GIUDA GALILEO. - Leader of one of the major uprisings in Palestine against Roman rule, which occurred at the time of the census ordered by the senator P. Sulpicius Quirinius, legate in Syria (6-7 B.C.). G. was a native of Gamala in Gaulonitis, but was generally called the "Galilean." He does not appear to have been identical with the Judas, son of Ezekias, who led the insurrection after the death of Herod the Great (4 B.C.).
Associating with the Pharisee Saddoc, G. proclaimed disobedience to the Romans, declaring it unworthy for a Jew to tolerate "mortal masters after God" (Flavius Josephus, *Bell. Jud.*, II, § 118; *Antiq. Jud.*, XVIII, §§ 4-9, 23-25). After various clashes, G. was killed, but the uprising was not without effect. Its initial success is documented by Gamaliel’s brief recollection twenty-five years later (Acts 5:37). This popular leader’s action also had a religious-messianic motive: he intended to hasten the coming of the liberating Messiah from Roman tyranny. When his attempt failed, G. had successors in the Zealots (v.). In A.D. 46-48, the procurator Tiberius Alexander had two of G.’s sons crucified (Flavius Josephus, *Antiq. Jud.*, XX, § 102). Another of his sons, Menahen, was one of the principal insurgents against the Romans in A.D. 66 (id., *Bell. Jud.*, II, §§ 433-48).