In 6 CE, while Quirinius was taking the census of Judea, the first Jewish opposition aroused against Roman presence in the region, led by a man known as Judas the Galilean (or the Gaulanite). According to Josephus, all subsequent troubles were the fact of this man. But who was Judas? Was he so important in the history? Was he even challenging Roman authorities? As usual in similar cases, the scholarly debates are endless about the man and his significance. This conference aims to survey all of the many faces of Judas in recent historiography and to discuss each evidence in order to estimate the true place of Judas in history.

Programme

September, 22^nd 2022

Morning - Judas: the man and his context

•  9.30 a.m. – « From Judas to the Jewish War: was there a link? Introduction to the workshop » Michaël Girardin (Université du Littoral – Côte d’Opale)
• 9.45 – « Famous for Being Famous: Judas the Galilean (Gaulanite) as an Empty Suit in Josephus and Luke-Acts » Steve Mason (University of Groningen)
• 10.30 – « Roman Census as Roman religio – First Stirrings of the ‘Fourth Philosophy’ ? » Anthony Giambrone (École Biblique et Archéologique Française de Jérusalem)

11.15 – Discussions

Afternoon - Judas: his purposes

• 1.30 p.m. – « Who did Judas of Galilee oppose? » Dario Garribba (Pontificia Facoltà Teologica dell’Italia Meridionale, Napoli)
• 2.15 – « À la recherche du trône. Judas le Galiléen et sa dynastie » Maurizio Ravallese (Scuola Superiore di Studi Storici di San Marino)
• 3. – « Massada, héritage de Judas le Galiléen » Christophe Mézange (Université Catholique de l’Ouest, Laval)
• 3.45 – « Judas the Galilean and Jesus the Galilean: Parallel Lives, or the inextricable bond of “Politics” and “Religion” » Fernando Bermejo-Rubio (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid)

4.30 – Discussions