Palestine on his way to Egypt; Judah probably escaped actual invasion, again because of its out-of-the-way position. Alexander’s empire lasted only a decade. In 323 he died, and his generals fought over his empire. The area north of Palestine was then ruled by Seleucus and his descendants; Egypt, to the south, was controlled by the Ptolemies. Judah found itself a buffer state. Assyria and Babylon had attempted to crush the national aspirations of conquered peoples by transporting their people, while