4. _Greek Period--330-167 B. C.:_ "After the victories of Alexander the Great over Persia, he took possession of Syria, allowing the Jews to retain self-government and their own religion; and when he built Alexandria, he invited thither many Jews, giving them equal rights with the rest of his subjects. On Alexander's death at an early age, his empire was divided amongst his four generals, and Syria was allotted to Egypt under Ptolemy Lagos, who transplanted many more Jews to the new colony at Alexandria (B. C. 320), and gave them many privileges, so that they built a temple [at Jerusalem], and restored the ritual of Solomon's time, until Alexandria became the center and metropolis of those Jews who had migrated to Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy, and who are called in the Acts of the Apostles "Grecians" ( Hellenists). They were more lax in morals, liberal in views, and less exclusive than the "Hebrews" of Jerusalem. They used the Greek language, and eventually (B. C. 285) accepted as their scripture the Septuagint translation, instead of the Hebrew original. It was at this period that Simon the Just was high priest at Jerusalem, and by his wise administration strengthened their position, and brought them peace and prosperity." 5. _The Maccabees--B. C. 198:_ "After a series of contests Palestine was taken from Egypt by Antiochus the Great, annexed to Syria, and divided into five provinces, viz., Judea, Samaria, Galilee (W. of Jordan), Peraea, and Trachonitis (E. of Jordan). From this time, owing to its position between the two great powers Egypt and Syria, this country became a frequent prey to both, until Antiochus Epiphanes took Jerusalem (B. C. 170), foully polluted the temple, and compelled the Jews to sacrifice to idols. He erected the statue of Jupiter on the altar of burnt-offering, committed all books of scripture to the flames, and prohibited the worship of God. The high priests, corrupted by Greek licentiousness, prepared the way for declension, and encouraged the adoption of foreign customs. But the attempt to finally stamp out Judaism produced a recoil. It culminated in the attempt of Antiochus to force the Jews publicly to eat the flesh of swine sacrificed on God's altar to the honor of Jupiter. One aged scribe refused, was followed by a mother and her seven sons, who all suffered martyrdom with the extremes of torture. This was followed by Mattathias, a priest of the Asmoaean family, who killed both a renegade Jew, when about to offer idolatrous sacrifice, and the royal officer who presided. Aided by his five sons, he rallied the faithful round him, threw down the heathen altars, fled to the mountains and raised the standard of liberty, on which were inscribed M. K. B. I., the initials of their Hebrew war-cry, Mi-Kamoka Baelim, Ihovah, 'Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?" (Exodus xv: 11), from which the insurgents got the name of 'Maccabees,' whence the eldest son