ANANIAS SON OF ZADOK

ANANIAS SON OF ZADOK, a prominent Pharisee of the first century. With the outbreak of the Roman war in 66 C.E., the Roman garrison in Jerusalem was forced to retreat to the royal towers of Hippicus, Phasael, and Mariamne. The force was incapable of prolonged resistance and finally offered to surrender. The besiegers agreed, and sent three envoys, among them Ananias, to take the necessary oaths and guarantee fair treatment. The Roman commander Metilius marched his men out, unarmed, only to have them surrounded and massacred to a man. Metilius himself, however, was spared after promising to convert to Judaism. Ananias was also a member of another delegation. After receiving reports from the supporters of john of Giscala denouncing josephus , the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem decided to relieve the latter of his command in Galilee. For this purpose they dispatched four prominent emissaries, including Ananias, with a force of 2,500 men. Josephus, however, succeeded in capturing the deputies, and they were sent back to Jerusalem under armed escort. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Jos., Wars, 2:451, 628; Jos., Life, 197 ff., 290 ff., 316, 332; Graetz, Gesch, 3 pt. 2 (19065), 462, 491; Klausner, Bayit Sheni, 5 (19635), 149, 178. (Isaiah Gafni)