zhou of Shang and his consort Daji’

Additional Facts about the Dynasty

The Dynasty began with the Zhou clan, whose power greatly increased and extended to the Gansu and Shaanxi provinces by 11th century BC. The powerful clan served as a threat to the Shang Dynasty, and this resulted in an intense conflict between the two.

During this period, King Zhou ruled the Shang, and he was known to be cruel to the citizens in his empire. Thus, Wenwang, the Zhou tribe’s chief, decided to attack the Shang. He assigned Ji Fa, his son, to carry out this task. The Shang reached its end in 1046 BC after losing the war against the Zhou.

Wuwang, son of Wenwang, formed the Zhou Dynasty. He proclaimed Haojing the dynasty’s capital. According to Chinese history, the Zhou was the longest dynasty as it lasted for more than 800 years. During this period, there were 37 emperors who ruled the dynasty.

The Zhou Dynasty was divided geographically into the Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou. The Eastern Zhou Dynasty was also divided into two time periods called Spring and Autumn. Both of these periods involved massive wars that lasted from 770 BC to 221 BC.

The Zhou is credited with a number of contributions to the history of China. For instance, it was in this period of time that there were improvements in the fields of science, culture, politics and economy. These advancements were substantial compared to what transpired in the Shang Dynasty.

The Zhou dynasty ended in 221 BC when Qin successfully defeated the six states that formed Eastern Zhou. Then he was able to unify China, and this resulted to the Qin Dynasty, which is known as The New Age of China.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhou_dynasty
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/114678/Zhou-dynasty
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/zhou/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Noble_Consort_Yi.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Faits_m%C3%A9morables_des_empereurs_de_la_Chine%2C_tir%C3%A9s_des_annales_chinoises_%28VII%29.jpg

Posted on November 18, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

China – Shang dynasty, High Degree of Civilization in

The China Shang Dynasty also referred to as the Yin Dynasty, began in the 2nd millennium BC (where it is listed on the Bible Timeline Chart) and ruled in China’s Yellow River. Accounts of this dynasty were discovered from various texts including the Records of the Grand Historian and Classic of History. Research and archaeological explorations at the Yin’s ruins, which was Shang’s last capital, found 11 royal tombs and the foundations of ritual sites and palaces. Also, some weapons of war were discovered, as well as remains of human and animal sacrifices made during that era. There was also a vast amount of artifacts made of jade, bronze, ceramic and stone that were uncovered. The intricate craftsmanship of the Bronze artifacts reveals the high level of civilization in this dynasty.

Shang-high-degree-of-civilization — ‘Oracle bones pit at Yin Anyang, Yinxu. China’

‘Oracle bones pit at Yin Anyang, Yinxu. China’

Archaeological studies made at the Anyang or Yin site showed evidence of early Chinese writing, and oracle bones such as ox scapulae and turtle shells were used to inscribe various texts. Several inscriptions that were discovered gave valuable insight into different topics during China’s early phase of civilization. These topics related to the dynasty’s religion, economy and politics. According to Chinese classics such as the Mencius and Book of Documents, there were several events that pertained to the dynasty. Sima Qian, a great historian of the Han dynasty, provided a chronological account of the events that transpired during the Shang dynasty, as included in the Records of the Grand Historian. There were several events described and narrated in detail, although, in some accounts, only the king’s name was presented. Sima Qian used “Yin” as the name for the dynasty. In fact, this name was quite popular as a term provided for the Shang, and it is also used to describe the last portion of this dynasty. In the Annals of Yin by Sima Qian, the dynasty’s founder was presented, which was Xie or Qi. In the text, he was conceived miraculously by Jiandi, who was Emperor Ku’s wife. It happened a black bird dropped an egg, which was caught and swallowed by Jiandi.

Shang-civilization — ‘a black bird dropped an egg, which was caught and swallowed by Jiandi.’

‘a black bird dropped an egg, which was caught and swallowed by Jiandi.’

In Qian’s accounts, the dynasty was only founded about 13 generations later after Tang, who was the descendant of Xie, successfully defeated Xia’s last and great ruler in the Mingtiao Battle. Moreover, the records stated that the capital of Shang was moved 5 times. The last move to Yin was made during the rule of Pan Geng, who also established the dynasty’s golden age.

