D — Historical and Apocalyptic Works

Historical Text F (4Q468e)

1A tiny fragment is the only surviving part of a historical document containing the unusual name of Pwtl'ys. The editor, M. Broshi, reads it as Ptollas, a Hellenized form of the Hebrew name Putiel, and probably identical with a companion of Herod's son Archelaus, who accompanied him to Rome in 4 BCE. The journey was preceded by civil riots in Jerusalem which were suppressed by the army, killing three thousand people (cf. Josephus, Ant. xvii, 213-18; War ii, 8-14)' Two other scholars, D. R. Schwartz and W. Horbury (see JJS 50, 308- 11), suggest a reading of Peitholaus, a pro-Roman Jew associated with the massacre of many of his compatriots in mid-first century BCE (cf. Ant. xiv, 84-5; War, i, 162-3). For the editio princeps, see M. Broshi, DJD, XXXVI, 407-11.

2[to k]ill the multitude of men ... Potlaus/Potlays. And the persons that