Biblical Timeline – Page 11 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on December 27, 2012October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Chandragupta of India

Chandragupta Maurya forged a powerful empire in the land of India around 320 BC which is when he appears on the Biblical Timeline with World history. Historians believed that he was a part of the Nanda Dynasty which ruled the middle and lower basin regions near the Ganges River in India. Chandragupta was born around 340 B.C. and no one is sure about the early years of his life because there was little-recorded evidence about his youth. One historical source claims that Chandragupta saw Alexander the Great around 326 B.C. when he was preparing to take India for his empire. By the time, he became an adult he apparently had acquired training in and political and military power since he was able to command an army and rule an empire.

When Chandragupta forged the Maurya Empire he was a young man in his early 20s. He had a mentor named Chanakya who aided the young king as he began to build up the Maurya Empire. India consisted of various different kingdoms that were spread out all across the land. Once again the Nanda Dynasty ruled the middle and lower half of India and the northern and eastern half consisted of various clans who held their own territories. Chandragupta began to attack these independent clans and brought them under his control. Even though Chandragupta was supposed to have come from Nanda he conquered the territory and it became known as the Maurya Empire.

Chandragupta_of_India — Chandragupta Maurya

Alexander the Great and his forces made their way into India around 326 B.C. and though Alexander never successfully conquered India he managed to take control of some of the territories that he encountered along the way. The Greeks had control of Northwest India during that time period. The area the Greeks ruled was situated in the same region as modern day Afghanistan. Between 317 B.C. and 315 B.C. Chandragupta fought to remove the Greeks from this territory. The Greeks set up colonies in western Indus and held the Indian territory of Punjab. Chandragupta knew that the Greeks would be a threat to his power and wanted to remove them from his land. Seleucus I Nicator was trying to retake the lands that were captured by Alexander the Great and this Greek ruler tried to take India but lost to Chandragupta. Once he defeated the Greeks under Seleucus I Nicator he had all of India under his control. The Greeks never really tried to retake this territory after Seleucus I Soter lost the war with Chandragupta.

Around 315 B.C. Chandragupta had made the Maurya Empire one of the biggest and most powerful in the world and it almost rivaled that of Alexander the Great. The difference between Alexander’s empire and Chandragupta is that Alexander’s consisted of various different and distinct lands where Chandragupta’s primarily held territories and people that were pretty much the same. Another difference between Chandragupta and Alexander is that Chandragupta didn’t have a desire to conquer any territory outside of India. This mighty Indian general didn’t want to take over the world he only wanted to bring the land of India under his control and rid it of foreign rulers. Chandragupta gave up his empire to his son Bindusara in 298 B.C. and died while living a life an ascetic life.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_Maurya
http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/india/Chandragupta.html
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/india/p/Biography-of-Chandragupta-Maurya.htm
http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring98/Ashoka.htm

Posted on December 17, 2012September 23, 2015 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Rome and Samnite War

The Samnites were different tribal groups of people that existed in the southern and central parts of Italy around 600 B.C. Their homeland was called Samnium, and they were a nomadic and warlike people.

The Samnites didn’t pose a threat to Rome until around 343 B.C., which is where they appear on the Biblical Timeline with World History. When Rome was first forged and governed itself under monarchy system, the Samnite tribes were too obscure to cause them any problems. In time, the various tribes that existed in Samnium started to grow in power, and they started to attack other tribes all throughout the Italian region. As Rome began to become the dominant force in Italy, the Samnites would eventually challenge their superiority.

Samnite_Tribes,War_with_Rome — Samnite soldiers from a tomb fresco from Nola

Samnite soldiers from a tomb fresco from Nola

The Samnite Wars occurred when these two powerful Italian cultures clashed. The Samnites were a wild group of people and eventually some of them had managed to give up their nomadic lifestyle. They settled down in an area of Italy called Campania. The group of Samnites that resided in Campania became civilized and adopted many of the customs of the people who already resided in the area. Though some Samnites chose to be civilized the vast majority of them continued to live as wild barbarians.

