Second Temple Completed
The returned exiles, led by the governor Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua, completed construction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem around 516 BC after a period of opposition and delay. This event followed the decree of Persian king Cyrus that ended the Babylonian exile, allowing Jewish captives to return and restore their homeland. The Temple's dedication enabled the resumption of daily sacrifices and religious festivals central to Jewish covenant life. In Scripture, the completion is detailed in Ezra 6 and affirmed by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah as a sign of God's faithfulness to his promises of restoration after seventy years of judgment.
Meanwhile in the World
Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar conquers the known world, then falls to Persia under Cyrus the Great (539 BC). Greece enters its Classical period - Socrates, Plato, the Parthenon. Rome becomes a republic. The Persian Empire creates the Royal Road and standardized coinage.