The Babylonian kingdom is divided at this time between the Medes and the Persians. Esther was crowned Queen of Persia; however, she did not come to royal stature until sometime after 486 BCE. The Temple had been restored by that time and the first wave of Jews had been freed from captivity to live in Jerusalem. Many Jews were comfortable with their lives in Babylon and remained there until after the events in Esther when there was a second exodus from Persia back to Jerusalem.