1.) The Chal-de´an Supremacy. Fifty years from the captivity, B. C. 587, to the conquest of Bab´y-lon by Cy´rus, B. C. 536, by which the Chal-de´an empire was ended, and the Jews were permitted to return to their land (Ezra 1. 1-3).
2.) The Per´sian Supremacy. About two hundred years from the fall of Bab´y-lon, B. C. 536, to the battle of Ar-be´la, B. C. 330, by which Al-ex-an´der the Great won the Per´sian empire. During this epoch the Jews were permitted to govern themselves under the general control of the Per´sian kings.
3.) The Greek Supremacy. Al-ex-an´der's empire lasted only ten years, but was succeeded by Greek kingdoms, under whose rule the Jews lived in Pal´es-tine for about one hundred and sixty years.
4.) The Mac-ca-be´an Independence. About B. C. 168 the tyranny of the Greek king of Syr´i-a drove the Jews to revolt. Two years later they won their liberty under Ju´das Mac-ca-be´us, and were ruled by a line of princes called As-mo-ne´ans, or Mac-ca-be´ans, for one hundred and twenty-six years.
5.) The Ro´man Supremacy. This came gradually, but began officially in the year B. C. 40, when Her´od the Great received the title of king from the Ro´man senate. Thenceforth the Jew´ish province was reckoned a part of the Ro´man empire.
4. In each epoch of this period we select one important Person.
1.) In the Chal-de´an supremacy, Dan´iel, the prophet and prince (Dan. 2. 48; 5. 12).
2.) In the Per´sian supremacy, Ez´ra the scribe, the framer of the Scripture canon and the reformer of the Jews (Ezra 7. 6, 10).
3.) In the Greek supremacy, Si´mon the Just, a distinguished high priest and ruler.
4.) In the Mac-ca-be´an independence, Ju´das Mac-ca-be´us, the liberator of his people.