THE ZEALOTS
The Zealots or Canaaneans were also a political group. They were revolutionaries, frequently revolting, their restlessness resulted in the loss of 200,000 lives from the beginning of the century up to the actual outbreak of war in 66 AD. Extreme nationalists of this type had existed since the time of the Maccabees, and one of Herod's achievements was to keep them well in hand. But after his death, and especially at the census ordered by Augustus, rebellion broke out; in Judea, it was brought under control by the persuasion of the priests, but in Galilee two men, Judas and Sadduk by name, organized resistance. Judas founded a religious sect sworn to "invincible liberty and to God as their only leader and Lord." Acts 5:37 shows that the rebellion failed. A subgroup, the Sicarii, or assassins, appeared a few years after the middle of the century, and represented the extremists of an extreme movement. They held out for three years after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.