Introduction

Key Points

• This special issue aims to explore how ancient Jews remembered and represented their interactions with the Achaemenid Empire.
• Review of historical texts and artifacts
• Analysis of cultural narratives
• Interdisciplinary approaches from history and religious studies
• Identification of key themes in ancient Jewish memories of Persia
• Emphasis on cultural transmission and memory construction
• Insights into the socio-political context of Achaemenid rule