The uncivilized Samnites started to attack the people of Campania and various Greek colonies that were located in southwestern Italy. The indigenous population of Campania couldn’t stop the Samnites from settling on their lands and taking over their territory. They had to appeal to Rome for help. Rome was at peace with the Samnites because they didn’t pose a threat. Rome also had a peace treaty with the Samnites.

Even though this was the case, when the leaders of Campania subjected themselves to Roman rule the Roman Republic decided to act on their behalf. The Romans drove out the Samnites from Campania and continued to protect the area. This was the first Samnite War, and it happened between 343 B.C. and 341 B.C. Rome and the Samnite tribes then signed another peace treaty.

The second Samnite war happened between 326 B.C. and 304 B.C. The Romans once again disregarded the treaty that it held with the Samites and decided to ally itself with another tribal group who was at war with their Samnium allies. Another incident happened when Rome aligned themselves with another enemy of the Samnites. Rome and the Samnites went back to war and both sides won and lost various battles. Rome suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Caudine Fork, which is considered one of the greatest military defeats in Roman history.

Rome also managed to set up colonies that encircled Samnium. The two Italian powers eventually set up another treaty. The third and final Samnite war occurred between 298 B.C. and 290 B.C. This time around the Samnites persuaded the Etruscans and the Guals to become allies and they moved against Rome. Once again Rome decided to help the Samnite’s allies though it still held peace treaties with these tribes.

The Samnites and their allies nearly wiped out the Romans, but Rome managed to pull out a last minute rout and decisively defeated their enemies. With this defeat, the Samnites no longer had the power to strike back again. They were finally subdued in 290 B.C. and absorbed into the Roman Republic. Once the Samnites were defeated, they lost their lands and Rome had become a large and dominant force in Italy. The Samnite wars were a major event in the history of Rome that would make it into one of the greatest empires of all time.

References:
http://www.unrv.com/empire/samnite-wars.php
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/republicanromanbattles/qt/080107SamniteWr.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samnite_Wars
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samnites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Samnite_soldiers_from_a_tomb_frieze_in_Nola_4th_century_BCE.jpg

Posted on December 14, 2012October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Greek The Universal Language

As English is today, Greek was the universal language from about 300 BC to AD 200 which is where a notation is made on the Biblical Timeline with world history. All throughout the history of the world one particular kingdom or nation would rise to become the dominant force in the known world. Once this particular kingdom or nation became significant above all others, they would usually transmit their culture, laws, religious beliefs, political systems and language to the people that were subjected to their power. Ancient Egypt, Persia and Rome were great powers who did this in the past and so were the ancient Greeks.

Greek_Universal_Language_300_BC_to_200_AD — Ancient epichoric variants of the Greek alphabet from Euboea, Ionia, Athens and Corinth

Ancient epichoric variants of the Greek alphabet from Euboea, Ionia, Athens and Corinth

The Greeks were not a significant world power until the time of Alexander the Great. After King Alexander conquered much of the known world Greek ideology, thought, religious beliefs and its language spread all throughout the world. This process was known as Hellenism, and many kingdoms and empires were affected by this process.

Once news arrived back home of Alexander’s conquest many Greek citizens started to resettle into the various lands that he had conquered. When they arrived, they brought with them their culture, history and way of life. The Greeks had controlled key aspects of the Ptolemaic dynasty introduced Greek to the Egyptians, the Seleucid rulers brought the Greek way of life to the Syria-Mesopotamia and Antioch and the Attalid Dynasty made sure the inhabitants of India and Pergamum were exposed to Greek.

The Greek language had become so influential and dominant in the ancient world that many ancient writers created many of their religious texts and great works in the Greek language. The Jews translated the Tanakh into Greek and called it the Septuagint. The Christians also used Greek to write the New Testament. Arabians, Persians and Indians all wrote down a vast amount of information in the Greek language. Many ancient libraries were filled with Greek manuscripts between 300 B.C. to around 200 A.D. Koine Greek was the type of Greek dialect that was common in ancient times.

