Proposed Chronology of the Postexilic Period BC

The following is a precursor to upcoming articles on the historical setting and literary integrity of Ezra-Nehemiah. Studies making dogmatic claims about specific dates during this period could have an underlying agenda, as data may be interpreted through the tainted lens of eschatological assumptions and preconceived conclusions about biblical prophecies, or a low view of biblical inspiration.¹ 

Having analyzed and compared numerous scholarly works with diverse interpretations of the evidence,² these dates are offered as provisional approximations, considering the scarcity, incompleteness, probable bias, and incongruity of ancient sources. Factored in are the brief reigns of unofficial and often overlooked Persian rulers, and the confusion of accession vs. regnal dating and periods of tumultuous uprisings prior to successors securing control of the empire.³

559            Cyrus begins reigning as king of the Elamite and Persian tribes of Anshan.

553-550     Cyrus gains control of Media and other smaller kingdoms to the west.

539            Cyrus gains control of Babylon and extends the Persian Empire.⁴

538            Cyrus permits Jews to return to their homeland; temple rebuilding begins but is delayed.⁵

530-522     Cambyses II.

522            Bardiya, a.k.a. Smerdis (or imposter Gaumata).

522-486     Darius I the Great.⁶

520-516     Temple rebuilding resumes and is completed.⁷

486-465     Xerxes I the Great (Ahasuerus of Esther).⁸

465-424     Artaxerxes I Longimanus.⁹

458/7         Ezra to Jerusalem.¹⁰

445/4         Nehemiah to Jerusalem, city wall completed.¹¹

432            Nehemiah leaves and then returns to Jerusalem.¹²

424/3         Xerxes II and Sogdianus.

423-404     Darius II Ochus/Nothus.¹³

404-359     Artaxerxes II Arses or Arsaces/Arsicas/Oarsēs, a.k.a. Mnēmōn.

358-338     Artaxerxes III Ochus. 

338-336     Artaxerxes IV Arses. 

336-330     Darius III Codomannus. 

330            Alexander the Great overthrows Persia.

Grecian dominance continues through the Intertestamental Period into the Roman era and the historical record of the New Testament.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ See K. L. Moore, “Daniel’s Prophecy of ’70 Weeks,’” Moore Perspective (10 March 2021), <Link>.

     ² Particularly helpful are the multi-authored and well-documented articles in Encyclopedia Iranica, including the research of Muhammad A. Dandamayev, Heleen Sanchisi-Weerdenburg, A. Shapur Shahbazi, and Rüdiger Schmitt; plus the contributions of R. J. Coggins, F. Charles Fensham, Jack Finegan, John E. Morby, Daan Nijssen, and John H. Walton.

     ³ The nation of Israel had reached the height of its glory when David ruled as king (1010-970 BC) and on into the reign of his son Solomon (970-931 BC). Israel’s downfall ensued as the nation divided (931 BC), the northern kingdom was conquered by the Assyrians (722 BC) and the southern kingdom by the Babylonians (597 BC), followed by seven decades of exile involving three major deportations in 597, 587, and 582 BC.

     ⁴ Isa. 44:28; 45:1. The postexilic period that follows is concurrent with the end of Daniel’s life (Dan. 1:21; 10:1) and the lives of Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah.

     ⁵ 2 Chron. 36:20-23; Ezra 1:1-8; 3:7; 4:3-5; 5:13-17; 6:3, 14.

     ⁶ Ezra 4:5, 24; 5:5-7; 6:1-15; Hag. 1:1, 15; 2:10; Zech. 1:1, 7; 7:1. He invaded Greece in 492 BC and was defeated in 490 BC at the Battle of Marathon. This is not “Darius the Mede” (Dan. 5:31; 6:1-9, 25, 28; 9:1; 11:1) and probably not “Darius the Persian” (Neh. 12:22) noted below.

     ⁷ Ezra 6:1-15. This inaugurated the historical period known as the Second Temple era that continued until the temple’s destruction in AD 70. 

     ⁸ Ezra 4:6; Esth. 1:1–8:12 (but not the Ahasuerus of Dan. 9:1). Xerxes I led an unsuccessful campaign against Greece 480-479 BC, during which the famous Battle of Thermopylae occurred where King Leonidas’ 300 Spartan soldiers fought to the death. The following year Grecian troops forced the retreat of the Persians.

     ⁹ Ezra 4:7-23; 6:14; 7:1-21; 8:1; Neh. 2:1; 5:14; 13:6.

     ¹⁰ Ezra 7:1–10:44.

     ¹¹ Neh. 2:7–6:16. 

     ¹² Neh. 13:6-31.

     ¹³ It is debated whether “Darius the Persian” (Neh. 12:22) is to be identified as Darius I (522-486 BC), Darius II (423-404 BC), or Darius III (336-330 BC). The latter would require editorial emendation or a much later date for Nehemiah, while Darius I would be a matter of historical record and Darius II within Nehemiah’s lifetime. Nehemiah traces the history of the first generation of returnees (vv. 1-9) and includes a concise genealogy up to his own time (vv. 10-11), goes back to the second generation (vv. 12-21), and then makes a summary statement about the third generation through to his own time (vv. 22-23), without explicit reference to the office of high priest (unnecessarily assumed by many commentators). In the immediate context, the reference to “Darius the Persian” more readily fits the reign of Darius II and is too late for Darius I and too early for Darius III. The section ends by briefly alluding to some in the second generation (v. 26a) and concludes in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (v. 26b).

Related Posts: Historical Background of the NT Part 2 and Part 3, Numerical Discrepancies in Ezra-Nehemiah, Who was Darius? 

Image credit: James Dabney McCabe (1842-1843), The Rebuilding of Jerusalem, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehemiah#/media/File:The_Rebuilding_of_Jerusalem.jpg>.