Alexander Jannaeus was the second king of the Hasmonean dynasty, who ruled over an expanding kingdom of Judaea from 103 to 76 BC. [Preceding the Heroidan Dynasty.]
EXCERPTS:
The kingdom of Alexander Jannaeus was the largest and strongest known Jewish State outside of biblical sources, having conquered most of Palestine's Mediterranean coastline and regions surrounding the Jordan River.
Alexander also had many of his subjects killed for their disapproval of his handling of state affairs. Due to his territorial expansion and interactions with his subjects, he was continuously embroiled with foreign wars and domestic turmoil.
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Battle of Gaza
Palestine was essentially the western leg of the Fertile Crescent, running north and south along the Eastern Mediterranean coastline. Parts of modern day Turkey and Syria at the north, and a bit of modern day Egypt at the south. And, some distance inland from the coast, into where modern day Jordan is.
The area was green and in some areas, lush, after the receding of a severe cold, almost ice age -like event, that left behind much water, a long time ago.
Ownership or titular control over the various lands and particularly portions thereof, changed hands well over 100 times since that severe cold spell. Most often, as a result of changes in generations - power being handed down to descendants. Otherwise, changing hands via conquest.
A place to start examining ancient history, and see a range of dynasties, kingdoms, and empires:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucid_Empire
Apologies, corrected:
Herodian Dynasty - beginning with King Herod the Great, who was alive when Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
Herod the Great died in 4 BC.
Thank you.
I always find it bizarre that some people deny the actual existence of a historical region called Palestine, as if doing so means they must therefore side with the claims of Hamas or Hezbollah over those of the current state of Israel.