The Rise of Christianity in a Complex World

The ancient world was a melting pot of power and philosophy before Jesus ever stepped into history.

Alexander the Great's conquest spread Greek culture everywhere through Hellenization, fundamentally reshaping

how people thought and lived. His successors controlled vast territories. The Ptolemies ruled

Egypt while the Seleucids dominated Syria, both influencing Jewish life for

generations. Everything changed when Antiochus IV committed the ultimate sacrilege by desecrating

the Temple in Jerusalem. This horrific act sparked the Maccabean revolt, giving birth to

the Hasmonean Dynasty, an event we still celebrate today as Hanukkah. Meanwhile,

Jews scattered throughout the Diaspora encountered powerful new ideas. Stoicism taught self control and