Jesus appears to Saul this Sunday on A.D. The Bible Continues, 9/8c on NBC. | The Bible Series

At sunset on December 2, Jews around the world begin the celebration of Hanukkah. It’s a commemoration of the re-dedication of the temple during the second century BC, when Jews defeated the armies of the Seleucids in what's known as the Maccabean Revolt. | Museum of the Bible

"So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews." | National Bible Bee

The Seleucid Dynasty, founded by Seleucus I Nicator in 312 BCE after the death of Alexander the Great, initially flourished by controlling vast territories from the Aegean to the Indus River. The dynasty was known for its cultural syncretism, promoting Hellenistic culture throughout its regions. However, internal strife, succession crises, and external pressures, particularly from the Romans and Parthians, weakened its power. By the 2nd century BCE, the Seleucid Empire faced significant territor