Ananus

Family: Jewish · Role: high priest · First appears: Book II, Chapter 12

In Book II, Chapter 12, Ananus is identified as the parent of Jonathan and Artanus, and he was associated with Jonathan, Artanus, and Ummidius Quadratus in a delegation sent to Caesar. At Jerusalem in Book II, Chapter 19, he persuaded principal men to invite Cestius into the city and offer to open its gates, but Cestius overlooked the offer. In the next chapter, Ananus and Joseph the son of Gorion were chosen as governors of the city’s affairs and charged with repairing its walls.

By Book IV, Chapter 3, Ananus, described as the oldest of the high priests, persuaded the multitude to rise against the zealots and oppose their control of the sanctuary. With Gorion, Symeon, and Jesus (son of Gamalas), he led opposition that drove the zealots into the temple’s inner court. Ananus trusted John, who cultivated his friendship and swore loyalty, but secretly revealed Ananus’s consultations and the people’s plans to the zealots; Ananus’s party even sent him as an ambassador into the temple. Ananus is also named as the parent of Ananus the son of Ananus, and was joined in authority by Jesus (son of Gamalas). In Book IV, Chapter 4, he ordered Jerusalem’s gates shut and its walls guarded against the Idumeans, but his guards slept during a storm, allowing the zealots to cut through the temple gate bars. Ananus and Jesus (son of Gamalas) were then slain by the Idumeans.

Ananus had earlier driven Simon (son of Giora) from the Acrabattene toparchy. In Book VI, Chapter 4, Ananus, described as coming from Emmaus and as one of Simon’s guards, deserted to Titus with Archelaus (son of Magadatus). Titus dismissed them under the security promised to deserters, though he did not grant them the privileges given to others. Ananus is also named as the parent of Jesus (son of Ananus), who was a plebeian and a husbandman.