Birth of Judaism

Article abstract: Judaism developed from the religion of ancient Israel following the Babylonian exile, with the impetus provided by the Persian policy of restoring local cults and codifying local laws.

Summary of Event

The English word “Judaism” is derived from a Greek word, ioudaïsmos, which appears for the first time in the Bible, in 2 Maccabees (see 2:21, 8:1, 14:38). There is no ancient Hebrew or Aramaic equivalent of this Greek word. Despite the origin of the term “Judaism” in the Hellenistic period, the phenomenon of Judaism is a...

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