Revision of the author's thesis (doctoral)--New York University.

Some text in Ancient Greek and Aramaic.

Description based on print version record.

The wars that periodically engulfed the Levant in the fourth century temporarily pulled the ruling governors and satraps away from Judah, and during these times, the Judaean priesthood may have capitalized on the brief absence of Persian officials to mint coins, but they achieved their longed-for independence only much later, under the Maccabees."--Jacket.

"Lisbeth S. Fried's study investigates the impact of Achaemenid rule on the political power of local priesthoods during the 6th-4th centuries B.C.E. Scholars typically assume that, as long as tribute was sent to Susa, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire, subject peoples remained autonomous. Fried's work challenges this assumption. She examines the inscriptions, coins, temple archives, and literary texts from Babylon, Egypt, Asia Minor, and Judah and concludes that there was no local autonomy. The only people with power in the Empire were Persians and their appointees. This was true for Judah as well. The High Priest had no real power; there was no theocracy.

Biblical and Judaic studies from the University of California, San Diego ; v. 10

Introduction

Temple-palace relations in Babylonia

Temple-palace relations in Egypt

Temple-palace relations in Asia Minor

Temple-palace relations in Yehud

Conclusion

Appendix.

Religion and politics > Iran > To 640.

Iran > Politics and government > To 640.

Iran > History > To 640.

Iran > Politics and government.

Hochschulschrift.

History.