The Samaritans are a religious sect of ethnic Jews living near Mount Gerizim, Nablus, Hebron, and the West Bank in Israel. This community differs from mainstream Judaism by claiming that followers only accept the five books of Moses (Torah), and not the books of the Prophets or later texts. Referring to themselves as "keepers (guardians) of the Torah" (shomrei ha-torah), their rituals and practices are claimed to be the most ancient and valid of Jewish tradition. Hebrew shomerim may have led to the Latinized 'Samaritans'.
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Timeline
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950 BCESolomon builds the first Temple of Jerusalem.
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722 BCEIsrael is conquered by Assyria.
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586 BCEDestruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and exile of upper class Judeans.
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c. 167 BCEMaccabean Revolt frees Palestine from foreign rule and allows for rise of Hasmonean Dynasty.
