There are three central periods that must be analyzed in order to evaluate the influence of Hellenization on Jewish history, up to the period of Roman invasion: the Ptolemaic period, the Seleucid period. and the Maccabean revolts, and the Hasmonean state. Each of these historical events shaped Jewish society and had a profound influence on the religious beliefs of many Jews. But it was the conquests of Alexander the Great that were the main catalyst for the process of Hellenization, a process that was embraced by many Jews and rejected by others. Overall, it was a process that contributed greatly to Jewish history until the Romans took matters into their own hands. The Ptolemaic period begins with Alexander the Great, who before his death in (323 BCE) had established a vast empire stretching from Macedonia to Persia. He then captured Egypt and Palestine to the south. As W Albright says, these conquests were the catalyst that led to the phenomenon known as Hellenization. Alexander wanted to export and impose Hellenistic culture on the rest of his empire. In (98 1 Macc. 1 20-4) we discover that once Alexander died, his empire was divided among his generals. Judea, the ancestral home of the Israelites, fell under the rule of the Egypt-based Ptolemaic ruler Ptolemy, under whose rule the Hellenization of Judea began. Jews who lived in Egypt were allowed to return to Palestine (Josephus Antiquities, chapter 2) and the Pentateuch was translated into Greek. (1 Macc. 15-15) Greek became the language used by officials, Greek money began to circulate, Greek art was exported, and interethnic marriage was encouraged, even enforced. The tax system was based on that of the Greeks. Some members of the upper class favored the Hellenization process because it benefited them in terms of power and money. Josephus explains this in Antiquities of the Jews, book 12, chapter IV, with the example of Joseph the tax collector who betrayed his people because he was attracted to Hellenistic ways. In biblical literature, we also find evidence of Hellenistic influence with the appearance of Greek words in the Old Testament. The Book of Wisdom is another good example of how Hellenistic influence changed the lives of many Jews. The Book of Wisdom was also an answer for a growing number of Israelites attracted by Hellenistic customs..