he "four hundred silent years," the intertestamental period, about which the Bible gives no information. Here is a popularly written account of this period, an overview that explains the forces that shaped the world in the centuries immediately preceding the birth of Christ. Both the Persian and Hellenistic eras are covered in broad but informative strokes, and special attention is given to the status and problems of Jews during these periods. After reading this work, Bible students will have gained a deepened understanding of the world towhich Christ came "in the fullness of time."