Jacob

Family: Jewish · Role: commander · First appears: Book IV, Chapter 4

In Book IV, Chapter 4, Jacob, son of Sosas, served as one of four commanders of twenty thousand Idumeans who assembled and marched to Jerusalem alongside John, Simon son of Cathlas, and Phineas. After the zealots opened a gate, the Idumeans entered the city and first hurried to release the imprisoned zealots.

By Book IV, Chapter 9, at Alurus, Jacob approached Simon (son of Giora) and agreed to betray the Idumeans, accepting assurances that Simon would esteem him and promising to help bring all Idumea under his rule. He returned to his army, exaggerated Simon (son of Giora)’s strength, and persuaded the commanders and then the multitude to surrender without fighting. Around c. 70, Jacob was among the Idumean commanders who privately considered surrendering to the Romans; after Simon killed the five envoys sent to Titus, Jacob was captured and imprisoned as the most prominent of the commanders taken.