Johann of Gischala

Johann (es) von Gischala (also Johannes ben Levi or Yohanan ben Levi , * unknown; † after 70 probably in Rome ) was a leader during the Jewish uprising against the Roman Empire , head of the Zealots , rival of Simon bar Giora and at times an opponent of Flavius ​​Josephus , from whom all the details we know about John come from.

John organized the resistance against the Romans in Gischala in Galilee , but was able to flee to Jerusalem before taking the city in AD 67 . He outsmarted the Roman general Titus , who later became emperor. Titus besieged Gischala with overpowering troops and demanded the peaceful surrender of the city in order to avoid bloodshed. On behalf of the residents, John agreed in principle to this demand, but asked Titus to wait until the following day because of the Sabbath , on which the Jews were forbidden from military actions and negotiations. Titus granted the requested respite and, relying on the promise, withdrew to his camp several kilometers to the northwest near Kydyssa (Kadasa). John used the absence of the Roman guards on the night from Sabbath to Sunday to leave Gischala with his faithful and their families and to flee to Jerusalem. ( The Jewish War 4, 2, 1-5)

In Jerusalem, John first made a pact with the high priest Hanan, but later switched to the rival Zealot party and became the leader of one of the warring insurgent groups that the Romans fought to the end. When Titus captured the city in AD 70, he was found by the Romans in his underground hiding place and taken prisoner. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and deported to Rome ( De bello Iudaico 4, 9, 4). After Titus' triumphal procession there is no more news about John of Gischala.

play

• Max Jungmann : Jochanan von Giskala. A play , Berlin: Horodisch & Marx, 1928

literature

• Michael Wolter :  Johann von Gischala. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 3, Bautz, Herzberg 1992, ISBN 3-88309-035-2 , Sp. 372-374.