Editing Persecution of Jews (section)

==Ancient history==
===Neo-Babylonian Empire===
{{main|Babylonian captivity}}
The Babylonian captivity or the Babylonian exile is the period in [[Jewish history]] during which a large number of [[Israelites#Related terms|Judeans]] from the ancient [[Kingdom of Judah]] were captives in [[Babylon]], the capital city of the [[Neo-Babylonian Empire]], following their defeat in the [[Jewish–Babylonian war]] and the destruction of [[Solomon's Temple]] in [[Old City (Jerusalem)|Jerusalem]]. The event is described in the [[Hebrew Bible]], and its historicity is supported by [[#Non-Biblical evidence|archaeological and non-biblical evidence]].

After the [[Battle of Carchemish]] in 605 BC, the Babylonian king [[Nebuchadnezzar II]] besieged [[Jerusalem]], which resulted in tribute being paid by the Judean king [[Jehoiakim]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Coogan |first=Michael |title=A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament |location=Oxford |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2009 }}</ref> In the fourth year of Nebuchadnezzar II's reign, Jehoiakim refused to pay further tribute. This led to another siege of the city in Nebuchadnezzar II's seventh year that culminated in the death of Jehoiakim and the exile to [[Babylonia]] of his successor [[Jeconiah]], his court and many others.<ref name="auto1">{{cite book |last1= Moore |first1=Megan Bishop |last2=Kelle |first2=Brad E. |title= Biblical History and Israel S Past: The Changing Study of the Bible and History |date=2011 |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |isbn= 978-0802862600 |pages=357–58 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Qjkz_8EMoaUC&pg=PA357 |access-date=11 June 2015 |quote=Overall, the difficulty in calculation arises because the biblical texts provide varying numbers for the different deportations. The HB/OT’s conflicting figures for the dates, number and victims of the Babylonian deportations become even more of a problem for historical reconstruction because, other than the brief reference to the first capture of Jerusalem (597) in the [[Babylonian Chronicle]], historians have only the biblical sources with which to work.}}</ref>

Jeconiah's successor [[Zedekiah]] and others were exiled in Nebuchadnezzar II's 18th year. A later deportation occurred in Nebuchadnezzar II's 23rd year. The dates, numbers of deportations, and numbers of deportees given in the biblical accounts vary.<ref name="auto1"/> These deportations are dated to 597 BC for the first, with others dated at 587/586 BC, and 582/581 BC respectively.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dunn |first1=James G. |last2=Rogerston |first2=John William |title=Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible |date=2003 |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |isbn=978-0-8028-3711-0 |page=545 }}<!--|access-date=11 June 2015--></ref>

=== Seleucid Empire ===
{{See also|Maccabees}}
When [[Judea]] fell under the authority of the [[Seleucid Empire]], the process of [[Hellenization]] was enforced by law.<ref>{{cite book|last1=VanderKam|first1=James C.|title=An Introduction to Early Judaism|date=2001|publisher=Eerdmans|location=Grand Rapids, Mich.|isbn=978-0-8028-4641-9|pages=18–24}}</ref> This effectively meant requiring pagan religious practice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.questia.com/read/101600767/an-introduction-to-early-judaism|title=An Introduction to Early Judaism - 2001, Page viii by James C. Vanderkam|access-date=2016-03-23|archive-date=2016-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185528/https://www.questia.com/read/101600767/an-introduction-to-early-judaism|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=567|title=missing}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 167 BC [[Korban|Jewish sacrifice]] was forbidden, sabbaths and feasts were banned and [[Circumcision in the Bible|circumcision]] was outlawed. Altars to Greek gods were set up and [[Shechita#Species|animals prohibited to Jews]] were sacrificed on them. The Olympian [[Zeus]] was placed on the altar of the Temple. Possession of [[Torah|Jewish scriptures]] was made a capital offense.

===Roman Empire===
{{See also|History of the Jews in the Roman Empire|Religious persecution in the Roman Empire#Judaism}}
The [[Jewish Encyclopaedia]] refers to the persecution of Jews and the paganization of [[Jerusalem]] during the reign of Emperor [[Hadrian]] (117–138 AD):
{{blockquote|The Jews now passed through a period of bitter persecution: [[Sabbath (judaism)|Sabbath]]s, festivals, the study of the [[Torah]] and [[circumcision]] were interdicted, and it seemed as if Hadrian desired to annihilate the Jewish people. His anger fell upon all the Jews of his empire, for he imposed upon them an oppressive [[poll-tax]]. The persecution, however, did not last long, for [[Antoninus Pius]] (138–161) revoked the cruel edicts.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |last1 = Gottheil |first1 = Richard |last2 = Krauss |first2 = Samuel |author-link1 = Richard Gottheil |author-link2 = Samuel Krauss |title = Hadrian |encyclopedia = [[The Jewish Encyclopedia]] |date = 1904 |publisher = [[Funk & Wagnalls]] |volume = 6 |pages = 134–135 |url = https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/7015-hadrian|access-date=2019-04-04}}</ref>}}