1. The concept. Early Judaism (sometimes called “late Judaism”, by comparison with classical ОТ times) is understood in various ways. As a period, it is sometimes taken to run from about the date of the composition of the Book of Daniel (c. 160 B.C.) to the end of the Jewish wars under the Emperor Hadrian (A.D. 140). Others take a longer period — from the time of the activity of Ezra and Nehemiah in Jerusalem (c. 450 B.C.) to the final formation of the Talmuds (c. A.D. 500). For others, early Jud…