ANNA (Ánano: corresponds to the Heb. Hánan[jah]). — Name of two Jewish high priests of the 1st century A.D.
1) A. (Ánano) I is called Ἀννᾶς in the New Testament, Ἀνανός by Flavius Josephus. Son of Seth, he was appointed high priest by the Roman governor Quirinius around A.D. 6; around 15 he was replaced by Ishmael, son of Fabi, appointed by the procurator Valerius Gratus. Even after his deposition he exercised great influence on account of his wealth, and saw five of his sons and a son-in-law, Caiaphas, succeed him in the high priesthood. He died at a very advanced age. At the time of the siege of Jerusalem, his tomb was located west of the city (cf. Flavius Josephus, Antiq. Ind., XVIII, 2, 1-2; XX, 9, 1; Bell. Ind., V, 12, 2).
The rabbinical texts describe him as avaricious and devious. During the public life of Jesus he was still regarded as high priest, not merely in honor but also in fact, perhaps because he was considered to be so by right. Lc. 3, 2, lists him together with Caiaphas; Io. 18, 13, notes that Jesus, after being arrested, was taken «first to A.» and implies that the first
interrogation was conducted by him (ibid. 18, 19-24). He presides over the Sanhedrin together with Caiaphas (Act. 4, 6). It is debated whether the high priest in Act. 7, 1 and 9, 1 is A. or Caiaphas.
2) A. (Ánano) II, Greek Ἀνανός (Flavius Josephus), was the fifth son of the preceding. After the death of the procurator Festus, before the arrival of the procurator Albinus (62), he «assembled the Sanhedrin of the Jews, and brought before it the brother of Jesus called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, accusing them of transgressing the Law; he condemned them to be stoned» (Flavius Josephus, Antiq. Ind., XX, 9, 1). Accused before Albinus, who was travelling, and before Agrippa II, who three months earlier had conferred the high priesthood upon him, he was deposed by the latter. He was killed by the Idumaeans during the Jewish War.
Pietro De Ambrozzi