Zealots facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zealots
קנאים
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| Founded | 6 CE |
| Dissolved | 73 CE |
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The Zealots were a group of people in ancient Judea during the 1st century. They were a political movement that wanted to inspire the Jewish people to fight against the Roman Empire. Their main goal was to force the Romans out of the Holy Land using military strength. They were especially active during the First Jewish–Roman War (66–70 CE).
The historian Josephus called the Zealots a "fourth sect" or "fourth Jewish philosophy." This means they were one of the main groups of Jewish people at that time, alongside the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.
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What Does "Zealot" Mean?
The word zealot comes from the Hebrew word kanai. This word means someone who is very passionate or "zealous" for God. In Greek, the word is zelotes, which means an "enthusiastic follower." So, a Zealot was someone who was very dedicated to their beliefs and their God.
History of the Zealots
According to the historian Josephus, the Zealots were started by Judas of Galilee around 6 CE. This happened when the Roman Empire took over the area of Judea. The Zealots were against the Roman census, which was a way for Rome to count people and collect taxes.
Josephus wrote that the Zealots were similar to the Pharisees in many ways. However, the Zealots strongly believed in freedom. They thought that God should be their only ruler and lord. They were very determined to keep their liberty.
Some people believe that the Zealots were not a clearly separate group until the First Jewish–Roman War began in 66 CE.
One of Jesus's apostles, Simon the Zealot, was also called a Cananaean. This name might connect him to the Zealots.
Two of Judas of Galilee's sons, Jacob and Simon, were part of a revolt. They were executed by the Roman governor Tiberius Alexander between 46 and 48 CE.
The Zealots and the Roman War
The Zealots played a major role in the First Jewish–Roman War (66–73 CE). They strongly opposed Roman rule. They often attacked Romans and Greeks to try and get rid of them.
Another group, called the Sicarii, was likely connected to the Zealots. The Sicarii would raid Jewish towns. They killed Jews who they thought were working with the Romans. They also encouraged other Jews to fight for their cause.
Josephus described the Zealots' actions as very harsh. He said they created a "reign of terror" before the Second Temple was destroyed. According to Josephus, the Zealots followed John of Gischala. John had fought the Romans in Galilee. He then came to Jerusalem and inspired the people there to fight fiercely. This led to the destruction of the Temple.
The Zealots managed to take control of Jerusalem. They held the city until 70 CE. That year, Titus, the son of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, recaptured the city. He then destroyed Herod's Temple during the destruction of Jerusalem.
The Zealots in the Talmud
In the Talmud, which is a collection of Jewish teachings, the Zealots are sometimes called the Biryonim. This word means "wild" or "ruffians." They are criticized for being aggressive and not willing to make peace. They were also blamed for not compromising to save the people of Jerusalem during the siege.
Some traditions say that the Jewish rabbis at first supported the revolt. But they stopped supporting it when the Zealots started a civil war among themselves. At that point, it seemed impossible to resist the Romans.
The Zealots are also blamed for helping to cause the fall of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. They are seen as contributing to Rome's strong control over Judea. According to the Babylonian Talmud, the Biryonim destroyed food and firewood in besieged Jerusalem. They did this to force the Jews to fight the Romans out of desperation.
This event led to Johanan ben Zakai escaping Jerusalem. He met with Vespasian. This meeting eventually led to the creation of the Academy of Jamnia. This academy produced the Mishnah, which helped rabbinical Judaism survive. The Zealots used violence against Romans, Jewish people who worked with Romans, and the Sadducees. They raided for supplies and did other things to help their fight.
The Sicarii Group
The Sicarii were a smaller group that broke off from the Jewish Zealots. In the years before Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 CE, they strongly opposed the Roman occupation of Judea. They tried to force the Romans and anyone who supported them out of the area.
The Sicarii carried small daggers called sicae. They hid these daggers in their cloaks. At public gatherings, they would pull out their daggers to attack Romans and people they thought were Roman supporters. After the attack, they would quickly disappear into the crowd to avoid being caught.
According to historian Hayim Hillel Ben-Sasson, the Sicarii were originally from Galilee. He said they were fighting for a social revolution. The Jerusalem Zealots, however, focused less on social changes. The Sicarii also did not attach themselves to one specific family or declare any of their leaders as king. Both the Sicarii and the Zealots were unhappy with how the priestly families were running the Temple.
See also
In Spanish: Zelote para niños
