Judah II.--Friendliness of Alexander Severus towards the Jews --Joshua ben Levi--Hillel instructs Origen in Hebrew--The _Hexapla_--The Palestinean Amoraïm--Chanina--Jochanan --Simon ben Lakish--Joshua, the Hero of Fable--Simlai, the Philosophical Agadist--Porphyry comments on the Book of Daniel _page_ 479 219-280 C. E. CHAPTER XIX. THE JEWS OF THE PARTHIAN EMPIRE. Increasing importance of the Jewish Community in Babylonia-- The Prince of the Captivity--The Babylonian Amoraim--Abba Areka (Rab) and his royal friend Artaban--Samuel and King Shabur--Important Political Changes under the Neo-Persians-- Anarchy in Rome--Zenobia and the Jews _page_ 503 219-279 C. E. CHAPTER XX. THE PATRIARCHATE OF GAMALIEL IV. AND JUDAH III. The Amoraim in Palestine--Ami and Assi--The Brothers Chiya and Simon Bar Abba in Tiberias--Abbahu in Cæsarea--The Emperor Diocletian--Complete Separation from the Samaritans --Character and Political Position of Abbahu--Huna in Babylonia--Chama's Generosity--Huna's Contemporaries and Successors--Judah ben Ezekiel--Chasda of Cafri--Mar Sheshet--Nachman bar Jacob--Zeïra _page_ 531 279-320 C. E. CHAPTER XXI. THE TRIUMPH OF CHRISTIANITY AND ITS RELATIONS TO JUDAISM. Hillel II.--His Calendar--Heads of Judæan Schools: Jonah, José, and Jeremiah--The Expansion of Christianity --Constantine--The Decadence of the Jewish Schools in Babylonia--The Pumbeditha School--Development of Talmudical Dialectics--The Persian Queen Ifra and her son Shabur II.-- The Emperor Julian--Favor shown towards the Jews--Proposed Rebuilding of the Temple--Roman Tolerance _page_ 559 320-375 C. E. CHAPTER XXII. THE LAST AMORAÏM. Decline of the Roman Empire--Ashi and the Redaction of the Talmud--Jezdijird II--The Jews under the Emperor Theodosius I and his successors--The extinction of the Patriarchate --Chrysostom and Ambrosius--Fanaticism of the Clergy-- Jerome and his Jewish Teachers--Mar Zutra--Fifth and Sixth Generations of Amoraïm--The Jews under Firuz--Jewish Colonies in India--Completion of the Babylonian Talmud--Its Spirit and Contents _page_ 604 375-500 C. E. HISTORY OF THE JEWS. CHAPTER I. JOHN HYRCANUS. The Crowning Point of the Period--War with Antiochus Sidetes--Siege of Jerusalem--Treaty of Peace--The Parthian War--Hyrcanus joins Antiochus--Successful campaigns of Hyrcanus against the Samaritans and Idumæans--The Idumæans forced to embrace Judaism--Destruction of the Samaritan Temple at Gerizim and of the Capital, Samaria--Internal Affairs--The Parties: Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes, their Rise and Constitution--Their Doctrines and their Relations to one another--The Synhedrion--Strained Relations between Hyrcanus and the Pharisees--Death of Hyrcanus.