Is there a known reason why Lukuas is not mentioned in the Talmudic literature?

Discussion about the Hebrew Bible, Septuagint, pseudepigrapha, Philo, Josephus, Talmud, Dead Sea Scrolls, archaeology, etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
Joseph D. L.
Posts: 1405
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 2:10 am

Is there a known reason why Lukuas is not mentioned in the Talmudic literature?

Post by Joseph D. L. »

The Kitos war itself is only alluded to by references to Trajan but nearly everything about it seems to just be passed over. Neither Lukuas or Anthimos is mentioned, and even the brothers Pappus and Julian are spoken of in context only after the revolt. Which is weird because we have archaeological evidence that the war greatly impacted Jewish society, especially around Palestine.

How did Jews in general feel about this uprising? Simon bar Kochba's reputation was only negatively impacted because he failed, but even he managed to have a spot in Jewish writings. Was the Kitos revolt considered an embarrassment to Jews? Or is Lukuas actually known by a different name in the Mishnah, as there is no agreement as to what his name really was (Lukuas, Andreas, Lysias, and Lumbis, all being names given to him by later historians.)
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: Is there a known reason why Lukuas is not mentioned in the Talmudic literature?

Post by Secret Alias »

Because Josephus and the rabbinic literature are not accurate or reliable witnesses to anything. Was Nero really the son of a proselyte? Did the Jewish revolutionaries really dress up in ladies clothes and proceed to run around a surrounded Jerusalem? No. No. Garbage in, garbage out.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
User avatar
Joseph D. L.
Posts: 1405
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 2:10 am

Re: Is there a known reason why Lukuas is not mentioned in the Talmudic literature?

Post by Joseph D. L. »

Secret Alias wrote: Mon Feb 24, 2020 10:33 am Because Josephus and the rabbinic literature are not accurate or reliable witnesses to anything. Was Nero really the son of a proselyte? Did the Jewish revolutionaries really dress up in ladies clothes and proceed to run around a surrounded Jerusalem? No. No. Garbage in, garbage out.
I can understand that fully. My only concern is that someone like bar Kochba gets a footnote mention, yet the Kitos revolt was far more reaching, from Cyrene to Parthia, and had uprising all through the empire, yet the major players like Lukuas and Athimos are never referred to and the revolt quietly (pun intended) swept under the carpet.

One theory I have for this is possibly that Lukuas was actually a proselyte convert and not Jewish in full. The same for Anthimos. Yet Aquila was a proselyte and he gets a line or two in the Talmud. Lukuas also destroyed heathen temples and fled to Jerusalem after his defeat in Egypt. It's just an oddity which is why I proposed that he is known by a different name in Rabbinical traditions, yet have no way of proving it.
Post Reply