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Eleazar ben Hanania (Hebrew: אלעזר בן חנניה; Ancient Greek: Ἐλεάζαρος υἱὸς Ἀνανία) was a Jewish leader during the Great Revolt of Judea. Eleazar was the son of the High Priest Hanania ben Nedebai and hence a political figure of the 1st century Judaea Province. Eleazar was the governor of the temple at the outbreak of the rebellion in 66 CE and following the initial outbreak of the violence in Jerusalem convinced the priests of the Jewish Temple to stop service of sacrifice for the Emperor. The action, though largely symbolic, was one of the main milestones to bring a full-scale rebellion in Judea.

Jewish political activity had become more pronounced when, after the death of Herod Agrippa, in 44 CE, Judea began to be treated more as a province of Rome and the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem was deprived of its jurisdiction. Numerous bands of Zealots began to fan local rebellions; but were ultimately quashed by the Roman procurators. Then matters reached a climax under the procurator, Gessius Florus, whose actions (as well of those of his predecessors) precipitated a crisis which galvanized the Zealots in 66 CE.

The then governor of the Temple, Eleazar ben Hanania refused to receive gifts from or offer sacrifice on behalf of Rome as had previously been agreed (dating at least back to Tiberius) and the Zealots now prevailed in political opinion. Another priest belonging to the Shammaite party, Zacharia ben Amphicalos, then supported Eleazar. Zealot Menahem ben Judah seized the fortress Masada, and killed the Roman garrison stationed there. Then Zealot Eleazar ben Simon really took the war of rebellion to the Romans. The army of Cestius Gallus, who had brought the XII Fulminata legion to avenge the defeat of the Roman garrison at Masada, was annihilated by the rebel alliance including also Bar Giora and the Zealots and the Great Revolt of Judea was underway.

References

1. Josephus Flavius. Wars of the Jews. 2.409. "a very bold youth, who was at the time the governor of the temple, persuaded those that officiated the divine service no gift or sacrifice of Caesar on this account;"
2. Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews - Book XX, Chapter 1, § 1
3. "Antiquities" XX. Chapters 9-11; Flavius Josephus, War of the Jews, Book II, Chapters 14-15
4. "War", II, Chapter 17, § 2
5. See Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906 edition, Zealots by Kauffman Kohler
6. "War" II, Chapter 17, §§ 2, 7, 10

See also

• Battle of Beth Horon (66)
• Josephus
• The Jewish Encyclopedia
• Masada
• Jewish Temple
• Procurator (Ancient Rome)
• Eleazer ben Dinai (from the Jewish Encyclopedia)
• Zealots (from the Jewish Encyclopedia)

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v t e First Jewish–Roman War
Part of the Jewish–Roman wars
Origins	Siege of Jerusalem (63 BCE) Judas uprising (6 CE) Alexandrian riots (38) Jacob and Simon uprising
Military engagements	Early engagements Jerusalem riots Alexandria riots Gallus' campaign 1st Sepphoris 1st Jaffa Geva Beth–Horon Ein Gedi Galilee campaign 2nd Sepphoris Gabara Yodfat Tarichaea Gamla Mount Tabor Gischala Judea coast and highlands Zealot Temple Jerusalem Last strongholds Herodium Machaerus Jardes Masada
Belligerents and leaders	Roman Empire Gessius Florus Cestius Gallus Vespasian Titus Lucilius Bassus Flavius Silva Herod Agrippa II Provisional government Ananus ben Ananus Joseph ben Gurion Joshua ben Gamla Eleazar ben Hanania Niger the Perean Josephus Peasantry faction Simon bar Giora Zealots John of Gischala Eleazar ben Simon Sicarii Menahem ben Yehuda Eleazar ben Ya'ir
Aftermath	Emergence of Rabbinic Judaism Yohanan ben Zakkai Fiscus Judaicus Sicaricon Diaspora revolt Kitos War Bar Kokhba revolt History of the Jews in the Roman Empire Commemoration Tisha B'Av Arch of Titus Arch at Circus Maximus Colosseum Judaea Capta coinage Temple of Peace, Rome
Related topics	Judaea Burnt House Herodian Quarter Corinth Canal First Jewish Revolt coinage Flavian dynasty The Jewish War Legend of Destruction Siege of Jerusalem (poem) The Dovekeepers TV adaptation Masada Flight to Pella Josephus problem Temple menorah
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