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• And so, with this prophetic understanding of the destruction of the Medo-Persian Empire and the subsequent rise of the Greek Empire with Alexander the Great as its first king, let us go on to examine the rise of the Greek Empire in more detail. In particular, we are interested in its effect on the language, beliefs and customs of the Jews in the Land of Israel, and of the inhabitants of the Middle East more generally.
• We first need to examine the early origins of the Greek Empire. Greece as a nation-state had a long history, and much of this history is interesting for those who enjoy studying the Classics. Greece’s ancient period goes back to around 800-600 B.C., to the time of some of the Greek Classical authors such as Homer (who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey), as well as Greek philosophers such as Socrates and Plato (who wrote The Republic). Greece’s classical period runs from around the 5th to 4th centuries B.C., covering philosophers such as Aristotle. The early Greeks had some success repelling the Persians from progressing further west.