Alexander’s Excursions into Palestine (333–331 bc)

Although the Jews of Palestine had previous contact with Greek traders, merchants, and travelers under the Persian Empire, when Alexander the Great conquered Palestine, the Jews were directly confronted with Greek culture (Hengel, “Political and Social History,” 36). It is not known when Alexander came to Jerusalem, and Josephus’ account (Antiquities 11) is not considered reliable (Tcherikover, Hellenistic Civilization, 44–45). The inhabitants of Judaea apparently submitted to the Greek general, and Alexander seems to have granted Jews some autonomy (Tcherikover, Hellenistic Civilization, 49). This set in motion a century-long policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of the Jewish religion.