The successors of Alexander (diadochi) fully appreciated
this international element, and used it as a link between their
barbarian and Hellenic populations. Everywhere they encouraged
the settlement of Jews,--in Asia Minor, in Syria, and especially
in Egypt. Alongside of the Palestinian there arose a Hellenistic
Judaism which had its metropolis in Alexandria. Here, under
Ptolemy I. and II., the Torah had already been translated into
Greek, and around this sprung up a Jewish-Greek literature which
soon became very extensive. At the court and in the army of the
Ptolemies many Jews rose to prominent positions; everywhere they
received the preference over, and everywhere they in consequence
earned the hatred of, the indigenous population.
After the death of Ptolemy IV. (205) Antiochus III. attained the
object towards which he and his predecessors had long been vainly
striving; after a war protracted with varying success through
several years, he succeeded at last in incorporating Palestine with
the kingdom of the Seleucidae. The Jews took his side, less perhaps
because they had become disgusted with the really sadly
degenerate Egyptian rule, than because they had foreseen the issue
of the contest, and preferred to attach themselves voluntarily to
the winning side.
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