Alexander the Great - Joann Fletcher TV - Mysteries of the Bible TV - Richard Miles TV - Empires Special: The Greeks TV - Michael Scott TV - 300 Spartans: The Last Stand TV - Ezra 1:1&2 - Esther 2:7-9 - Esther 2:17 - Esther 4:3&4 - Esther 4:15-17 - Esther 5:1-4 - Esther 8:11-13 - Esther 9:12-14 - Daniel 6:1&3&4&10&16&20&28 - Daniel 11:2&7&8&15&37&40 - I Esdras 2:2-4 - I Esdras 2:10-12 - I Esdras 3:1&2 - I Esdras 7:4-8 - I Maccabees 1:1 - II Chronicles 36:20-23 -
Youths of the Pellaians and of the Macedonians and of the Greek Amphictiony and of the Lakedaimonians and of the Corinthians ... and of all the Greek peoples, join your fellow-soldiers and entrust yourselves to me, so that we can move against the barbarians and liberate ourselves from the Persian bondage, for as Greeks we should not be slaves to barbarians. Alexander the Great, Pseudo-Kallisthenes, Historia Alexandri Magni
The Persians were ruthless expansionists. Immortal Egypt with Joann Fletcher IV, BBC 2016
One woman’s fight to save her people from the first threat of genocide in recorded history. Mysteries of the Bible s2e5: Queen Esther: Far Away and Long Ago, A&E 1995
As a Jew living in exile Esther must have felt like an outsider in the majestic foreign culture of the Persian capital at the apex of its power. ibid.
One of the most controversial books in the Bible. ibid.
How much of the Esther story is true? How much merely a legend? ibid.
Many scholars however disagree: they believe ancient Rabbis deliberately excluded the Book of Esther from the Dead Sea Scrolls. ibid.
It was said that after the Persian Wars Sparta slept. Richard Miles, Ancient Worlds III: The Greek Thing, BBC 2011
To the east lay the Persians. Empires Special: The Greeks: Crucible of Civilisation: Revolution, PBS 2000
Athens will be pitted against the greatest power of the day – the tyrannical Persian Empire in a contest spread across land and sea that will last over a decade. Empires Special: The Greeks: Crucible of Civilisation II: Golden Age
The Athenians abandoned their city and took to their ships leaving only a few men barricaded on the Acropolis. The Persians ransacked the city. Michael Scott, Ancient Greece: The Greatest Show on Earth I: Democrats, BBC 2013
Perecles’ play: The Persians [luxurious and decadent]. Michael Scott, Guilty Pleasures I: Luxury in Ancient Greece: Nothing in Excess BBC 2013
In the narrow Thermopylae pass in northern Greece 7,000 ancient Greek soldiers await an onslaught of epic proportions. They will soon face the largest fighting force ever assembled at the time. Nearly 300,000 soldiers of the mighty Persian Empire. Leading the Greeks are 300 of the most ferocious warriors of the ancient world: the Spartans ... Modern estimates suggest about 300,000 strong. But others believe it may have been as high as 2,000,000. 300 Spartans: The Last Stand, History 2007
Leonidas chose his finest warriors, but only those who had fathered sons to ensure their bloodline would survive. ibid.
By the time the Persians arrived at Thermopylae and Artemisium a year later the Greeks had added over a hundred additional ships to the fleet. But still the Persian fleet outnumbered the Greek fleet nearly six to one. Themistocles was about to discover whether his efforts to build the Athenian Navy had been in vain. ibid.
Both prepare for the second Persian attack. Xerxes sent in the hammer and fist of the Persian army, the silent and masked heavy infantry called the Immortals. ibid.
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Ezra 1:1&2
And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women. Esther 2:7-9
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. Esther 2:17
And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. Esther 4:3&4
Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. Esther 4:15-17
Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? And what is thy request? It shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. Esther 5:1-4
Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. Esther 8:11-13
And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is thy petition? And it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? And it shall be done.
Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.
And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons. Esther 9:12-14
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.