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OUTLINES OF JEWISH HISTORY
* * * * * *
SOME PRESS NOTICES
OF
ABOUT THE JEWS SINCE BIBLE TIMES.
BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
‘Her history impresses us with a sense of truthfulness and of fairness
quite exceptional.’――THE ACADEMY.
‘A very readable and popular account of most things that ought to be
known about the chosen people in their later development.’――SATURDAY
REVIEW.
‘The result of careful study, and written with candour and
moderation.’――PALL MALL GAZETTE.
‘A model of sober-minded terseness.... That freshness adds to the
pleasure with which this useful and instructive book is sure to be
read.’――GRAPHIC.
‘A book that should achieve deserved popularity.’――WESTMINSTER REVIEW.
‘Conscientiously written, and contains much information. Several
portions are notably good.’――THE WORLD.
‘An eloquent and brilliant work of its kind.’――GLASGOW HERALD.
‘Pleasantly and impartially written.... We sincerely hope that
Mrs. MAGNUS will execute her intention of carrying on the history
of the Jews to the present day.’――JOURNAL OF EDUCATION.
‘Mrs. MAGNUS ... writes with considerable breadth. Her chapters are
full of interest. Her estimates of Jewish character and of the causes
of national pursuits and characteristics are very suggestive.’――BRITISH
QUARTERLY REVIEW.
‘The Authoress is never unfair, even when the most melancholy tales
of spoliation and grief are being told by her. She has succeeded in
treating a very difficult subject with more than the profundity and
exactitude that are the attributes of a solid history writer.’――PUBLIC
OPINION.
‘A clear, spirited, and on the whole a fairly impartial
narrative.... Taken altogether ... combine to form a work of rare
interest.’――SCOTSMAN.
‘A distinct gain to general knowledge on the subject of the
Jews.’――JEWISH WORLD.
‘Even after making all deductions, we must pronounce Mrs. MAGNUS’
history to be above all praise, and we trust that she will continue
it down to the present day.’――JEWISH CHRONICLE.
‘To do the lady justice, she has succeeded where even Dean MILMAN
has failed in making Jewish history interesting to the general
reader. We have read it through from cover to cover with unflagging
interest.’――THE LITERARY WORLD.
‘As interesting as a book of adventures or a novel, and much more
profitable.’――MODERN REVIEW.
* * * * * *
OUTLINES OF JEWISH HISTORY
B.C. 586 to C.E. 1885
* * * * * *
_NOTE._
_The late Jacob Abraham Franklin bequeathed by Will to five Trustees
the sum of Five Thousand Pounds for the promotion of certain objects
in connexion with the Advancement of Judaism._
_One of these objects was the publication of religious treatises and
text-books._
_The Trustees, believing the present work to be in accord with the
views of the benevolent Testator, defray the cost of its publication._
* * * * * *
OUTLINES OF JEWISH HISTORY
FROM B.C. 586 TO C.E. 1885
With Three Maps
by
THE AUTHOR OF
‘ABOUT THE JEWS SINCE BIBLE TIMES’
Revised by M. Friedländer, Ph.D.
London
Longmans, Green, and Co.
1886
All rights reserved
_For ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord_
TO THE DEAR MEMORY
OF
EDWARD JANVERIN EMANUEL
PREFACE.
THESE Outlines of Jewish History are the result of a proposal which
was made to me, some two years back, by the administrators of the
Jacob Franklin Trust, to write a book which should tell the history
of the Jews from Biblical times to the present day, in a form which
should fit it for use in schools and homes. A right of reference to
Dr. Friedländer, the learned Principal of Jews’ College, was one of the
privileges of my commission, and the bringing to him of all my doubts
and difficulties for decision has proved not only an advantage to my
book, but a pleasure to me.
The trouble I have had in endeavouring to keep the book simple enough
for youthful readers, suggests the possible presence of a weak point,
and tempts me to forestall criticism by urging that I have, at least,
been mindful on this head, and have patiently done my best. But so
complicated a history, and so advanced a civilisation as that of
the Jews, is not quite susceptible of entirely simple treatment.
‘They stained their bodies with a plant called woad’ is a perfectly
comprehensive if somewhat bald bit of history, ‘adapted to the use
of schools,’ anent the ancient Britons. ‘In their schools they laid
the foundations for the Mishnah’ would be a correct contemporaneous
statement concerning the ancient Jews, but one that hardly lends itself
to such comfortable brevity and simplicity of style. I can only plead
that I have told the whole sad, beautiful, ‘heroic history’ of my race
with the keenest sympathy; and I can only hope that the moral and the
meaning of it all, which are so very clear to me, may be found to shine
out between the lines.