Di Xin, who was the dynasty’s last ruler, was believed to have committed suicide after his army’s defeat. The army lost after his slaves betrayed him during the final battle between the Shang and the Zhou.

Upon the defeat of the Shang, Wu Geng, the son of Di Xin, was given a chance to rule the Shang, although it was only intended as a vassal kingdom. When Zhou Wu died, the Shang decided to fight against Zhou’s great Duke. However, Shang lost, and Zhou remained in control of the dynasty’s territory.

References:
http://www.ushistory.org/civ/9b.asp
http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/china-history/the-shang-dynasty.htm
http://www.softschools.com/timelines/the_shang_dynasty_timeline/146/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hukou_Waterfall.jpg
http://pixabay.com/en/bird-crow-black-animal-raven-414104/

Posted on November 14, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 3 Comments

Joseph and Mary

Joseph and Mary are Jesus Christ‘s earthly parents. Mary who was engaged to Joseph but had not yet married and was still a virgin was chosen by God to conceive by the Holy Ghost (Mathew 1:18) and care for Jesus. Joseph was described as a righteous man and proved it by being kind to Mary when he found she was pregnant before their marriage. Declining to follow the law which justified death for Mary, Joseph decided to ‘put her away privily'(Mathew 1:19). While he was thinking on this and wondering what to do, an ‘angel of the Lord’ came to him in a dream instructing him to take Mary as his wife for she had been called upon by God to bear Jesus. That he was sent to ‘save his people from their sins’ (Mathew 1:21).

‘Now this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”‘

‘Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.’ (Mathew 1:22-25)

Mary

The meaning of the name Mary is not clearly translated or recognized for something specific but a few definitions listed are: ‘sea of bitterness’, ‘rebelliousness’ or ‘wished for child’. It is thought to have originated from Egypt and related to ‘mry‘ or ‘beloved’, possibly ‘mr‘ meaning ‘love’.

Mary played a vital role all throughout Christ‘s life, she was there from the day he was born till the time of his death. Her bravery and faithfulness shone brightly from the very beginning at God’s call for her to conceive Christ although not yet wed. Accepting such responsibility and likely great criticism from others with the threat of death being with child before marriage showed an unwavering trust in God. Her passing is not mentioned in the Bible, some believe that she was taken into heaven and spared the pain of death. Hyppolitus of Thebes recorded that Mary was alive for 11 years past the crucifixion of Christ and died around 54 AD.

‘Sagrada Familia del pajarito, by Murillo’

Joseph

The name Joseph in Hebrew is translated into ‘Yosef’ which means ‘he will add’. He is part of Christ’s history on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1 AD. Not much is recorded about Joseph and his relationship with Jesus as he grew. The scriptures do tell us that he was a good man who was faithful to God and obeyed his words. It was clear that he was dedicated to God by how often he has lead his family out of danger after being warned and hearkening to God’s guidance. One particular occurrence was their journey to Egypt away from Bethlehem just in time to escape Herod the Great‘s massacre of male infants in an attempt to destroy Jesus.

The last mention of Joseph in the scriptures was when Christ was only 12. After that during Christ’s life as an adult Mary is spoken of in terms that indicate she was a widow. Joseph was not recorded in key events during those times that would have called for involvement on his part. He was not recorded to be standing there at Christ’s crucifixion and Jewish tradition would have placed responsibility on Joseph for the caring of Christ’s body after his death but this charge was undertaken by Joseph of Arimathea. Christ also would not have given Mary’s care into the hands of John if Joseph was still around.

References:
http://christianity.about.com/od/newtestamentpeople/p/josephprofile.htm
http://www.openbible.info/topics/joseph_and_mary
http://www.behindthename.com/name/joseph/wiki/Saint_Joseph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus)
http://christianity.about.com/od/newtestamentpeople/p/marymotherjesus.htm
http://www.behindthename.com/name/mary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph#mediaviewer/File:Bartolom%C3%A9_Esteban_Perez_Murillo_003.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph#mediaviewer/File:Sagrada_Familia_del_pajarito_(Murillo).jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus)#mediaviewer/File:Eustache_Le_Sueur.jpg

Posted on November 13, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 6 Comments

Christmas – facts vs fictions

Christ’ s birth can be found on the Bible Timeline around 4 BC click here to read why.

