Introduction to Selected Ancient Profiles

Quick Index
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, XYZ,

I have interpreted information from a variety of sources to create these profiles. These are simply attempts to catalog my own evolving understanding of important individuals from the times before and during the composition and copying of the Dead Sea Scrolls. All of it is subject to change without warning, of course. Constructing these profiles is just one of the steps along the steep learning curve of this topic.

Selected Ancient Profiles

Quick Index
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, XYZ,

- A -

'Agrippa, King'

By 41 CE both Galilee and Judaea had been transferred to King Agrippa, reuniting Palestine for the first time since 6 CE under a single non-Roman monarch (even though he was a puppet king of Rome).

Apostles, The Twelve

Peter (Simon), John, James, Andrew (Peter's brother), Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot party member, and Judas son of James. Matthais was chosen following the resurrection and ascension to replace Judas Iscariot who "turned traitor and deserted the cause." It may be remembered that Barsabbas, also known as Justus, was the one not selected in the two-way drawing that selected Matthias to complete the twelve.

- B -

bar Kochba or bar Kokhba, Simeon

Also called Simeon ben Kozibah. Leader of the revolt in Judaea between 132 and 135 CE. Two letters signed by him were discovered among the documents found by Joseph Saad in the caves in Wâdi Murabba^cat in October 1951. He recaptured Jerusalem from the Romans and held it for two years, but eventually lost to the superior forces of the besieging Roman Army

ben Yair, Eliezer

Leader of the rebels who occupied Masada prior to its fall in 74 CE.

In Genesis 5:21-23 Enoch is taken to heaven without dying. He later became the subject of many legends, and is the main character in the Book of Enoch, in which he reports on what he learned during his visits to heaven.

- F -

Flavius Josephus ca. 37 - 100 CE

Jewish historian who defined and described the characteristics of the three existing Jewish orders: the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes; for example, he reported that those Essene men who chose to marry were primarily concerned about their wives' morality.

- G -

- H -

Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee

Exiled to the Pyrenees in 39 CE. This event is not mentioned in any of the biblical accounts of the time. Cited here as an example of the inadequacy of the biblical record for tying historical and biblical time lines together.

- I -

- J -

James

Brother of Jesus. His dispute with Paul (Saul of Tarsus) may have precipitated the formulation of the new religion subsequently known as Christianity.

John the Baptist

Probably an Essene teacher. His mother, Jesus' maternal aunt, Elizabeth, was married to a priest of the Temple; thereby giving both men Sadducee connections.

Josephus, Flavius (37 CE - c. 100 CE)

Jewish historian of a priestly family. He was a priest appointed to be the general in charge of the defense of Galilee during the First Revolt of the Jews against Rome . He was not a distinguished military leader. He was taken prisoner after his surrender to Vespasian. He was released from prison, so the story goes, after correctly predicting that Vespasian would become emperor (July 69 CE). After witnessing the complete defeat of the Jewish forces from the Roman Side of the battles, he was eventually given a home in Rome, land in Palestine which he never again visited, and a pension. In Rome he wrote histories of the Jews based on his own experience and the writing of his predecessors.

When he became a Roman citizen, he took the name of the emperor to whom he owed his grant of citizenship, Flavius Vespasianus (Vespasian), and Josephus, son of Matthias, became Flavius Josephus.

His surviving works include the Antiquitates Judaicae ('The Jewish Archaeology'), the Bellum Judaicum ('The Jewish War', or 'The History of the Roman War against the Jews'), Vita ('My Life'), and In Apionem (also known as Contra - 'Concerning the Antiquity of the Jews').

He identified the Essenes in his Antiquities as one of the three main sects of the Jews in Palestine during the Second Temple Period; the others being the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

One of the early Christian theologians and commentators (ca. 185-235 CE) noted for his extensive scholarly writings and biblical commentaries. He also claimed to have discovered a cache of documents stored in a jar near Jericho that he sites in some of his biblical translations and commentaries. This suggests that the cache found at Qumran is only part of a larger cache of manuscripts hidden throughout the Judaean Wilderness; an idea that further undermines the contention that all the Dead Sea Scrolls were written by an isolated sect living and working only at Qumran.

- P -

Paul (Saul of Tarsus)

The first Christian missionary. Because he was the first to recruit non-Jews, he can in some sense be credited, if a credit it is, with separating the early Christian Church from Judaism. It is not clear if he did this on his own in contravention of the instructions of his Church leaders, or whether this was a group effort. What is clear from the history of Paul contained in the Acts of the Apostles is that he was not always on good terms with his superiors, not even with James, who is the "Lord's Brother" was head of the entire church.

Philo Judaeus; Philo of Alexandria

Jewish philosopher, biblical exegete, and historian (ca. 20 BCE - 40 CE); a native of Alexandria, Egypt. His writing are an important source of information about the lives and thoughts of upper-class Jews, particularly in the Roman Diaspora. He was a personal witness to events taking place in Palestine and he is one who asserts (ca. 20 CE) that the Essenes were the most peaceful of men.

Pliny the Elder ca. 23 - 79 CE

Upper class Roman historian who wrote about the Essenes and identified their location in his Natural History as the western Dead Sea area above En Gedi. He estimates the entire population of Essenes in Palestine at several thousand. Apparently, he did not actually visit Judaea himself, but relied on unknown sources for his information about the topography and events which he records. He places them by the Dead Sea above En Gedi. This does not necessarily mean north of En Gedi. The hills go up to the West from En Gedi as indeed they do from all the major sites on the western shore of the Dead Sea.

Simon the Maccabee

Younger brother of Judas and Jonathan who took over the revolt after Jonathan's death (142-135 BCE). During his reign, Judaea was granted self-government and freedom from tribute by the Seleucid Empire.

- T -

Titus

Roman general, son of Vespasian, who was responsible for the siege of Jerusalem during the First Revolt. He later succeeded his father as Emperor (79-81 CE).

- U -

- V -

Vespasian (Flavius Vespasianus)

Roman general who was sent to Palestine to put down the First Revolt. He succeeded in conquering Galilee and much of Judaea, but when forced to return to Rome to assume the role of Emperor (70-79 CE), he left the capture of Jerusalem to his son Titus.

- W -

- X, Y, Z -

Zoroaster

Persian religious leader (also called Zarathustra), lived ca. 600 BCE. (?) founded Zoroastrianism, a religion whose central belief is the eternal struggle between Good and Evil, or Truth and Falsehood.

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