When Greek leaders had conquered or taken a region, they would deport some of the educated citizens from these regions back to Greece. Or to other parts of their empires so that they could learn how to speak, read and write Greek. The language began to fuse with other cultures and for at least a thousand years people throughout the known world thought of Greek as a language for the highly educated members of society. Even the Romans were influenced by the use of Greek since it had remained popular during the glory days of the Roman Empire. As with all things, the Greek language began to decline, and it no longer remained relevant especially after the Western Roman Empire had fallen to the barbarians.

Many Greek documents and information were lost when Western Rome declined, and most of western society went into a state of illiteracy and ignorance. Soon western society was able to reconnect with its enlightened past from the Crusades, expanded trade with the foreign world and the Renaissance. Greek culture, philosophy and language were revived once again. Though Greece is no longer a relevant part of the modern world, the legacy that they have left behind has shaped and influenced all of contemporary western society.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_civilization
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0008_0_08708.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koine_Greek
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Greek_alphabet_variants.png

Posted on December 11, 2012October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Herodotus was a famous ancient historian who has carefully recorded some of the key historical events pertaining to Greece, Persia and many cultures in the Middle East, Mediterranean and Asia Minor. He was born in Asia Minor, which is now modern day Turkey, in 484 B.C. (which is where he appears on the Biblical Timeline with world history.) Herodotus had made extensive travels throughout the ancient world and spoke directly with priests, scribes, orators, political leaders and monarchs in order to gain information about past events. Because of his extensive travels he is dubbed one of the best known factual historians that have ever existed. Other historians that are comparable to Herodotus include personalities such as Ibn Battuta, Livy and Josephus.

Herodotus historical documentation primarily focuses on Greece and Persia. The cultures, kingdoms and tribes that are also included with his documented works outline the minor cultures that existed within the framework of the Persian and Greek rule. Egypt was another major culture that was a part of Herodotus’ recorded information and he included the Egyptian history in light of Greek and Persian influence.

Greece, Persia and Egypt were not the only places that Herodotus wrote about. He also took down information on the Babylonians, Scythians, Lydia, Medes, Assyrians, Phrygians, Arabia and India. He recorded information about various kings from various lands, and he went into detail about how ancient commercial operations were conducted for economic gain. For example, he outlined the process for spice production in Arabia and how gold was mined in India. He even revealed some information about the Phoenician and Carthage trade routes. He divided up all of the information that he documented into a series of IX books known as the Histories.

The Histories exposed the ancient world in a way that has never been accomplished before the time of Herodotus. This ancient scholar was able to shed light into how people lived on a daily basis. He even wrote down information about various tribes that existed in Asia Minor and their nomadic lifestyles.

The information that Herodotus recorded revealed that the lives of ancient man weren’t very different than the lives of modern people. There were rich and poor, there were international wars and conflict. Many people struggled to earn a decent living, the wealthy people within a particular culture or society usually were in charge and the people were worried about their futures and the future of their children. Herodotus brought all of these realities to light in his works so that many people could really get a good look at the lives, ancient men.

Greek culture was starting to become a dominant force in the world during Herodotus time. Though he wasn’t a Greek by birth, he realized that Greek culture was destined for greatness. Many of his writings included the history of Greece, their myths and the various wars that they fought especially with their ancient arch enemies the Persians. The Persian Empire was another primary subject of Herodotus’ writings, and he focused on the rise of Persia under Cyrus the Great and how the Persian Empire had come to dominate the ancient world. He wrote about their kings, gods, laws, battles and customs.

Some scholars and historians claim that Herodotus was a fake and that he exaggerated the information that he recorded. This could have been the case, but a lot of what Herodotus wrote down was verified through outside historical data. No one will ever know conclusively if he visited as many places as he did or just spent his time inside of an ancient library studying the histories of ancient peoples. One thing that many historians and scholars have to admit is that Herodotus’ presentation of history is considered one the best documentations in all of western society. And this one of the reasons why Herodotus will be remembered as the “Father of History”. He passed away in 425 B.C.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herodotus
http://www.in2greece.com/english/historymyth/history/ancient/herodotus.htm
http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/People/Herodotus/
http://history-world.org/herodotus1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Herodotos_Met_91.8.jpg

Posted on December 5, 2012October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Agrarian Law, Rome

Agrarian laws were passed early on in Rome and they were changed and formed over many centuries. Roman agrarian laws are the basis for most laws regarding land today. It is referred to on the Biblical Timeline with world history beginning around 500 BC.

