Ancient Israelites were weak. They were conquered in Judea by the Babylonian Empire around 600BC. As a result of Babylonian invasion, their central city of Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed; Israelites were exiled to Mesopotamia or Egypt and the ones who stayed in Judea, if any, became slaves of Babylonians. Israelites couldn’t revolt because they were too weak
Israelite kings and senates were slain by Babylonian invaders. They were conquered and exiled from Judea within 20 years. Israelites were powerless without support from foreign empires. The only reason why Israelites were able to escape slavery and return to Judea was because of the Persian/Achaemenid Empire; Persians attacked the Babylonian Empire for their own cause. Persians didn’t invade Judea only to save Israelites from captivity / exile. It was just convenient for Israelites that Persians would later overthrow Babylonians in the Levant after Babylonians defeated them
Cyrus the Great (first ruler of Persian Empire) was merciful enough to allow Israelites to return to Judea. At some point after the defeat of Babylonians, Judea was abandoned by the Persian Empire, which left a void for Israelites to rebuild a new “kingdom” in the Land of Judea. Israelites obviously had to maintain diplomatic relations with Persians and Greeks, cause in reality Israelites were only allowed to inhabit Judea at the mercy of Greeks / Persians. If the Greeks or Persians wanted, they could have done the same to Israelites as the Babylonians did to them. But out of mercy, they didn’t
Israelites would establish a new dynasty of rulers in Judea (which included King Herod and his son). Obviously this was at the mercy of the Persian and Greek Empires that had majority rule over the Levant at the time. Israelites survived under the mercy of Persians and the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Ancient Greece. Eventually Roman Empire merged with Ptolemaic Kingdom after Cleopatra roped (her son became ruler of Roman Empire), and Romans were not merciful to Israelites as were the Greeks & Persians. Israelites were massacred by Romans after a failed rebellion against Roman authority, and Israelites who survived either became slaves of Romans or fled away from Judea
Besides the Christianization of Roman Europe and several attempted revolts against Roman authority (that all failed), it’s hard to say what influence Israelites had over the state of affairs in the Roman Empire. But it's clear that from the invasion of Babylonian Empire to the end of Ptolemaic Kingdom, Israelites survived at the mercy of other empires that claimed the Levant at that time. While Israelites were in Ancient Judea, they were subordinate to other empires, up until the point they were beaten and kicked out of Judea by Romans
TLDR: Ancient Israelites were weak people. They never had power in Judea. They were always at the mercy of neighbouring empires. They were conquered and enslaved by Babylonians. The only reason why Israelites were able to return to Judea is cause of Persian Empire who defeated Babylonians and showed mercy to Israelites. The rule of Persian Empire passed onto Ptolemaic Kingdom of Greece, and Ptolemaic Kingdom later merged with Roman Empire. But Romans did not show mercy to Israelites like the Persians & Greeks. Israelites tried to revolt, but were beaten (again) by Romans, which led to Israelite diaspora from Judea
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Israelite kings and senates were slain by Babylonian invaders. They were conquered and exiled from Judea within 20 years. Israelites were powerless without support from foreign empires. The only reason why Israelites were able to escape slavery and return to Judea was because of the Persian/Achaemenid Empire; Persians attacked the Babylonian Empire for their own cause. Persians didn’t invade Judea only to save Israelites from captivity / exile. It was just convenient for Israelites that Persians would later overthrow Babylonians in the Levant after Babylonians defeated them
Cyrus the Great (first ruler of Persian Empire) was merciful enough to allow Israelites to return to Judea. At some point after the defeat of Babylonians, Judea was abandoned by the Persian Empire, which left a void for Israelites to rebuild a new “kingdom” in the Land of Judea. Israelites obviously had to maintain diplomatic relations with Persians and Greeks, cause in reality Israelites were only allowed to inhabit Judea at the mercy of Greeks / Persians. If the Greeks or Persians wanted, they could have done the same to Israelites as the Babylonians did to them. But out of mercy, they didn’t
Israelites would establish a new dynasty of rulers in Judea (which included King Herod and his son). Obviously this was at the mercy of the Persian and Greek Empires that had majority rule over the Levant at the time. Israelites survived under the mercy of Persians and the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Ancient Greece. Eventually Roman Empire merged with Ptolemaic Kingdom after Cleopatra roped (her son became ruler of Roman Empire), and Romans were not merciful to Israelites as were the Greeks & Persians. Israelites were massacred by Romans after a failed rebellion against Roman authority, and Israelites who survived either became slaves of Romans or fled away from Judea
Besides the Christianization of Roman Europe and several attempted revolts against Roman authority (that all failed), it’s hard to say what influence Israelites had over the state of affairs in the Roman Empire. But it's clear that from the invasion of Babylonian Empire to the end of Ptolemaic Kingdom, Israelites survived at the mercy of other empires that claimed the Levant at that time. While Israelites were in Ancient Judea, they were subordinate to other empires, up until the point they were beaten and kicked out of Judea by Romans
TLDR: Ancient Israelites were weak people. They never had power in Judea. They were always at the mercy of neighbouring empires. They were conquered and enslaved by Babylonians. The only reason why Israelites were able to return to Judea is cause of Persian Empire who defeated Babylonians and showed mercy to Israelites. The rule of Persian Empire passed onto Ptolemaic Kingdom of Greece, and Ptolemaic Kingdom later merged with Roman Empire. But Romans did not show mercy to Israelites like the Persians & Greeks. Israelites tried to revolt, but were beaten (again) by Romans, which led to Israelite diaspora from Judea
Babylonian Captivity | Definition, History, & Significance | Britannica
Babylonian Captivity, the forced detention of Jews in Babylonia following the latter’s conquest of the kingdom of Judah in 598/7 and 587/6 BCE. The captivity ended in 538 BCE, when the Persian conqueror of Babylonia, Cyrus the Great, gave Jews permission to return to Palestine.
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First Jewish Revolt | History & Facts | Britannica
First Jewish Revolt, Jewish rebellion against Roman rule in Judea from AD 66 to 70. It was the result of a long series of clashes in which small groups of Jews offered sporadic resistance to the Romans, who in turn responded with severe countermeasures.
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Bar Kokhba Revolt | History & Facts | Britannica
Bar Kokhba Revolt, (132–135 ce), Jewish rebellion against Roman rule in Judaea. The revolt was preceded by years of clashes between Jews and Romans in the area. Finally, in 132 ce, the misrule of Tinnius Rufus, the Roman governor of Judaea, combined with the emperor Hadrian’s intention to found a
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