Ananus ben Ananus

Ananus ben Ananus
Lineage	son of Annas
Sect	Sadducee
Temple	Temple of Jerusalem
Other names	Hanan ben Hanan, Ananus ben Artanus
Personal
Died	68 Jerusalem
Senior posting
Based in	Jerusalem
Title	High Priest of Israel (until deposed in 63, then "High Priest")
Predecessor	Joseph Cabi ben Simon
Successor	Jesus ben Damneus

Ananus ben Ananus (Hebrew: חנן בן חנן Hanan ben Hanan Greek: Ἀνάνου Ἄνανος "Ananos son of Ananos" var: Ananias, Latin: Anani Ananus or Ananus filius Anani), d. 68 CE, was a Herodian-era High Priest of Israel in Jerusalem, Iudaea Province. He is most well known as the high priest who allegedly ordered the execution by stoning of James the brother of Jesus (James the Just), according to the surviving manuscripts of The Antiquities of the Jews. However, popular opinion against Hanan due to this act led the recently appointed Roman governor Lucceius Albinus to depose the high priest, after only three months. Ananus was succeeded by Jesus ben Damneus, who was himself deposed before the end of the year.

Josephus in The Jewish War considered Ananus "unique in his love for liberty and an enthusiast for democracy" and as an "effective speaker, whose words carried weight with the people".

Josephus's account of the death of James as follows:

Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees, who are very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews, as we have already observed; when, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity [to exercise his authority]. Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent to the king [Agrippa], desiring him to send to Ananus that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done was not to be justified; nay, some of them went also to meet Albinus, as he was upon his journey from Alexandria, and informed him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble a Sanhedrin without his consent. Whereupon Albinus complied with what they said, and wrote in anger to Ananus, and threatened that he would bring him to punishment for what he had done; on which king Agrippa took the high priesthood from him, when he had ruled but three months, and made Jesus, the son of Damneus, high priest.

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