The land was and still remains one of the most critical factors for wealth and power in any society. Individuals who owned land could produce food and materials that could be sold and traded for economic gain. Landowners in ancient Rome knew that land not only gave them wealth it also provided them with political and social power and position. Wealthy landowners could hire workers or amass slaves to work their fields and orchards for profit. They also could rent property to tenants, tax businesses who used their lands for commercial operations and have the poorer members of society become lifelong employees who worked their lands for a fee.

Owning land was very important to being somebody important in ancient Roman society. Only Roman citizens who owned land could become high ranking politicians, fight in wars or have some type of real social standing. Rome created agrarian laws because they were necessary for establishing protocols for how landowners could use their lands and how to manage property between neighbors. Agrarian laws also helped to establish the social order and privilege in Rome.

Most lands in Rome was owned by the rich and powerful patrician class. This particular class of Roman citizens established the laws, conducted political affairs, fought military campaigns and controlled the economy. Whenever Rome defeated an enemy tribe they would confiscate their lands. The seized lands were supposed to be used as public lands for all of Rome, but the patrician class usually exploited these lands for their own personal profit. Since patricians were the ruling class of Roman society, the poorer members couldn’t effectively stop them from using the acquired tracts for their own gain. The Roman Republic was also cheated out of funds because of this practice, but most of the ruling members of society didn’t care.

Agrarian_Law,_Rome — Owning land was very important

Agrarian laws were passed early on in Rome and they were changed and formed over many centuries. At various time throughout Rome’s republic, the laws underwent major transformations. This was done to try to keep the patricians from taking public lands which belonged to all of the people and to keep some type of protocol for land usage between neighbors.

Agrarian laws divided land ownership up into three categories and they included public, private and common. Public lands were for all of the people of Rome, private lands were for private owners and common lands were lands owned by more than one person. Civic structures, graveyards, and parks were usually situated on public lands. Farms were also set up on public lands that were supposed to have been used to feed the Roman people. Military and economic operations were also conducted on public lands. Business owners and farm owners held private lands and used them to make a profit by selling crops and produce. Common lands were owned by more than one person and they also could be used for public or private purposes.

Agrarian laws outlined rules for how land was used between neighbors. For example, a neighbor could claim any produce that had fallen from their tree into another neighbor’s yard. A neighbor could also chop down another resident’s tree if their tree endangered their property in any way. These were but a few of the many laws that Rome used to keep civil peace between neighbors.

The poorer members of Roman society (plebeians) didn’t own much land but for those individuals that did they had rules that would help them to make the best use for their property. Plebeians were also taxed for the land that they owned or they worked on a patrician’s real property and paid a fee in the form of crops. Ultimately, ancient Roman agrarian laws helped to establish rules for land use and civil codes that are still in place in modern times.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrarian_law
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12638/12638-h/12638-h.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/agrarian-laws.html

Posted on December 3, 2012October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — Leave a comment

Ptolemies Rule, Jews Under

Alexander, the Great of Macedonia, conquered most of the known world in 332 B.C. When the young king finally died he didn’t leave any heirs to the throne. His only child and his queen, Roxanne, were slain by one of his generals. King Alexander’s generals then divided up his Empire into four sections that each of them could rule. Ptolemy Lagi and a lower ranking general named Seleucus gained control over Judah. At first Ptolemy ruled his allocated lands with Seleucus serving him but Seleucus wanted land of his own. Eventually, Seleucus and Ptolemy went to war with each other leading to the formation of two empires. Ptolemy finally gained complete control over the Judeans by 320 B.C., which is where this event occurs on the Biblical Timeline with World History.

Ptolemies_Rule_Jerusalem — Ptolemies take Jerusalem

Once Ptolemy had the power he didn’t bother the Jewish people as long as they paid him tribute. There were at least five ruling Ptolemaic rulers of Judah. Ptolemy Soter transported Jewish people to Egypt and his Greek homeland. He wanted to teach them how to speak his native tongue. This wasn’t a problem for the Jewish people who were already used to practice of being forced into other lands and some of them welcomed the ability to travel to other regions.

