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Rulers of Palestine and Egypt
Intertestamental Era (334 BC - 4 BC)

Dennis Bratcher

Geographical Areas Ruled by the Successors of Alexander the Great
Syria/Palestine (Seleucids)	Palestine/Jerusalem (Maccabees or Hasmonean)	Egypt (Ptolemies)
Alexander the Great 334 - 323
Territories disputed following Alexander's death
Seleucus I 312 - 281	Ptolemy I Soter 320 - 285
Antiochus I 281 - 261	Ptolemy II Philadelphus 285 - 247
Antiochus II 261 - 246	Ptolemy II Philadelphus 285 - 247
Seleucus II 246 - 226	Ptolemy III Euergetes 247 - 222
Seleucus III 226 - 223	Ptolemy III Euergetes 247 - 222
Antiochus III 223 - 187	Ptolemy IV Philapator 222 - 205
	Ptolemy V Epiphanes 205 - 198	Ptolemy V Epiphanes 205 - 182
	Antiochus III 198 - 187	Ptolemy V Epiphanes 205 - 182
Seleucus IV Philopater 187 - 175		Ptolemy VI Philometer 182 - 146
Antiochus IV Epiphanes 175 - 163	Mattathias 168 - 166
Antiochus V Eupator 163 - 162	Judas Maccabeus 166 - 160
Demetrius I Soter 162 - 150	Judas Maccabeus 166 - 160
Alexander Balas 150 - 145	Jonathan Maccabeus 160 - 143
Demetrius II Nicator 145 - 139	Simon Maccabeus 143 - 135	Ptolemy VII Euergetes II 146 - 116
Antiochus VII Sidetes 139 - 129	John Hyrcanus I 135 - 104	Ptolemy VII Euergetes II 146 - 116
Demetrius II 129 - 95	John Hyrcanus I 135 - 104	Ptolemy VIII Soter II 116 - 108
	Aristobulus I 104 - 103	Ptolemy IX Alexander 108 - 89
	Alexander Jannaeus 103 - 76	Ptolemy IX Alexander 108 - 89
Demetrius III 95 - 78		Ptolemy VIII Soter II 88 - 80
Demetrius III 95 - 78		Ptolemy X Alexander II 80
Armenian and Roman Control	Hyrcanus II and Alexandra 76 - 67
	Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II 67 - 63*
	Pompey Roman Occupation 63
	Antipater Herod Procurator of Judea 47 -43
	Antigonus 40 - 37
	Herod the Great 37 - 4
	[Chart continues with rule of the Herods]

*Both Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II claimed control of Palestine, and their feuding led to Roman intervention by the general Pompey in 63 BC. They continued to claim power even after Roman occupation of the land, but were never in administrative control.

After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, the Greek Empire was torn by dissension as his seven commanders vied for control. After a decade of struggle, three of the generals finally succeeded in dividing the territory. Antigonus took the eastern section of Macedonia and Asia Minor and played little role in the history of Palestine in this period except to challenge Ptolemy for a time for control of Egypt. Seleucus took over the northern and eastern territory including Syria and Babylon while Ptolemy took Egypt. This left the area of Palestine on the border between Seleucus and Ptolemy. It was controlled by the Ptolemies until 198 BC when Antiochus III took control of the territory that included Jerusalem. It remained under Seleucid control until the Maccabean Revolt in 168 BC.

The early Maccabees ruled as High Priest until 150 when Jonathan was made governor of Syria by Alexander Balas. Simon was appointed both High Priest and ethnarc by Demetrius, and Aristobolus assumed the title of both High Priest and King in 104/103.

-Dennis Bratcher, Copyright © 2006, Dennis Bratcher - All Rights Reserved
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The Rule of the Herods

Political Rulers of Palestine NT

Israelite Kings

New Testament

Rulers of Palestine and Egypt Intertestamental Era (334 BC - 4 BC)

Rulers of Palestine and Egypt
Intertestamental Era (334 BC - 4 BC)