Chronicles in an (Un)Changing World: The ‘Persian Context’ in Biblical Studies

Robert Rollinger argues that Cyrus's conquest of Babylon in 53 9 BCE does not necessarily mean that a new ‘Persian’ epoch started. Continuity and change rather appear side-by-side. As such, it is difficult to define what is uniquely ‘Persian’ in this era. With this view Rollinger captures the present state of consensus regarding the Persian Empire. Although the Persian Empire displays numerous unique features, one should not ignore the continuities with customs and peoples of former imperial regimes, as well as its incorporation of a diversity of ethnic and cultural identities. These insights warn against an ‘over-interpretation’ of the uniqueness of the Persian period, a tendency which often emerges in biblical scholarship