KATIE MAGNUS.
_July 1886._
_DATES OF CHIEF EVENTS AND CHIEF PEOPLE._
B.C.E.
Return from Babylon 536
Dedication of Second Temple 516
Institution of Purim 473
Judea under Egyptian rule 320
Simon I., the Just; high priest 310
The Septuagint translation made 240
Judea is conquered by Syria 203
Antiochus IV., Epiphanes, King of Syria 175‒163
Institution of Hanucah 164
Judea an independent state 141
The Idumeans are conquered, and forced to accept 120
Judaism
Judas Aristobulus, the first Jewish king 106
Civil war between the brothers Hyrcanus II. and 70
Aristobulus
Pompey in Jerusalem 63
Herod I. becomes King of Judea 37
Hillel I. president of the Sanhedrin 30
The Temple rebuilt by Herod 20
C.E.
Judea a Roman province 7
Origin of the Christian religion 37
Philo, Jewish philosopher in Alexandria 40
Fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple 70
Jochanan ben Zakkai establishes a college at Jamnia 70
The Pentateuch is translated into Chaldee by Onkelos, 130
and the whole Bible into Greek by Akylos
The Jews rise under Barcochba against the Romans 133‒135
Akiba dies 135
Compilation of the Mishnah by Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi 190
Colleges founded in Babylonia by Rab and Samuel 219
The Jerusalem Talmud compiled 320
Hillel II. fixes the Jewish calendar (at present 360
in use)
The Babylonian Talmud completed 500
A Jewish kingdom in Yemen 500
First Gaon in Sura, Mar Isaac 658
Origin of the vowel signs and accents in Hebrew 650
The Arabs conquer Spain 711
The Chazars embrace Judaism 740
Development of Karaism 761
Saadia of Fajum, philosopher and theologian 892‒942
Foundation of colleges by Babylonian scholars in
Western countries 950
Hai, the last of the Gaonim 998‒1038
Solomon Gabirol 1037‒1070
Rashi (Rabbi Solomon Yitschaki) 1040‒1105
Beginning of the Crusades and of the persecutions 1096
of the Jews in Europe
Moses ibn Ezra 1070‒1139
Judah ha-Levi 1085‒1145
Abraham ibn Ezra 1092‒1167
Moses Maimonides 1135‒1204
Benjamin of Tudela, traveller 1165‒1173
Persecution of Jews in England under Richard I. 1189
The writings of Maimonides burnt at Paris 1233
The Jewish Parliament summoned by Henry III. 1240
Copies of the Talmud burnt at Paris 1242
Expulsion of Jews from England 1290
Jacob Asheri completes the religious code called 1340
the Four Turim
Persecution of Jews in Europe in consequence of the 1349
Black Death
Don Isaac Abarbanel 1437‒1509
The first Hebrew books printed 1475
Inquisition against the Marannos 1480
Expulsion of the Jews from Spain 1492
Expulsion of the Jews from Portugal 1497
The first ghetto in Venice 1516
Reuchlin for the Talmud, Pfefferkorn against it 1506‒1516
First complete edition of the Talmud printed 1520
Spanish Jews settle in Holland 1591
Manasseh ben Israel 1604‒1657
Sabbatai Zevi 1626‒1676
Baruch Spinoza 1632‒1677
Slaughter of Jews in Poland by the Cossacks under 1648
Chmielnicki
Manasseh ben Israel came to England 1655
First Portuguese synagogue in London 1656
First German synagogue in London 1692
Moses Mendelssohn born 1729
The edict of Joseph II., Emperor of Austria 1782
Moses Montefiore born 1784
Frederick William II. of Prussia abolishes the 1787
‘Leibzoll’
The Jews in France emancipated 1791
Jews admitted to the freedom of the City of London 1832
The Jews’ civil disabilities in England removed 1845
Persecution of Jews in Damascus: Professor Theodore’s 1840
letter on same
D. Salomons elected M.P. for Greenwich 1851
Jewish Oath Bill passed 1858
CONTENTS.
_BOOK I._
B.C. 586 TO A.C. 70.
IN THE SHADOW OF THE SWORD.
CHAPTER I.
THE JEWS IN BABYLON.
1. Babylonian Exiles
2. Persian Conquest of Babylon
3. The Influences of the Exile
4. How Cyrus’s Permission was received
5. The End of the Exile