Mary Buck

Mary Buck, a scholar of the Second Temple period, dives into the fascinating Achaemenid Empire, highlighting rulers like Cyrus the Great. She discusses Cyrus's policies that facilitated the Jewish return to Jerusalem and the construction of the Second Temple. The episode also explores Darius I’s consolidation of power, the grand architecture of Persepolis, and the impact of the Achaemenid administration on communication and trade. Buck emphasizes the empire's vast reach and its critical role in shaping biblical history.