Eleazar ben Hanania (Hebrew: אלעזר בן חנניה; Ancient Greek: Ἐλεάζαρος υἱὸς Ἀνανία) was a Jewish leader during the Great Revolt of Judea.
Jewish political activity had become more pronounced when, after the death of Herod Agrippa, in 44 CE, Judea began to be treated more as a province of Rome and the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem was deprived of its jurisdiction.
[2] Then matters reached a climax under the procurator, Gessius Florus, whose actions (as well of those of his predecessors) precipitated a crisis which galvanized the Zealots in 66 CE.
[3] The then governor of the Temple, Eleazar ben Hanania refused to receive gifts from or offer sacrifice on behalf of Rome as had previously been agreed (dating at least back to Tiberius) and the Zealots now prevailed in political opinion.
[6] The army of Cestius Gallus, who had brought the XII Fulminata legion to avenge the defeat of the Roman garrison at Masada, was annihilated by the rebel alliance including also Bar Giora and the Zealots and the Great Revolt of Judea was underway.