Ptolemy put a Jewish priest who was loyal to him in charge of Judah. Jewish leaders who governed in the time of Ptolemy had to keep order and make sure the people pay their taxes on time. As long as they fulfilled these requirements Ptolemy lets them do as they pleased. Greek culture had become so dominant in the ancient world around 300 B.C. that almost every person knew some form of the Greek language.

The Greek language in ancient times was a universal language in the same way that English is spoken toady. Because of its influence many Jewish leaders began to learn how to speak it. And then they transformed their Hebrew texts into the Greek language so that the Jews who lived in other lands could have the Law of Moses.

The Septuagint was created, and this is the Greek version of the Tanakh. The Old Testament was also translated into Greek at a later time The New Testament writers of the Christian Scriptures also used Greek to write down their texts around 100 A.D. The Septuagint was written during the era of the Ptolemaic rulers. Even though most Ptolemaic rulers didn’t care for the Jewish people, unfortunately, there were some that did but in the wrong kind of way. Ptolemy IV Philopater (221 – 203 B.C.) and Ptolemy V Epiphanes (203 -180 B.C.) both hated the Jews. They persecuted the Jews for about 40 years during their reigns, and they desecrated their temple. The Jewish people were extremely happy when Ptolemy IV Philpater died.

The Ptolemy’s and the Seleucuns fought against each other over territory, and the Jewish people were caught up in this struggle. They wanted the ongoing conflict to end because many Jewish people were being caught in the crossfire. The Jewish people were finally rid of the Ptolemy’s after the Seleucuns took over, but they didn’t fare much better under their rule.

References:
http://www.zianet.com/maxey/Inter2.htm http://www.fbinstitute.com/carroll/3.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prise_de_J%C3%A9rusalem.jpg

Posted on November 26, 2012October 16, 2018 by Margaret Hunter — 13 Comments

Esther and Mordecai under Xerxes of Persia

King Xerxes of Persia was the world’s most powerful monarch who ruled the Persian Empire around 486 B.C., which is where he appears on the Biblical Timeline with World History. He was the son of the former Persian king Darius I. He is traditionally considered to be the Persian King Ahasuerus referred to in the Biblical story of Esther.

During the third year of Xerxes reign, he held a huge festival so that he could display all of his wealth to the high ranking governors and officials of his empire. King Xerxes also had a wife named Queen Vashti, and she was holding a celebration for the women of the empire. As the ceremonies progressed, King Xerxes summoned Queen Vashti so that he could show off her beauty to the people in attendance. Instead of appearing before the king the queen refused to listen to her husband’s request. Since she was disobedient to her King, Queen Vashti was forever banished from his presence.

Esther,Biblical_Persian_Queen — ‘Queen Esther (1878) by Edwin Long.’

King Xerxes had to send out a decree that women were not to follow her example. He did this to avoid civil unrest that could have resulted from massive domestic abuse and chaos within the empire. This story sets the background for the rise of an extremely beautiful woman named Esther and her godly cousin Mordecai. God had decided to allow the people of Judah to go into captivity to Babylon because of their sins, and Mordecai was a young boy when this incident had taken place. Mordecai had an uncle named Abihail who had a daughter named Hadassah. Now Hadassah was an extremely beautiful young woman, and she was also called Esther. Mordecai had taken her into his home after her father Abihail and her mother had passed away. Esther grew up secure inside of Mordecai’s care, and she also learned about the importance of her Jewish heritage from him as well. The people all over the region of Susa knew about Esther’s beauty. One day King Xerxes decided to find a new queen, and he had appointed agents inside of each province for the purpose of making them responsible for finding beautiful virgin females to bring to the king. Well, this activity took place over a period before they came across Esther. Once Esther was chosen for this task, Mordecai reminded her that she must never tell the king or his servants about her Jewish identity.

