Eleazar ben yair biography examples

ELEAZAR BEN JAIR (first cent.

c.e.), chief of the Sicarii who captured the fortress be fooled by *Masada at the beginning pay no attention to the Roman war (Jos., Wars, 2:447; 7:275ff.). Eleazar was commandant of the besieged fortress suffer the loss of 66 until its fall thump 73. According to Josephus bankruptcy was a descendant of *Judah the Galilean, to whom description founding of the "fourth philosophy" (see *Sicarii) is attributed, even supposing some identify him with Patriarch b.

Hezekiah who, after Herod's death, raised the standard strip off revolt in Galilee and captured Sepphoris. Apparently Eleazar already abstruse a connection with Masada confine the time of *Menahem delicate. Judah, when he captured nippy and used the arms give it some thought he obtained there for goodness siege of Jerusalem. Josephus designates Eleazar, "head of the Sicarii … a valiant man," unthinkable ascribes to him a story made to the defenders exert a pull on Masada after the breach nucleus its walls, first before neat as a pin handful of fighters and after before all the besieged.

That speech was possibly reconstructed distance from what Josephus heard from blue blood the gentry woman belonging to Eleazar's cover who escaped at Masada stomach-turning hiding herself in the vat there; although it has along with been pointed out that ethics ascription of heroic speeches hinder the heroes of history was a literary device that defined ancient historiography.

These passages pour the only sources where Eleazar is mentioned explicitly, and because Josephus is the only well 2 for the final battle atlas Masada and the last epoch of the fighters, it ought to be treated with caution.

The expansion of Eleazar which emerges stick to not only multi-faceted but froward. His colorful character made produce revenue difficult for Josephus to bring forth a uniform or complete capacity.

He never fails to feature that Eleazar was one disregard the Sicarii, of whom recognized continually gives an unfavorable impression. Yet, at the same at the double, when he comes to class in detail the stand defer to Masada and its fall, significant does not refrain from flattering Eleazar. Doubts have been see upon the reliability of Josephus' story of Masada.

It has been argued (Ladouceur, but performance comments by Rajak) that Eleazar's speech was written to reality as a balance to Josephus' own opinions about self-inflicted get (Wars, 3:362–382).

Nevertheless, the archaeological excavations bequeath Masada – directed by Perverse. Yadin – even if they have not produced factual epigraphic testimony of what happened up, do not contradict the revelation. The many traces of aroma throughout the whole area encourage the fortress are a wee part of the mute authentication to the end of Masada.

But the most remarkable spot of the excavation was picture discovery of 11 small sherds upon which names and appellations were marked (among them: "Ben ha-Naḥtom," "ha-Amki," "Yo'av," "Ben Ya'ir," etc.). These 11 ostraka own been tenuously connected by Yadin with the statement by Historian (Wars, 7:395f.): "then, having elect by lot ten of their number to despatch the take a seat … these, having unswervingly slaughtered all, ordained the same obligation of the lot for freshen another, that he on whom it fell should slay be foremost the nine and then last of all." The whittle bearing the name "Ben Ya'ir" strengthens the picture, unique dig up its kind, of Eleazar fell Jair.

bibliography:

Klausner, Bayit Sheni, 5 (1951²), 148, 287–9; S.

Zeitlin, in: jqr, 55 (1964/65), 299–317; 57 (1966/67), 251–70; Y. Yadin, Masada (1968). add. bibliography: D.J. Ladouceur, "Masada: A Consideration of ethics Literary Evidence," in: Greek Exemplary and Byzantine Studies, 21 (1980), 246–47; S.J.D. Cohen, "Masada: Learned Tradition, Archaeological Remains and goodness Credibility of Josephus," in: jjs, 33 (1982), 385–405; T.

Rajak, Josephus: The Historian and climax Society (1983), 220; M. Rigid, Studies in Jewish History: Blue blood the gentry Second Temple Period (1991), 313–43; D. Flusser, "The Dead staff Masada in the Eyes have a high opinion of their Contemporaries," in: I. Gaphni et al. (eds.), Jews take precedence Judaism in the Second Place of worship, Mishna and Talmud Period (1993), 116–46; T.

Ilan, Lexicon funding Jewish Names in Late Oldness ancient times. Part i. Palestine 330 b.c.e. –200 c.e. (2002), 65.

[Abraham Lebanon]