After the death of King Solomon (the son and royal successor of King David), The United Kingdom of Israel split (see The Division Of Israel) into two kingdoms - The Southern Kingdom of "Judah," with their capital remaining at Jerusalem, and The Northern Kingdom of "Israel," with their new capital at Tirzah (see The Kings Of Tirzah) and then later at Samaria (see Baal's Samaria).
The northern kingdom of "Israel" lasted just over 200 years before they were conquered and taken away into exile by the Assyrian Empire (see The Galilee Captivity and Ancient Empires - Assyria). They never returned, and have become known to history as the "Lost Ten Tribes of Israel" (see The Gathering of Israel and Judah).
The southern kingdom of "Judah" lasted slightly over 300 years (i.e. Judah existed over a century longer than Israel) before they too were conquered and taken into exile, by the Babylonians (see Ancient Empires - Babylon). Unlike the northern kingdom however, a remnant of the southern kingdom was allowed to return and resettle Jerusalem (see Jeremiah's Field) in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, after the Babylonians were themselves conquered by the Persians under Cyrus the Great (see Ancient Empires - Persia; Persia is now known as Iran). Their descendants are known as the Jews of today (see alsoThe Origin Of The Essenes, Sadducees And Pharisees