The most common story told about Christmas starts around 2000 years in the past on December 25^th. Mary, on a donkey, travels to Bethlehem with Joseph and upon arriving desperately needs to find a place to have her baby. Unfortunately, all of the inns are full and send them away; eventually they are offered a lowly stable as shelter. Angels then sing to the shepherds and 3 kings on camels come to worship the new baby.

Believe it or not, this version is very different from the real story recorded in the Bible. Time and re-telling of the story so frequently in various forms like: plays, poetry, books or movies has changed many things.

-Did a donkey carry Mary to Bethlehem? It is possible, but that is not the only way to travel, and the Bible doesn’t specify how she got there. It simply states that she traveled with Joseph.

-Was Mary in labor upon first arriving in Bethlehem? Again the Bible does not say. It is possible that they were there weeks before. “While they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered” (Luke 2:6). It is more plausible that they were there in plenty of time for her to deliver and avoid more difficulty. – Were Joseph and Mary asking innkeepers for shelter? It is possible, but there is also no suggestion or plausible explanation to imply that they did. There is no innkeeper specifically recorded in the Bible during the Birth of Christ. It is more probable that they roomed inside a house with family or friends rather than a stable; which leads to the next question: -Did Mary have Jesus in a stable, barn, or cave? The Bible doesn’t state anything about those either. Only mentioning a manger, ‘They laid Jesus in a manger because there was no room for him in the guest room’. ‘Kataluma’ in the scriptures is Greek and can translate into ‘guest chamber or lodging place’. Or it could mean ‘a furnished, large, upper story room within a private house.’ (Mark 14:14-15). From biblical archeological studies, experts believe that Jesus was most likely delivered in the home of a family but ‘under’ the main living and guest rooms. -The accuracy of the song: “Away in a Manger” – ‘the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes’. The Bible does not say wether or not Jesus cried – there is no way to tell if that is true.

-Were angels there when Christ was born? This makes sense to think that there were, but the Bible does not say, and there is no recording that they were seen by Mary or Joseph during that period.

–Three Kings on Camels giving gifts at the birth of Christ. The scriptures do not mention kings or camels visiting Jesus. There is nothing to imply that they were kings. It does mention ‘wise men (magi)’ visiting but does not say how many. The word ‘magi’ in the scriptures does mean more than one so there could have been anything from 2 or many more. The number three comes from the three gifts that they presented to Christ which were: gold, frankincense and myrrh. There is also no record of where the wise man came from or what country.

Another thing to think about is that these ‘magi’ did not visit when Christ was in the manger. They came much later, after Christ’s visit to the Temple in Jerusalem. (Luke 2:21-22) It is during this moment that Jesus is referred to as a ‘child’ instead of a ‘baby’. It is likely that Jesus was over 2 years old at that time. (Mathew 2:16).

-Christ’s Birthday is December 25^th. Even though this is possible, it is not probable. The scriptures do not say a time of year but the issue with winter is that it would be strange for shepherds to be ‘abiding in the field’ during December when taking the sheep out would be pointless. This would also be a very hard time for Mary to go the many miles it took to get from Nazareth to Bethlehem (70).

It is more likely that it was the end of September during the yearly ‘Feast of Tabernacles’ during which journeying was more common. It is possible that Christmas was set as an ‘honored observation of the incarnation of the ‘Word made flesh’’(John 1:14).

It is likely that the angel foremost in the ‘heavenly host singing praises’ was Michael the archangel. The early churches recognized this as Michaelmas (‘Michale sent’) – September 29 which would be on the same day as the Feast of Tabernacles. Then it makes sense that Christ was born around that time or even in late December. So it is possible that Christmas (‘Christ sent’) is the actual day of his birth. This is also the darkest period of the year – the pagan ‘Satumalia’ and when the sun (the literal ‘light of the world’) is at its farthest point from the ‘Holy Land’. This would be an opportune time for Heavenly Father to bring forth the ‘spiritual light of the world’ as the ‘Savior, which is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2:11).

