Movements based on the coming of the *messiah. Throughout later Jewish history, the community has yearned for a leader descended from King *David who would restore the Kingdom (see *MESSIAH). At various times charismatic figures have emerged. In the 1st Century BCE, according to the historian *Josephus, Judas the Galilean and subsequently Theudas attempted to lead opposition against the Roman overlords. The followers of Jesus believed him to be the promised messiah.
In 132 CE *Akiva, the most eminent religious authority of the day, recognised Simeon *bar Kokhba as the promised king. Further claimants arose both in Christian Europe (e.g. the *Karaite Kohen Solomon in the 12th Century) and in the Islamic world where much excitement was generated by *Shabbetai Zvi. Even after his conversion to Islam, many of his followers persisted in believing in his claims. After the 18th Century, messianic expectations tended to be sublimated into hopes of social and political reform and they were later secularised into the aspirations of modern *Zionism. (See SIMEON *BAR KOKHBA, *MESSIAH, *SHABBETAI ZEVI, *ZIONISM).
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