GIOVANNI di GISCALA. – Jewish warrior, born at Giscala (now el-Ciè), northwest of the Lake of Tiberias. Animated by a profound hatred of Rome, he was one of the principal leaders of the insurrection of 66–70.
Giscala was the last city in Galilee to surrender to Titus. G., having fled at the time of the surrender, took refuge in Jerusalem, where he established a reign of terror (Fl. Giuseppe, Bell. Iud., IV, 208 ff.) in his sector, engaged in continual guerrilla warfare against Eleazaro and Simone (op. cit., V, 21 ff.), while the Romans steadily tightened the siege. By a stratagem, at Easter in 70, G. occupied Eleazaro’s sector (loc. cit., 100 ff.); then, as the Roman conquest drew near, he reached an agreement with Simone to continue the war against the foreigner (loc. cit., 278 ff.). After the city was occupied in September 70, G. was sent to Rome to adorn Titus’ triumph. While Simone was killed in the Tullianum on the day of the triumph, G. ended his life in prison (op. cit., VI, 434).