-What causes Christians to have Christmas on December 25^th if that is not Christ’s Birth? This date was picked by the Roman Catholic Church. Rome ruled the majority of the Christian community for years causing that particular date to be a custom for the majority of Christians.

The frequent inaccuracies about the celebration of Christ’s birthday show a constant need for individuals to compare every spoken word with the Bible in keeping beliefs centered on truth.

More articles related to Christmas:
Was There a Census During The Bible Timeline When Christ Was Born?
How Many Wise Men?
Saint Nicholas – the Saint Behind Santa Claus
King Herod the Great – How He Died, Where He’s Buried
Why Talk About Good Friday At Christmas?
Was Christmas a Pagan Holiday? No. Here’s the proof.
Genealogy of Jesus Christ

References:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sunrise_Karkonosze_winter.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Shepherds#mediaviewer/File:Shiraki.jpg
http://christiananswers.net/christmas/mythsaboutchristmas.html
http://pixabay.com/en/crib-christmas-time-mallorca-advent-376226/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_and_Mary_arrive_at_Bethlehem.jpg

Posted on November 4, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Persia Subject to the Assyrians

The first record of the Persians comes from an Assyrian inscription from c. 844 BC that calls them the Parsu (Parsuash, Parsumash) During this time and for the next couple of centuries Persia paid tribute to the Assyrians.

In Mesopotamia, the rise of Assyrian power began in 900 BC where it can be found on the Bible Timeline Chart, and it lasted until about 609 BC. It is during the time of this powerful empire that the Assyrians gained a high position among various other countries in the world including Armenia, Egypt and Babylonia. Thus, the Neo-Assyrian power held dominance in North Africa, East Mediterranean, Asia Minor and Caucasus. However, it was in 8th century BC when Tiglath Pileser made reforms that Assyria was able to strengthen its power.

The rise of Assyrian power came to be after the Middle Assyrian Empire and the Middle Assyrian Period, which were during 10th century BC and 14th century BC, respectively. Several scholars considered this empire as one of the earliest in history because of extensive improvements and advancements that were introduced during this time. Moreover, the empire had two different official languages at that point, which were the Aramaic and Akkadian.

In 1076 BC, Tiglath-Pileser died. This resulted in a decline of Assyria for the following 150 years. Hence, Near East, Mediterranean, Balkan regions, North Africa and Caucasus entered a dark phase. The people involved in mass movements and upheavals that further brought the empire down. Amid all these negative events, Assyria still managed to maintain its solid stature thanks to it’s tough warriors, which were considered as among the world’s finest. Although there were difficulties, Assyria still kept its good position among other rivals such as Babylonia, Persia, Urartu, Media, Egypt, Phrygia, Elam and Babylonia.

By 911 BC, Assyria’s period of melancholy and isolation came to an end when a new king was crowned. The king was named Adad-nirari II. His main goal was to strengthen and improve the areas under Assyrian control. In addition, the Hurrian and Aramean forces were conquered and eventually deported to various other places in the world.

subject_to_assyrians — ‘Assyrian soldier holding a spear.’

The great Adadinirari II attacked and created many parts of the empire, and he also defeated Babylonia’s Shamash-mudammiq. Hence, this allowed him to annex a huge portion of the land, and he also had further success during the period of Nabu-shuma-ukin’s reign. The next great ruler of Assyria was Tukulti-Ninurta II, which was in 891 BC. He was also responsible for consolidating the position of Assyria while expanding territories up the Zargos Mountains and Asia Minor.

In 883 to 859 BC, the next king was known as Ashurnasirpal II, who was famous for being part of various expansion programs in Assyria. Initially, he conquered those who are dwelling in the North until Nairi; which is found just near the Lake Van. Afterwards, Neo Hittites and Arameans were conquered, and the harsh rule of the king ended up in a revolt that lasted for two days. Ashurnasirpal II and his army won, and this enabled him to advance other places such as Asia Minor, Aram and Mediterranean to strengthen his reign.

