Lucuas
LUCUAS
LUCUAS (early second century c.e.), Jewish "king" and leader of the Jewish rising in Cyrene (115–117 c.e.). The sources are divided as to the name of the Jewish leader; whereas Eusebius (Historia Eclesiastica 4:2) refers to the Jewish king Lucuas, Dip Cassius (68:32) calls him Andreas. It has been suggested, therefore, that the "king" had a double name: Λουκούας ὸ κάὶ Ανδρέας. Mention of a Jewish "king" perhaps signifies the messianic overtones of the Jewish revolt in Egypt and Cyrene. One of the "Acts of the Alexandrine Martyrs" describes a dispute between a Greek and Jewish embassy before the Roman emperor Hadrian, and from its contents it is apparent that the subject under debate is connected with the Jewish revolt in Alexandria. A certain king of the stage and mime is mentioned as being brought forth by the Alexandrians to be mocked by the Roman prefect. Tcherikover, in analyzing the papyrus, points out that although it is possible that the "king" described is Lucuas, "he certainly would have been a prisoner in the hands of the Romans, and not of the Alexandrians" as is implied in the text. Furthermore, it is difficult to ascertain why Hadrian should be angry with the Alexandrians, if the object of their mockery was "the Jewish king" responsible for the uprising.
bibliography:
Schuerer, Hist, 291f.; Tcherikover, Corpus, 1 (1957), 86, 89, 90 n. 83; 2 (1960), 87–99.
[Isaiah Gafni]