Ptolemaic Control

After Alexander the Great died in −323, his empire was divided among his generals. The Land of Israel came under the control of the Ptolemies, the Greek dynasty ruling from Egypt. During this period, Judea was often governed from Egypt and was influenced by Greek culture, but Jewish religious life continued. Many Jews also lived in Egypt, especially in Alexandria, which became a major Jewish center. According to tradition, this was the broader period connected with the Greek translation of the Torah, the Septuagint. Ptolemaic rule was generally less aggressive toward Judaism than the later Seleucid period, though Judea remained under foreign imperial control.