Page "Second Temple" Paragraph 2

The accession of Cyrus the Great of Persia in 538 BCE made the re-establishment of the city of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the Temple possible.

According to the Bible, when the Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem following a decree from Cyrus the Great ( Ezra 1: 1-4, 2 Chron 36: 22-23 ), construction started at the original site of Solomon's Temple, which had remained a devastated heap during the approximately 70 years of captivity ( Dan.

9: 1-2 ).

After a relatively brief halt due to opposition from peoples who had filled the vacuum during the Jewish captivity ( Ezra 4 ), work resumed c. 521 BCE under the Persian King Darius ( Ezra 5 ) and was completed during the sixth year of his reign ( c. 518 / 517 BCE ), with the temple dedication taking place the following year.