202 CHRONOGRAPHY. 



before the last named event. Greece and Rome emerged from bar- 

 barism, at a much later period ; but to them more than to any other 

 nations, belongs the proud boast of having attained to universal empire. 

 We shall here treat first of Jewish history, on account of its authen- 

 ticity and sacred character; and next take that of its neighbors, 

 Egypt and Babylon. The history of Persia will follow that of 

 Babylon ; and lead to those of Greece and Rome. The minor na- 

 tions will be referred to in connection with those here named ; and 

 we shall, in this chapter, continue the history of Rome to the downfall 

 of the Western Empire, A. D. 476 ; and that of Greece to the fall 

 of the Byzantine or Greek empire, A. D. 1453. 



1. The History of the Jews, a nation professedly devoted to 

 the worship of the true God, while the surrounding nations were 

 merged in idolatry, and who still, after their dispersion and persecu- 

 tions, remain a distinct people, is perhaps the most remarkable which 

 the world has ever witnessed. Of their ancestry and early history, 

 down to the Conquest of Canaan, by Joshua, 1446, or according 

 to Hales, 1602, B. C.> we have already spoken, under the History 

 of Judaism, (p. 140). From this period, the Jews, governed by the 

 Divine Law, had no other temporal rulers than the Judges, so called, 

 or leaders in their wars against the surrounding tribes ; until, at their 

 urgent desire, Saul was anointed king of Israel, 1095, (or 1110), 

 B. C. He was succeeded by David, the shepherd king and psalmist ; 

 whose son Solomon built the splendid Temple at Jerusalem, and 

 dedicated it to the one true God, 1004, (or 1020), B. 0. 



In the reign of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, ten of the tribes 

 revolted, and selected Jeroboam as their king, 975, (or 990), B. C. ; 

 thus establishing the kingdom of Israel, with Samaria for its capital; 

 in opposition to the two tribes under Rehoboam, or the kingdom of 

 Judah. Jerusalem was soon after plundered by Shishak, king of 

 Egypt, about 980, B. C.; and Samaria was besieged, but in vain, by 

 Benhadad, king of Syria, 892, (or 900), B. C. After these events, 

 both kingdoms, on account of their disobedience and idolatry, were 

 abandoned by the divine favor. Pul, king of Assyria, tributized 

 Menahem, king of Israel, 770 B. C.; and the Assyrian Shalmaneser 

 conquered Israel, carried away the ten Tribes, and dispersed them in 

 central Asia, 720 B. C.; since which event, their fate is unknown. 

 The kingdom of Judah was assailed in vain by Sennacherib, in the 

 reign of the good Hezekiah, 713, (or 715), B. C.; but Esarhaddon 

 rendered it tributary, and carried its king, Manasseh, a captive to 

 Babylon, 676 B. C. Nebuchadnezzar, at length carried all the 

 remaining Jews into Babylonian Captivity, 588, (or 586), B. C., 

 destroying Jerusalem, and Solomon's Temple. The captives were 

 at length partially restored, by the favor of Cyrus, the Persian 

 conqueror; and permitted to rebuild the temple, which was dedicated 

 515 B. C. With the succeeding administration of Ezra and Nehe- 

 miah, the Old Testament history closes, about 420 B. C. 



Judea continued to be a Persian province, till the triumphs of 

 Alexander the Great; who visited Jerusalem courteously, 332 B. C. 

 After his death, Judea was connected with Egypt, under the Ptole- 

 mies, till it revolted and submitted to Antiochus the Great, of Syria, 



