Editing Hebron (section)

===Classic antiquity===
After the destruction of the [[First Temple]], most of the Jewish inhabitants of Hebron were exiled, and according to the conventional view,<ref>{{harvnb|Carter|1999|pp=96–99}} Carter challenges this view on the grounds that it has no archeological support.</ref> some researchers found traces of [[Edom]]ite presence after the 5th–4th centuries BCE, as the area became [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid province]],<ref>{{harvnb|Lemaire|2006|p=419}}</ref> and, in the wake of [[Alexander the Great]]'s conquest, Hebron was throughout the [[Hellenistic period]] under the influence of Idumea (as the new area inhabited by the Edomites was called during the [[Yehud medinata|Persian]], [[History of ancient Israel and Judah#Hellenistic period|Hellenistic]] and [[Judea (Roman province)#Judea as Roman province(s)|Roman]] periods), as is attested by inscriptions for that period bearing names with the Edomite God [[Qaus|Qōs]].<ref>{{harvnb|Jericke|2003|p=19}}.</ref> Jews also appear to have lived there after the return from the [[Babylonian exile]] ({{bibleverse|Nehemiah|11:25}}). During the [[Maccabean revolt]], Hebron was burnt and plundered by [[Judas Maccabeus|Judah Maccabee]] who fought against the Edomites in 167 BCE.<ref>{{harvnb|Josephus|1860|p=334}} [[Josephus Flavius]], ''[[Antiquities of the Jews]]'', Bk. 12, ch.8, para.6.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Duke|2010|pp=93–94}} is sceptical.'This should be considered a raid on Hebron instead of a conquest based on subsequent events in the book of I Maccabees.'</ref> The city appears to have long resisted [[Hasmoneans|Hasmonean dominance]], however, and indeed as late as the [[First Jewish–Roman War]] was still considered [[Idumean]].<ref>{{harvnb|Duke|2010|p=94}}</ref>

[[File:Cave of the Patriarchs, Hebron 2007.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.15|[[Cave of the Patriarchs]]]]The present day city of Hebron was settled in the valley downhill from Tel Rumeida at the latest by Roman times.<ref>{{harvnb|Jericke|2003|p=17}}:'Spätestens in römischer Zeit ist die Ansiedlung im Tal beim heutigen Stadtzentrum zu finden'.</ref> [[Herod the Great]], king of Judea, built the wall that still surrounds the [[Cave of the Patriarchs]]. During the [[First Jewish–Roman War]], Hebron was captured and plundered by [[Simon Bar Giora]], a leader of the [[Zealots]], without bloodshed. The "little town" was later laid to waste by [[Vespasian]]'s officer [[Sextus Vettulenus Cerialis]].<ref>{{harvnb|Josephus|1860|p=701}} Josephus, ''[[The Jewish War]]'', Bk 4, ch. 9, p. 9.</ref> [[Josephus]] wrote that he "slew all he found there, young and old, and burnt down the town". After the suppression of the [[Bar Kokhba revolt]] in 135 CE, innumerable Jewish captives were sold into slavery at Hebron's [[Mamre|Terebinth]] slave-market.<ref>{{harvnb|Schürer|Millar|Vermes|1973|p=553 n.178}} citing [[Jerome]], ''in Zachariam'' 11:5; ''in Hieremiam'' 6:18; ''Chronicon paschale.''</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Hezser|2002|p=96}}.</ref>

The city was part of the [[Byzantine Empire]] in [[Palaestina Prima]] province at the [[Diocese of the East]]. The Byzantine emperor [[Justinian I]] erected a Christian church over the Cave of Machpelah in the 6th century CE, which was later destroyed by the [[Sassanid]] general [[Shahrbaraz]] in 614 when [[Khosrau II]]'s armies besieged and took Jerusalem.<ref>{{harvnb|Norwich|1999|p=285}}<!-- check Peng ed  p. 285 (1988)--></ref> Jews were not permitted to reside in Hebron under Byzantine rule.<ref name="Scharfstein 124">{{harvnb|Scharfstein|1994|p=124}}.</ref> The sanctuary itself however was spared by the Persians, in deference to the Jewish population, who were numerous in the [[Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628|Sassanid army]].<ref name="Salaville 1910 185">{{harvnb|Salaville|1910|p=185}}</ref>