The said Assyrian ruler also had some campaigns in modern-day Iraq’s Zagros Mountains. This helped him stop a revolt that was anti-Assyrians, which were led by the Gutians ad Lullubi. The king soon moved the location of Assyria to Kalhu, and it was here where various temples, palaces and other significant structures were built.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Assyrian_Empire
http://www.bible-history.com/maps/02-assyrian-empire.html
https://amazingbibletimeline.com/blog/rise-of-assyrian-power-beginning-1700-bc/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Assyrian_warriors#mediaviewer/File:PLATE3BX.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Assyrian_warriors#mediaviewer/File:Assyrian_spearman_%C2%B7_HHWI469.svg

Posted on October 31, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Asshur (Syria) Unites with Babylon Around 850 BC

The uniting of Asshur and Babylon (at the request of the ruler of Babylon) can be found on the Bible Timeline Poster during 850 BC .

Events Leading Up To The Uniting of (Syria) and Babylon

Prior to these events, the land of Syria was divided into two military powers known as the New Kingdom Egypt and the Hittite Empire. The power struggles between the two resulted to the Battle of Kadesh in 1290 BC. This weakened these empires with the result that numerous attacks from invaders soon caused the downfall of these two empires in Syria.

Asshur_and _Babylon — ‘sailors were adept in trade routes, mainly because of their length of experience in traveling the Mediterranean.’

‘sailors were adept in trade routes, mainly because of their length of experience in traveling the Mediterranean.’

Once the Egyptian and Hittite empires collapsed, this paved the way for a new leadership to arise. The Phoenicians soon came to Syria and introduced their culture to the locals. This group of people lived in coastal city-states where maritime trade was the main source of livelihood. Phoenician merchants and sailors were adept in trade routes, mainly because of their length of experience in traveling the Mediterranean. (It was during this time the Phoenicians spread their alphabet to facilitate communication with the Greeks and other trading partners in the western world.) During this time the Israelites, a tribal society, had been united into a powerful kingdom that was ruled by King David. In 930 BC After his death and the death of his son Solomon, the kingdom was divided into two nations, Israel consisting of ten tribes to the North and Judah to the South.

Asshur — David (future king) and Goliath

Around 880 BC, the Assyrians conquered most of Mesopotamia. They had a policy of deporting conquered peoples to other lands to prevent nationalistic revolts.

In the meantime a neighboring power, Babylon was having a few problems. Babylon’s leader Marduk-zakir-shumi called upon Shalmaneser and the Assyrians to help him establish his kingship against a challenge by his younger brother, who was defeated by Shalmaneser’s army in 850 BC.

Shalmaneser went on to defeat and take tribute from the Chaldeans and plunder the land of Namri. The next year Shalmaneser led an army of 120,000 against Arzashkun, the capital city of Urartu’s King Aram (r. 858-844 BC) and killed 3,400 troops. The Assyrian power grew rapidly and they eventually turned on their former partner in war and conquered Babylon taking control.

In the middle part of the 8th century, Palestine and Syria soon came into decline because of the control of Assyria. In 722 BC, the kingdom of Israel collapsed as Assyrian power rose. Under Assyria’s policy for keeping control, the people of the kingdom were deported to other areas of this empire. This is the time referred to as The Lost 10 Tribes. The kingdom of Judah was made a vassal state.

However, Assyria eventually came to its downfall in 612 BC. At this time, the situation had reversed and Palestine and Syria were again ruled by Babylonians. In 586 BC, when the kingdom of Judah attempted to rebel against the Babylonians, they lost and experienced massive destruction. A large number of Jews were in exile after the destruction of the kingdom of Judah. This is known as the time of the Babylonian Captivity.

By 539 BC, Syria was ruled by Persians, as with other lands in the Middle East.

