February 17

1411: Musa
Celebi became Sultan of the Ottoman Empire which turned out well for a portion
of the Jewish population because during his reign the small Jewish community of
Manisa grew in size and wealth after it had been conquered by the Ott…

February
13

515 BCE (3rd of Adar, 3245): Completion of the
construction of the Second Temple at Jerusalem.

996: Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim who “ordered…Jews
to wear wooden calves around their necks” began his reign today.

1130: The Papacy of Honorius I…

February 4

211: The reign
of Septimius Servus, the Roman emperor who outlawed conversions to both Judaism
and Christianity in an attempt to unify his crumbling empire, came to an end.

362: Roman
Emperor Julian promulgates an edict that recognizes equ…

February 2

450: Birthdate
of Justin I during whose reign as Byzantine Emperor the Beth Alpha synagogue
was built “at the foot of the northern slopes of the Mt. Gilboa near Beit
She’an.

506: Alaric II, eighth king of the Visigoths
promulgated The Brev…

January 15

588 BCE: 
On the secular calendar, Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem
under Zedekiah’s reign. The siege lasts until July 18, 586 BCE 

69: Servius
Sulpicius Galba 6th emperor of Rome (68-69) was killed by Praeto…

January 14

83 BCE:
Birthdate of Marcus Antonius, who is better known as Mark Antony (often
pronounced Anthony).  Mark Antony is credited by some with recognizing
Herod as a Jewish leader and elevating him accordingly.  Later, he would
side w…