According to John S. Evans, the four kingdoms of Daniel should be identified with: (1) Neo-Babylonia, (2) Medo-Persia, (3) Alexander's Greece and his successors, and (4) the Roman Empire. He identifies the "little horn" in Dan 7 with the Roman emperor Vespasian, whereas the "little horn" in Dan 8 is understood as the Syrian king Antiochus IV. (So much for being consistent!)
Evans' (or, indeed, any) attempt to identify the fourth kingdom in the Book of Daniel with the Roman Empire has to be rejected for the following reasons:
(a) It is in conflict with the internal (or intratextual) evidence of Daniel.
(b) It is in conflict with the rest of the Bible (viz. the intertextual evidence).
(c) It is in conflict with the ANE background.
In addition, there are some exegetical problems (at least from a Christian point of view). I'll deal with them after I have dealt with (a)–(c).
To be continued here.
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