The Hellenistic Period The Hellenistic and the Hasmonean periods (332 – 63 BCE) left few remains to visit. The story of the independent Jewish Kingdom (140 – 63 BCE) ruled by the Hasmonean dynasty is intriguing. They expanded their control from Jerusalem to almost the entire land of Israel and parts of Transjordan. The Hasmoneans’ independence came to an end by the Roman conquest of Judea led by Pompey in 63 BCE, which brought Judea into the Roman sphere of influence. The vassal kings of the Hasmoneans were replaced by King Herod in 37 BCE. Most of the Hasmonean constructions were rebuilt by King Herod, and his legacy is what remains visible. The Herodian Period Herod the Great was nominated as the Roman client king of Judea. Herod, an Edomite who converted to Judaism, was known as the big builder of the Land of Israel. He introduced Roman technologies and architectures and built the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, an enormous harbor in Caesarea, and a large monument at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Herod also built: aqueducts, theaters, amphitheaters, hippodromes, palaces, and temples in Caesarea, Samaria, Jerusalem, Jericho, Herodium, and Omrit. Herod also reconstructed the Hasmonean desert fortresses: Sartaba (Alexandrion), Kypros, Qarantal (Mt. of Temptation), Hyrcania, and Masada. Most of his architectural projects can be seen and visited with great wonder. The Roman Period The Roman Empire ruled the country for about an additional 250 years. During that time, Christianity had emerged despite the persecutions, while Judaism was accepted as a legitimate religion until the time of the Jewish revolts. The Great Revolt (66 – 73 AD), the Jewish Diaspora Revolt (the Kitos War, 115 – 117 AD), and the Bar Kochba Revolt (132 – 136 AD) changed the Jewish reality. Jerusalem was lost and was forbidden to Jews for centuries to come. The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, as were other Jewish strongholds such as Gamla, Gush Halav, Yodfat, Herodium, and Masada. Many of the Jews died or were exiled; others moved north to the new, expanding Jewish center in the Galilee. The unrest in the remote province of Judea (from then called the province of Palaestina) brought a disproportional number of Roman legions. The establishment of the Roman army resulted in the rebuilding of Jerusalem as the Roman city of Aelia Capitolina and the construction of roads, aqueducts, theaters, amphitheaters, hippodromes, public baths, temples, and military legion camps. The Roman landmarks can be seen today in Caesarea , Beit Govrin, Ashkelon , Beit Shean , Tiberias, Banias, Dor, Kadesh, Avdat , Hamat Gader, Zippori and many other places. The Byzantine Period During the 4 th century AD, the Christianity turned from a persecuted cult by the Roman Empire, into the only official religion of the replacing Byzantine Empire. The land of Jesus become the Holy Land and many churches were spreading all over the country and become a center for pilgrims. Most of the Byzantine churches were destroyed in 614 AD during the Persian Sasanian conquest and partially rebuilt short time before the Muslims invasion of 636 AD. The cities of Caesarea , Beit Shean , Zippori and Jerusalem as well as the Nabateans cities of Shivta , Avdat and Mamshit flourished during the Byzantine period. In all the cities mentioned above and in numerous other sites throughout the country, you can see examples of Byzantine churches and urban architecture.