The Rise of False Prophets and Messiahs
Charismatic Revolutionaries
As well as these [the Sicarii] another group of criminals came into being, less bloodstained in action but with a more blasphemous agenda, who ruined the calm of the city just as much as the assassins. These were cheats and impostors, peddling revolution and political change under the guise of divine inspiration. They…
One contributor to the tensions that led to the First Jewish Revolt against Rome was messianism, the belief in the imminent arrival of a salvific figure who would usher in the end of days and deliver the Jews from Roman tyranny. This belief system could at times motivate Jewish rebelliousness and Roman response. In this passage, Josephus remarks on the growing popularity of false prophets and messiahs, particularly a figure he refers to as the “Egyptian false prophet.” Although this particular charismatic figure and his followers are defeated, Josephus recounts that the “charlatans and the terrorists” join together to force other Judeans to join their rebellion against the Roman Empire, bringing Judaea ever closer to full revolt. (See also The Gospel of Matthew on False Prophets and Messiahs.)
Related Guide
The First Jewish Revolt
Trace the causes and battles of the First Jewish Revolt, from the siege of Jerusalem to the destruction of the Temple and the fall of Masada.
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