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Ananus

Ananus is a Hebrew given name that appears in ancient Judean and early Christian sources. The form is often rendered Ananus in Latin and Annas in Greek, and it is generally understood to mean “the grace of Yahweh” or “Yahweh has favored.” In antiquity, several individuals named Ananus held priestly or leading positions in Jerusalem during the Second Temple period, making the name a recurring point of reference in historical and religious narratives.

The best known bearer is Ananus ben Seth, often identified with Annas the Elder in Christian literature.

A second figure mentioned in some historical sources is Ananus ben Gamla, described as a high priest

In modern scholarship, the name Ananus appears in studies of the Judean priesthood, its interactions with Roman

See also: Annas, Ananias, Hasmonean priesthood.

He
is
described
as
a
high
priest
of
Jerusalem
in
the
early
first
century
CE
and
as
a
prominent
member
of
the
priestly
establishment
during
a
period
of
considerable
political
and
religious
tension
in
Judea.
in
the
late
Second
Temple
era.
The
precise
dating
and
details
of
his
tenure
vary
among
authorities,
and
some
accounts
differ
on
the
chronology.
authority,
and
its
connections
to
early
Christian
narratives.
The
name’s
presence
across
sources
reflects
the
broader
Hasmonean
and
Herodian
priestly
lineages
that
furnished
Jerusalem’s
religious
leadership
during
a
turbulent
period.