CLEP Western Civ I

Answer: A - The Hebrew Exodus from Israel occurred around 720 BCE when the Assyrians expelled many of the Hebrew people from Israel. There were originally 12 Hebrew tribes in Israel, but 10 disappeared from the historical record following the expulsion, leading to their collective recognition as the Ten Lost Tribes. Ultimately, the remaining Hebrews were able to return to Israel after the Persians overthrew the Neo-Babylonians around 540 BCE. The Ten Lost Tribes became a somewhat mythical group in the centuries since their expulsion and disappearance from the official historical record, believed to be the ancestors of various ethnic groups and religious sects.