Phannias ben Samuel

• ANCIENT SOURCES: see Phannias ben Samuel (sources)
• SCHOLARLY AND FICTIONAL WORKS: see Category:Phannias ben Samuel (subject)

Phannias ben Samuel (Phanasus, Phanni) was the last Jewish High Priest in 68?-70? during the Jewish War.

Overview

Phannias ben Samuel was appointed High Priest by lot by the Zealots who had taken control of the Temple, succeeding Matthias ben Theophilus.

The appointment of a new high priest intended to signal the complete independence of the Temple from any external authority, in particular from Herod Agrippa II who had sided with the Romans. The decision to choose the high priest by lot, however, represented a dramatic tear also with the moderate leadership of the revolt, led by the former high priests Ananus ben Ananus and Joshua ben Gamaliel. According to Josephus, who voiced the traditional priestly point of view, Phannias was not from high-priestly stock and was completely unqualified and unprepared for the office. Phannias was indeed an Aaronite and then formally eligible for the office; the problem was that his election "disannulled the succession, according to those families out of which the high priests used to be made."

Phannias probably perished when Jerusalem fell in 70 CE.

Phannias ben Samuel in ancient sources

• See Phannias ben Samuel (sources)

Phannias ben Samuel in Scholarship

References

• From Joshua to Caiaphas (2004 VanderKam), book / pp.487-490

Related categories

• High Priests / Matthias ben Theophilus
• Zealots

External links

• Wikipedia
• Jewish Encyclopedia (1906)