From the Babylonian exile through the Hasmonean period

There are extensive literary sources and archaeological finds dating from the Second Temple period in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, the best and the most extensive of these relate to the Herodian period, from 37 bce until the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 70 ce. The earlier parts of the Second Temple period in Jerusalem, those periods under discussion here, enjoy less documentation and have benefitted to a lesser extent from new archaeological excavations and finds.