" He led Israel through a time of testing that developed a sense of hope and a yearning for the promised Messiah. He brought the four nations prophesied in Daniel’s vision to international prominence: the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans. These powerful kingdoms spread their cultures throughout civilization and united the world by means of paved highways and international sailing routes. God also prepared to fulfill His promise to the serpent in Eden: "

― Angela Elwell Hunt , Egypt's Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra (The Silent Years, #1)