Ritorno e ricostruzione del Tempio (Esd 1–6)

Many details on the return of the Jews from Babylon, following the capture of power by Cyrus II, and on the reconstruction of the temple carried out by them, are shrouded in mystery. In this article, starting from the available sources, the author takes stock of those events, presenting the most concrete and likely outline, of what happened between the arrival of Sesbassàr and the reconstruction of the Temple. In particular, after a short overview on the sources of the early Persian period, the following aspects are examined: the politics of Cyrus, the mission of Sesbassàr, the return and the task of Zerubbabel, the opposition to the reconstruction works, the date of completion of the works, the importance of the Temple for returnees. From the picture offered, we can deduce a very close link between the return and the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem as well as the settlement of the returnees among the local populations. For the latter, having the Temple meant legitimizing their legal and religious status, being socially rooted in the territory and demonstrating their belonging to ancient Israel.