References:
http://www.aina.org/brief.html
http://www.timemaps.com/history/syria-200bc
http://universitypublishingonline.org/cambridge/histories/chapter.jsf?bid=CBO9781139054287&cid=CBO9781139054287A014
timemaps.com/history/syria-200bc

Posted on October 30, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Israel seeks alliance

The Mesha Stele, which is popularly known as the Moabite Stone, contained an inscription by the Moabite. The said stone was found in 1868, and this provided evidence of the different events that happened with the Moabites. One of these events was when three kings gathered and decided to plan for a battle against Moab. The Alliance can be found on the Bible Timeline Chart around 704 BC. As a background to this event, it helps to understand certain accounts prior to the battle. During the reign of Jehoram, he was engaged in evil acts, which displeased God. He also decided to get rid of the holy pillar of Baal made by his father. Jehoram was from a family that had issues during their own time of reigning the kingdom. For instance, Ahab, his father, was among the least liked kings in Israel. The same held true for his mother, who was not popular among the people. Although Jehoram had better traits than his parents, he still practiced sinful ways that caused problems with his kingdom. In terms of spiritual concerns, this man was rather neutral and undecided. Although he put away the statue that his father constructed, he still hardly become a believer of God. His main intention for removing the Baal may be either due to his fear of suffering the same punishment that befell Ahab, or the possibility that he tried to impress the Judean king to start an alliance.Israel. The same held true for his mother, who was not popular among the people. Although Jehoram had better traits than his parents, he still practiced sinful ways that caused problems with his kingdom. In terms of spiritual concerns, this man was rather neutral and undecided. Although he put away the statue that his father constructed, he still hardly become a believer of God. His main intention for removing the Baal may be either due to his fear of suffering the same punishment that befell Ahab, or the possibility that he tried to impress the Judean king to start an alliance.

‘He was tasked to pay Israel’s king as much as 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams with the finest wool.’

The Rebellion of Moab The king of Moab, whose name was Moab, raised and cultivated sheep. He was tasked to pay Israel’s king as much as 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams with the finest wool. However, during Ahab’s death, the Moabite king realized it was his time to flee from taxation, which was forced by the king of Israel. Hence, Jehoram went to Israel and Judah, so he could get more armies to stand by his side. He approached the king of Judah and asked if he would be willing to fight against Moabites together with his people. He sought for the advice and wisdom of the King of Judah because of the latter’s extensive experience in battles. Jehoram was advised to attack Moab coming from the south and into the dry desert of Edomites.

israels_alliance — ‘The statue of Elijah at the Saint Elias Cathedral, Aleppo, Syria.’

‘The statue of Elijah at the Saint Elias Cathedral, Aleppo, Syria.’

Along with the King of Edom and Judah, they proceeded to their route for seven days. While there was no food and water, the travel became more difficult for them. They kept their goal in mind, which is to attack Moab with more armies coming from the south.

Jehoshaphat was a God-fearing man, and he suggested that they consult God for help. Afterwards, one of the king’s servants said that Elisha is a great prophet that may be of help to them. Jehoshaphat and Jehoram believed in God as a redeemer and someone who could help them with their plan of battling.

Upon meeting Elisha, the three kings listened intently to his words. The kings were ordered to consult their mother’s and father’s prophets for advice on the best thing to do. Elisha wanted for these people to continue Elijah‘s ministry, which the kings tried to follow with the hopes of succeeding in the war.

References:
http://bible.ucg.org/bible-commentary/2-Kings/War-against-Moab/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moab
http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/1203.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesha_Stele#mediaviewer/File:P1120870_Louvre_st%C3%A8le_de_M%C3%A9sha_AO5066_rwk.JPG
http://pixabay.com/en/sheep-animal-livestock-wool-farm-55450/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah#mediaviewer/File:Saint_Elie_Statue,_Aleppo.jpg

Posted on October 29, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Pantheistic Brahmanic religion 800 BC, Development of

Brahmanism refers to the religion that came about from the ancient Aryan’s polytheistic means of nature-worship. This group of people conquered northern India, and the ancient Aryans were also responsible for the spread of the religion to various parts of the country. It can be found on the Biblical Timeline Poster around 800 BC.

Brahmanism is said to have developed for a number of years, and its earlier stages were between the years 1500 to 400 BC. According to scholars, there were four Vedas that date from 1500 to 800 BC. These Vedas included the Rig-Veda or ancient hymns,
Sama-Veda or song-service, Yajur-Veda or liturgy, and the Atharva-Veda or magical incantations and popular exorcisms.