Esther_and_Mordecai_under_Xerxes_of_Persia_talking — ‘Esther and Mordecai’

Esther eventually won the heart of the king and his servants, and she was selected to become the new queen of Persia. Mordecai held a position inside of the king’s palace, and he went their every day to perform his duties. One day he overheard a conspiracy between two of the king’s guards who wanted to assassinate Xerxes. Mordecai alerted the king and the guards were found to be treasonous and were eliminated. King Xerxes appreciated Mordecai’s information, but he didn’t reward him. Meanwhile a powerful prince within the Persian Empire named Haman had become the second most powerful ruler in the land. King Xerxes told the people that they should bow down to him whenever they see him. Everybody agreed to this decree except for Mordecai. Whenever Haman came into the palace, every official would bow except for Mordecai and his defiance made Haman extremely angry. Haman decided to devise a plot to not only kill Mordecai for his defiance but the rest of the Jewish people as well. Haman was an Agagite, and his people were old enemies of the Jews. Prime Minister Haman influenced King Xerxes to kill off a group of people within his empire that were different than the rest of the people because they would not obey the laws of the land. Prime Minister Haman had cast lots before he approached the king with this request. Prime Minister Haman cast lots so that he could determine the best day to carry out the king’s decree once it was approved. The king agreed to his plan even though he didn’t know that the people were Jewish. Prime Minister Haman also decided to build a 75-foot tall hanging platform for Mordecai.

Esther_and_Mordecai_triumphant — ‘Paolo Veronese – The Triumph of Mordecai’

‘Paolo Veronese – The Triumph of Mordecai’

While this platform was being constructed King Xerxes had read through his royal records and realized that he never rewarded Mordecai for saving his life from the assassination plot. He summoned Haman and asked him what he should do to honor a man for his service. Prime Minister Haman naturally thought he was talking about himself and told him to dress the man in royal garments and to lead him through the streets on his royal horse. King Xerxes told Prime Minister Haman to do this for Mordecai and Haman was humiliated by the experience. Mordecai found out what Prime Minister Haman had done and began to despair. He knew that he had to appeal to Esther to save the people.

Esther wanted to save the people, but there was one major problem. She just couldn’t go into the presence of the king; she had to be invited otherwise she might lose her life. Mordecai had to convince her that if she didn’t follow through with these actions that God was going to get another savior to take her place and that she would be killed. Esther agreed and fasted and went in to see the king. The king honored her presence, and she requested a two-day banquet with the king and Prime Minister Haman. On the second day of the banquet, Queen Esther revealed to the king what had happened, and Haman was hanged on the pole he designed for Mordecai. The Jewish people managed to avoid being exterminated by Haman’s sympathizers, and Mordecai was elected to his position. God used Queen Esther and her cousin Prime Minister Mordecai to save the Jewish people from being exterminated while under the rule of the Persian Empire. The Festival of Purim was established by Mordecai to remind Jewish people how they were saved by Queen Esther and Mordecai from extermination. Biblical References: The book of Esther in the Bible contains the whole entire story of Esther and Mordecai.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther
http://www.sharefaith.com/guide/christian-ministries/bible-heroes/mordecai.html
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/1348/jewish/Mordechai-and-Esther.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Esther_haram.jpg
http://protect.bjumg.org/giftshop/product_info.php?products_id=128

Posted on November 24, 2012October 1, 2015 by Margaret Hunter — 1 Comment

Rome, Walled 7 Hills of

The city of Rome had originally grown out of seven hills which became known as the Walled Seven Hills of Rome. These hills were situated throughout the first 400 years of Roman history (which is where this appears on the Biblical Timeline with world history) and in time the Roman rulers and people who resided on each hill into one gigantic metropolitan area.

Palentine
King Romulus was the first ruler of Rome and he settled the hill of Palentine during his reign. This hill is considered the premiere historical site of Rome and it is also where some of Rome’s most popular kings and ceasers built their palaces. Palentine was and is also the richest and most popular area of the city of Rome. It is also located between the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus. Rich and well to do ancient Roman citizens lived here.

Aventine
Aventine is another premiere hill in the city of Rome. This particular hill is located in the south of Rome, and it was home to some of the middle class and rich citizens of the city. Large homes and villas for the aristocracy were built in this area. Temples for Roman deities such as Diana and Minerva were erected here as well. Public baths and a few civic buildings were also added to the area over the years.

