The Zealoies (or dedicated, Hebrew , of qina , jealous Qiniim in , exclusive, on the root QYN, Caïn), are the groups who fight the Roman capacity the weapons with the hand during the First war judéo-Roman. Revolted at the beginning against the census of Quirinius, which allows the tax “ by tête ”, they are radicalized and end up as well attacking their compatriots considered timorés or suspected of collaborating with the Romans, as with pagan who - think-they - soil the Promised land by their only presence.
Zealoies in the History
Flavius Josèphe affirms that the nationalist leader Judas de Gamala was at the origin of a “ fourth secte ” (after the Sadducéens, the Pharisiens and the Esséniens), that it describes as follows:“ Judas was the author of the fourth sect. It agrees in all things with that of the Pharisees, except those which make profession of it support that there is only God alone that one must recognize for Seigneur and King. They have so burning love for freedom that kinds of dead more extraordinary, torments more atrocious, that they undergo themselves or let suffer with the people who are most expensive to them, leave them indifferent provided that they do not have to give to no man the name of Lord and Master. As many people were pilot firmness inébranlable with which they undergo all these evils, I will not say any more, not fear not to be believed, but rather for fear my words do not give a too weak idea of the contempt with which they support the douleur. ” (Flavius Josèphe, Antiquities Judaïques , XVIII, 2).
Partisan to compose with the Roman power, Flavius Josèphe reproach bitterly with the Zealoies their fanaticism which is according to him at the origin of the catastrophe. The Romans give them the name of “ sicaires ”, of the name of their sharp dagger, the sica , which also seems to have given the nickname D “ Iscariote ” of the Judas of the Gospels.
About the time of the fall of the Temple (70), their chiefs are Jean de Gischala and Eliazar. This last, after the destruction of Jerusalem, takes the head of the army of Massada with 960 people - warriors, women and their children - facing the Roman legions estimated at 15 000 men. Preferring to die to go, the last Zealoies committed suicide with their families, leaving to the Romans a feeling of bitter victory.
Zealoies, a violent current
The current of the Zealoies “ is defined by an intransigent and aggressive nationalism. Calling of all their wishes the introduction of the Kingdom, its holding estimate to have to hasten the arrival by violence of it. The foreigner is for them the enemy. they draw up ambushes, handle dagger - from where the name of sicaires that one gave them sometimes -, maintain in Palestine a climate insecurity and agitation chronicles. They are, in a very direct way, at the origin of the revolt of 66-70. ”. Marcel Simon,
Extension of the term
According to the historical Dictionary of the French language of Alain Rey, one sees appearing starting from 1864 the term Zealot , with female to nominate an animated person of a fanatic religious zeal, then in a literary employment, somebody who pushes the zeal until the blindness. The dictionary of Alain Rey also notes the use of the term zelotism in Proudhon, in 1854, but stresses that its employment is rare.
See too
| Random links: | Management of the creativity | Charleston (South Carolina) | Sonnay | Rignac (Batch) | Fantômas (television serial) |