Brahmanic — ‘Rigveda (padapatha) manuscript in Devanagari, early 19th century’

‘Rigveda (padapatha) manuscript in Devanagari, early 19th century’

The Brahmanas, or series of explanations of the rites, customs, and texts in the four Vedas, were developed in 1000 to 600 BC. These were composed for the use of priests or the Brahmins. The Brahmanas were followed by the Upanishads, which was between 800 and 500 BC. These were mainly concerned with the pantheistic concepts on the end of man and the true nature of deity. In 600 to 400 BC, the Sutras were composed, and these included guides to the proper way of observing the different customs and rites. Among the Sutras, the most important ones are the Dharma-Sutras (law guides) and the Grhya-Sutras (house guides). The law guides referred to manuals of various social and religious customs while the house guides are involved with the different domestic rites. The practical aspect of Brahmanism is chiefly intended for priests, as well as the layman. However, the Upanishads and Brahmanas present the religion in its more speculative side.

The Manava-Dharma-Sastra or the Laws of Manu was developed in the 5th century BC. It has some relevance to the law guides and is a type of metrical treatise. Along with the Mahabharata and Ramayana, the Manava-Dharma-Sastra involves the important aspect of the Brahmin literature.

The Vedic religion came to a two-fold change during the time that the Upanishads and Brahmanas were developed. There were both the practical and theoretical aspect of the Vedic belief, and it was associated with the pantheistic means of salvation. Popular Brahmanism transformed to its more popular aspect mainly because of the influence of the priests or Brahmins. They details of several rituals practiced became more complex, and it came about because of the Brahmins’ fondness for the use of forms and symbols.

In the popular form of Brahmanism during this period, there was the concept of retribution for sin that was introduced. Based on this idea, good actions result to positive effects while evil acts produce more miseries in the future. This refers to the doctrine of action or karma, a concept in which the idea of rebirth had some connection.

Although the idea of experiencing joy in heaven was reserved to the just, there were different types of fates that people will face after they die. These fates vary in terms of the amount or nature of guilt a person has, and the long stages of torture in hell, as well as series of rebirths in various forms whether of men, animals or plants. An individual goes through slow transitions until rebirth as a man in a remarkable and noble state has been achieved.

References:
http://saints.sqpn.com/brahmanism/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_Vedic_religion
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Aryan#mediaviewer/File:Aryans_entering_India.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas#mediaviewer/File:Rigveda_MS2097.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayana#mediaviewer/File:Burmese_Ramayana_dance.jpg

Posted on October 28, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Etruscan Wars with Rome

The Etruscan wars with Rome refer to a series of battles that involved the people of Ancient Rome and the Etruscans. It can be found on the Biblical Timeline Chart around 754 BC. These wars transpired during the early stages of Rome’s history. Based on the Roman foundation myths, the Etruscans were under the rule of King Mezentius. He formed an alliance with King Turnus of Rutuli, and they fought with the Latins and placed the Trojans in exile. These events occurred under the leadership of Latinus and Aeneas.

It was decided that the river Tiber would serve as the common boundary between the Latins and Etruscans. This served as an agreement to end the battle.

‘ Bridge ruins over the Tiber River or Tevere at night Rome, Italy.’

During the 8th century BC, the Fidenates or a group of Etruscans aimed to suppress Rome as their future threat. This was during the time of Romulus‘ rule, and the king decided to march towards Fidenae to set an ambush and drive away the Etruscans from the city. At that time, the Fidenates were in disorder, and they were immediately caught up in the ambush. Another group of people called the Veientes were alarmed at the condition of the Fidenae because of the proximity to the Veii, as well as their linkage with the Fidenates. Hence, the Veientes decided to launch an attack to the Roman territory. Romulus and his army soon met with the Veientes and a battle was launched outside the territory of Veii. In the battle, the Romans won, and this caused the Veientes to leave the Roman territory and head off to the city. The Veientes pleaded for a peaceful agreement, and this resulted to a 100-year treaty that included giving a portion of their territory to the Romans.

Etruscan_wars_with_Rome — ‘Battle against the inhabitants of Veii and Fidenae.’

‘Battle against the inhabitants of Veii and Fidenae.’

Another war occurred between the people of Veii and Fidenae, during the 7th century BC. Based on historians, Fidenae became a Roman colony. This was believed to have been made possible after Romulus was defeated in a battle.