Celio
The Celio Hill had been situated in the middle part of Rome. Many public buildings such as temples, civic structures and basilicas were erected in this spot. The ancient Romans also used this area to build military bases. Celio Hill was a part of the city that was occupied by ordinary citizens.

Esquiline
The Esquiline Hill was used a large gravesite for many of the Roman citizens. The poorer members of the society resided here, and it also contained a large population.

Walled_7_Hills_of_Rome — A Plan to illustrate the situation of the Principal Hills of Ancient Rome

A Plan to illustrate the situation of the Principal Hills of Ancient Rome

Vinimale
Vinimale Hill is located in another hill area of Rome called Esquiline. This area contained Roman villas and public buildings such as Roman baths. Other civic buildings and a few temples were constructed here as well.

Quirinale
Many temples were built here during ancient times and it also contained the homes of many commoners.

Campidoglio
The Campidoglio Hill had many temples, and it was used a major religious center.

All of these hills were eventually merged into one city during the Republic era of Rome. The people from each section of the area eventually started to work together, trade and merge their resources together in times of war or when disaster struck. Various rulers and politicians also worked to unify the area into one city which eventually became Rome.

The walls that surrounded these hills were first built by King Romulus, who established Palentine. Walled cities were a common feature of the ancient world since they provided protection from outside enemies, so every settled hill region had a wall for defense. Once Rome was unified into one city the walls were eventually torn down. A few of the hills still have retained their walls and still remain as ruins. Modern day Rome is still configured off of this same hill design that was in use since ancient times.

References:
http://www.welcometorome.net/en/about-rome/history/seven-hills
http://nolli.uoregon.edu/wallsOfRome.html
http://www.musesrealm.net/rome/sevenhills.html
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plan_of_the_Hills_of_Ancient_Rome.jpg

Posted on November 14, 2012October 4, 2017 by Margaret Hunter — 2 Comments

Japan First Emperor

The founding of Japan is considered mythical by many credible sources. But Japanese historical records indicate that the modern nation of Japan has its beginnings with the legendary Emperor Jimmu around the sixth century BC. Which is where he appears on the Biblical Timeline with World History. Japanese history is unique and different from many other cultures because they define the period before Emperor Jimmu’s ascension to the throne as the Age of Gods.

This particular era in the history of Japan began with mythical deities named Izanagi and Izanami. These two gods supposedly stuck a magic spear into the ocean and created the islands of Japan. Other parts of the creation myth states that Izanami had children who were born in the form of the Japanese islands. Even though this story is a part of the myth that surrounds the forming of Japan’s civilization, there are some factual and historical epochs which define Japan’s development.
Japan’s history begins with the prehistory era. The Jamon period lasted until about 300 B.C., and it was during this particular segment of time that the Japanese empire was founded.

Japan,First_Emperor_660_bc — Emperor Jinmu

Japan’s inhabitants came from the Asian mainland, and most of the people crossed over the Sea of Japan (East Sea) from areas that lie in modern day Russia, China, North and South Korea. The nation of South Korea is located about 400 miles from Japan, and this would have been a relatively short trip for seafarers to take to reach the island.

People had migrated across the ancient Sea of Japan for thousands of years. The first inhabitants were gatherers and hunters. As time passed, and civilizations became more settled, many people who crossed over the Japanese Sea from the mainland began to form stable societies. They brought with them new farming techniques and metallurgy. These advances in technology helped early Japanese settlers to form stable and sedentary societies. The distinctive cultural factors of modern Japanese society began to form during this Jomon period.

Japan adopted China‘s writing system between the 6th and 8th centuries. During this period, they began to develop their creation myth as it pertained to Emperor Jimmu. Ancient Chinese records indicate that there was an island named Wa that was a short ways across the sea from the mainland. They say that this island was ruled by family clans. Outside of Chinese sources there are two Japanese Chronicles that outline the periods between 700 B.C. and 700 A.D. The name of these two chronicles is the Nihon Shoki and the Koji-Ki. The Nihon Shoki states that Jimmu ascended the throne of Japan around 660 B.C., and once he became the first emperor he established the first ruling monarchy of this nation. He is supposedly descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Emperor Jimmu’s legacy is important to Japan because he was the first emperor to give Japan’s royal and longest remaining monarchy. And through his efforts the emperor had become a lasting symbol of inspiration and pride for the Japanese people. The Chinese accounts of the Japanese states that the people of Wa lived in relative peace during the reign of Jimmu and had a society that was settled and prosperous.

