Ioudaios

Ioudaios (Greek: Ἰουδαῖος) is an ancient Greek term meaning “Jew.” It derives from Judaea/Judah and is used to designate both an ethnoreligious group and a resident of the region associated with the Kingdom of Judah. The plural form is Ioudaioi; in practice the term could refer to someone of Jewish ethnicity, a practitioner of Judaism, or a person from Judaea, depending on context.

In antiquity, Ioudaios appeared in Greek literature and inscriptions to identify inhabitants of Judaea and, more broadly, the Jewish people. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of Hebrew scriptures, Ioudaios is employed to render Hebrew Yehudi (“Jew”) and to denote Jewish communities and individuals. The term was common in Hellenistic and Roman periods and often carried both ethnic and religious connotations.

In early Christian writings, including the New Testament, Ioudaios is used in multiple senses. It can refer to ethnic Jews as a group, to Judeans living in the land of Israel, or to specific Jewish leaders or factions. Its tone and meaning vary by passage and author, reflecting complex relations between early Christian communities and Jewish groups.

In modern Greek, Ioudaios remains the standard word for a Jew. In academic discussions of ancient sources, Ioudaioi is used to analyze how Greek-language texts portray Jewish identity, religion, and politics in the Hellenistic and Roman worlds. The term thus serves as a key lens for studies of Judaism, early Christianity, and Mediterranean ethnography.