Monday, December 28  10:30 a.m.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE HELLENIZATION OF ANCIENT ISRAEL.

BAILA MILLER

This lecture presents critical moments in Jewish History beginning with the building of The First Temple around 1,000 BCE and continues through the year 164 BCE. This expansive period included the destruction of the First Temple by King Nebuchadnezzar II and its rebuilding during the reign of Cyrus the Great. It continues with the vast conquests of Alexander the Great and the Seleucid Empire that succeeded Alexander. Most of the presentation will focus on the expansion of Alexander the Great

throughout Asia and Northeastern Africa. Alexander’s strategy was to assimilate disparate nationalities

and religions under one umbrella which he called Hellenism. Many urbanized Jews embraced Greek culture

and lived easily with a hybrid Judeo-Greek world view. However, country Jews like the Maccabees saw

Greek influences in their lives as an affront to the purity of their faith. This conflict resulted in warfare.

Baila Miller completed Bachelor’s, Master’s degree, and post graduate work at The University of Memphis. Through her company, Miller Music and Fine role literature, paintings, architecture, sculpture, cinema, photography, as well as, Arts Programs, she has been presenting college level courses that explore the of orchestral and operatic influences in the development of European, Jewish, and modern American culture. Ms. Miller has taught or is currently teaching at The University of Memphis, Road Scholar International, ACE Adult & Community Enrichment, Longboat Key Education Center, The Venice Art Center, Historic Spanish Point, and The Ringling College of Art & Design.