References:
http://mickmc.tripod.com/jhistory.html
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Dmon_period
http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Japan.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tenn%C5%8D_Jimmu_detail_01.jpg

Posted on November 12, 2012April 5, 2016 by Margaret Hunter — 3 Comments

Cyrus The Great and The Bible

Cyrus of Persia is also known as Cyrus the Great and he is considered one of the world’s greatest conquerors and rulers. Cyrus’ name means “like the sun” and during his reign of the Persian Empire he controlled most of the world’s greatest kingdoms and city-states of the era. He appears on the Biblical Timeline with World History around 560 BC.

Cyrus took over the throne of Persia in 559 B.C. after his father Cambyses I had passed away. During his time in power or sometime before he became king, God had revealed to him that he would become one of the greatest kings in the history of the world. In the book of 2 Chronicles 36: 23 God reveals to Cyrus that he was going to gather the major kingdom of the Earth to himself. God authorized Cyrus for this task to accomplish his purposes on the Earth and one of those purposes was to rule his chosen people.

The Israelites and Judeans had rebelled against God for centuries and he ultimately sent them into captivity for their disobedience. He initially allowed the Assyrians and then the Babylonians to punish his people. Eventually, he decided to allow the Persian people to conquer the Babylonians so that they could rule over his people. God allowed Cyrus the Great to govern his people so that he could send them back to their homelands in order to rebuild their temple and to worship him in truth once again.

In Ezra 1 God reveals to Cyrus the Great that he is to rebuild the Temple of the Lord which is also known as Solomon’s Temple. He also told him to send the Judeans back to their homelands in order to carry out this task. Cyrus then supplied the Jewish people within his kingdom with the supplies that they needed and he also gave back the treasures that were removed from the temple when the Babylonians defeated them. Since he ruled over most of the kingdoms that surrounded Judah he informed their officials that they were not to interfere with the Jews project. Many of the kingdoms complied with his edict, but there were some that didn’t follow his instructions. Cyrus the Great was mentioned in the Bible 23 times.

Cyrus the Great was born around 600 B.C. and he ruled the Persian Empire around 559 B.C. During his reign he conquered the Medians, the Babylonians, Lydia and he controlled all of the territories and minor kingdoms that were possessed by Babylonians. Cyrus didn’t remove the customs or governments of the people that he ruled; he designed his government to work in collaboration with them. As long as they paid their tribute, taxes and homage, he allowed them to live in peace, to worship as they pleased and pray to their own deities.

King Cyrus was married to Cassandane who was said to have loved him very deeply. Her devotion is supposed to have been so deep that she loved him more than her own life. King Cyrus also had four children. Cambyses II, Bardiya, Atossa, Artystone and another daughter whose name is not mentioned. He loved his family and he was known as a great ruler to his people. This is why the people gave him the name of Cyrus the Great. To some, he was a liberator and to others a savior. The Jewish people referred to him as a righteous king.

He developed and controlled the trade routes between the various empires he dominated. King Cyrus also conquered Turkey, Arabia, Georgia, Indus River, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Oman. He knew how to rule his empire well and through his efforts the Persian Empire had come to influence the Middle East for at least 1000 years. Many Iranian people from the modern era refer to Cyrus as “Father” because of the great influence that he has had on their culture and society over the years. Cyrus the Great was buried in the ancient city of Pasargadae in 530 B.C. which is located in modern-day Iran.

Biblical References:

2 Chronicles 36: 23 King Cyrus acknowledges that God has allowed him to conquer the world.
Ezra 1 King Cyrus authorizes the people of Judah to return back to their land in order to rebuild God’s temple.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_(Bible)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_the_Great
http://www.cyrusthegreat.net/
http://wildfiregames.com/0ad/page.php?p=7026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SculptureofCyrusTheGreat.jpg