The Jewish War

Who is Eleazar from The Jewish War and what is their importance?

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Eleazar was the name used by three different individuals in The Jewish Wars. Son of the high priest Ananias, Eleazar was Temple Captain. Eleazar persuaded Temple ministers to accept no gifts or offerings from any foreigner which banned sacrifices for Caesar or Rome and made war inevitable. Horsemen tried to retake the Temple to drive Eleazar from the Sanctuary. Menahem led Sicarii to Herod's armory to distribute arms to townsmen and other bandits who killed Ananias and battled another Eleazar, the son of Simon and leader of Zealots. The town attacked Menahem and his band who escaped to Masada to avoid massacre. Some bandits returned to Jerusalem where they divvied up authority and loot with Eleazar and the Zealots. . Internal politics of the City broke into factions between Eleazar and the Zealots and John who was committed to his own absolute power and one-man rule. The City had three plotters named Eleazar, John, and Simon. Masada was the name of a fortress occupied by the Sicarii commanded by another Eleazar. Sicarii and Zealots practiced injustice, domination and barbarity. When the wall flamed up from Roman attack, Eleazar appealed to their initial resolve to "choose death rather than slavery" and to destroy their families before killing themselves.

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The Jewish War