This page is supplementary to the Illuminating Faith Introduction to the New Testament studies.

The following YouTube videos by Sam Aronow are a great introduction to Jewish history from the beginning of the Hellenistic period to the beginnings of Christianity. The videos are each quite short but contain lots of detail. Other videos by Aronow cover earlier and later periods in Jewish history.

The Interdynastic Period (Early Second Temple)

• Persia and the World (539-332 BCE)
• How Did the Jewish Temple Work?
• Hellenistic Judaism (332-167 BCE)
• Hanukkah (167-164 BCE)
• Judah’s Gambit (164-162 BCE)
• The Brass Treaty (162-157 BCE)
• Persia and the World (539-332 BCE)

The Hasmonean Period (Mid-Second Temple)

• The Hasmonean Dynasty (157-134 BCE)
• John Hyrcanus vs. the World (134-103 BCE)
• The Constitution of Judea (103-6 BCE)
• The Jewish Empire (103-67 BCE)
• Pompey’s Judean Campaign (67-40 BCE)
• Hasmonean Period: Corrections and Fun Facts

The Herodian Period (Late Second Temple)

• Herod the Great (40-29 BCE)
• Hillel vs. Herod (29-4 BCE)
• The Judean Tetrarchy (4 BCE-30 CE)
• The Birth of Christianity (30-39 CE)
• Judea’s Last King (37-66 CE)
• Herodian Period: Corrections and Fun Facts
• The Hasmonean Palace