Jews flee Egypt and live in the desert
1200 BCE
C. 722 BCE
Assyrian Empire conquers Israel
800 BCE
1000 BCE
c. 900 BCE
Kingdom of Israel splits into two
What date on the timeline marks the beginning of the Jewish Diaspora?
(1 point
O c. 1200 BCE
O c. 900 BCE
• C. 722 BCE
587 BCE
The beginning of the Jewish Diaspora is most closely associated with two key historical events: the conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrian Empire around 722 BCE and the later destruction of the southern kingdom of Judah and the First Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587 BCE.
While the conquest by the Assyrians did lead to the dispersion of the ten tribes of Israel, it is the Babylonian conquest and the subsequent Babylonian Exile that is often most strongly identified with the beginning of the Jewish Diaspora. The reason for this is that after the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah and the destruction of the Temple, many Jews were taken into captivity in Babylon, and the concept of living as a Jewish community outside of their ancestral homeland became a defining element of Jewish history.
While both events are significant, the specific term "Diaspora" is traditionally most directly tied to the events following the Babylonian conquest in 587 BCE. However, if we strictly follow the options provided in your list, and since 587 BCE is not offered as an option:
• c. 722 BCE
is the closest choice offered, marking the earlier dispersal following the Assyrian conquest of Israel.