The Egyptian

The Egyptian (Ha-Mitzri) was a 1st-century Jewish prophetic figure, sometimes described as a sign prophet or a messianic prophet. He is said to have assembled a sizable gathering of followers atop the Mount of Olives either in preparation of an assault of Jerusalem in order to establish himself as the ruler of the people, or in the expectation that he would miraculously cause the walls of the city to fall, allowing his followers to enter the city. This group was crushed by the Roman procurator of Judaea, Antonius Felix (ruled 52–60 CE), and the Egyptian fled, while many of his followers were killed and captured, with the remainder managing to flee and hide. The campaign was initially supported by Helena of Adiabene and but repressed by Herod Agrippa II. Sources Flavius Josephus says in his Jewish War (2.261–262): Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews (20.169–172) contains a second account that introduces significant differences: In the Christian text, The Acts of the Apostles, the commander (chiliarch) of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem, Claudius Lysias, mistakes Paul for this Egyptian, saying "Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?".