Alexander the Great

After Alexander the Great died of a fever in 323 BC at the age of 33, his Macedonian generals divided up the spoils among themselves. Although they had been skilled at war, they were, in most cases, inexcusably inept when it came to political governance and social reform. It was only a matter of time before their descendants began to do battle with one another for control of the lands that they had inherited.

Shortly after my return to Mount Carmel, the storm clouds began to gather again. When Hellenistic culture was enforced upon the Jews, the resulting political tension gradually increased until finally in 167 BC it culminated in the Maccabean revolt.

Eventually an independent Jewish state was established in 142 BC, governed by the Hasmonian dynasty. One of the descendants of this dynasty was King Herod, who is known in your New Testament account.

Much of the impetus that later created the Jewish Zealots and spurred the conservative fundamentalism of the Qumran Essenes derived from this divisive revolt, which was further amplified by the presence of conquering Roman soldiers and governors. It was within this context of political ferment that I settled into my life’s daily routine in Carmel.

Anna, grandmother of Jesus