In 7 BC, Tullus Hostilius became the third king of the Roman empire. A second war with the Veientes and Fidenates was declared. Initially, it began as an open revolt against Rome by the Fidenates. King Tullus ordered Mettius along with his army to go to Fidenae. The Roman and Alba Longa army joined forces, and they crossed the Anio and remained in the area near the Tiber.

At the same time, the Veii army also crossed and camped in the Tiber, and they prepared for battle together with the Fidenates. The Veientes was closer to the river while the Fidenates were near to the mountains.

When the battle began, the Alban troops along with Mettius decided to approach the mountains. The Fidenates feared that they would be overpowered by the large army, so they fled and escaped from the battle. This caused the Romans to head off towards the Veientes instead.

A series of other battles transpired, yet the Romans were able to overcome various groups of people that attempted to destroy their empire. Several battles also ended with a peace treaty despite the gruesome aftermath of these wars.

References:
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_etruscan_311-8.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_military_history
http://www.mysteriousetruscans.com/history4.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_civilization#mediaviewer/File:Civita_di_Bagnoregio.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roman_Arch_ruins_over_the_Tiber_River_-_2597.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cavalier_d%27Arpino_and_workshop_-_Battle_against_the_inhabitants_of_Veii_and_Fidenae_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

Posted on October 27, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Sabine History

The Sabines were also referred to as Sabini in Latin, are a group of people of Italic descent. They can be found on the Biblical Timeline with world history around 754 BC. This tribe settled in a place in Ancient Italy, which was the central Apennines,. They also remained in Anio’s northern part prior to the discovery and development of Rome.

After Rome had been founded, the Sabines was formed into two groups. The division of the tribe was considered as a fact instead of a legend. Moreover, the population of this tribe soon entered Rome, and it merged with the groups of people who were already settled in that city. The other group opted to maintain their tribal state and lived in the mountains. Eventually, they waged war against Rome as they fought for their independence. However, the group lost, and it soon became a part of the Roman Republic.

Sabine_rome — ‘Map of Latium in the 5th century BC.’

Based on a study by Dionysius, many historians in Rome considered native Romans to have come from Greek descent. For instance, Dionysius mentioned the Sabines as a tribe that entered the city known as Lista, which was also regarded as the Aborigines’ homeland. Many ancient historians also debate on the actual origin of the Italic tribe because of several possibilities of where they have come from. Zenodotus mentioned that the Sabines were known as a group that was once called Umbrians. They only adopted a different name after they vacated the Reatine territory due to the invasion of the Pelasgians. Another scholar named Porcius Cato stated that it could be possible the Sabines were indeed a group of people given such name as it originated from Sabus. According to him, Sabus was Sancus’ son, and he was also referred to as Jupiter Fidius, who was a type of divinity. In Dionysius’ texts, some Lacedaemonians have left Sparta after experiencing the harshness of the Lycurgus‘ laws. They moved to Italy, and it was here that they formed Foronia or the Spartan colony. The said colony remained in the plains of Pomentine while some of the colonies opted to live with the Sabines.

Sabine_history — ‘According to some legends, the Sabine women were once abducted by the Romans with the goal of populating the city of Rome.’

There were accounts of the temperament and traits of the Sabines, which gave a better understanding of this group of people. For instance, the Sabines were noted as aggressive individuals who had a certain behavior that resembled warlike individuals. Furthermore, there were also frugal that they never allowed anything to end up in waste. These qualities were believed to have been an influence of the Spartans.

According to some legends, the Sabine women were once abducted by the Romans with the goal of populating the city of Rome, which was newly established at that time. This event ended up with the women being caught up in the fight between the armies and their families. Once the conflict was over, King Titus Tatius of the Sabine became the ruler of Rome, along with Romulus. After the death of Tatius, there were three centuries of the Equites that became a part of Rome and one of these was with Tatienses, who ruled after the king of Sabian descent ended his reign.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabines
http://historylink101.com/2/Rome/roman-sabine-women.htm
http://www.stoa.org/diotima/anthology/wlgr/wlgr-privatelife233.shtml