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Re: orion Judah "the Essene"?



Bradley Harrison writes:

> Your evidence is noted but can be evidence for things other than military.
> There is still no evidence of a military ever being there, except for the
> Romans... 

You raise good points, although from my reading the archaeology of 'Arak el
Emir is somewhat problematic.  

> What is  the earliest mention of the Sadducees? And how long before
>  Herod were the Essenes around, or did Herod create them?

The first historical anecdote from Josephus is the intrigues between the
Sadducees and Pharisees under John Hyrkanus, resulting in Hyrk switching his
patronage to the Sadducees and abrogating Pharisee regulations.   The next
anecdote is the return of the Pharisees to favor under Salome Alexander and
restoration of their regulations.  These two episodes are obviously linked.
 See Jos. Ant. 13.288-296, 401-415.

-- Russell Gmirkin