of a mutual descent, religion and ethnicity and viewed themselves as both close to and distinct from Jews. There were numerous cultural differences, and later rabbinic literature affirms traditions that Judaic religious life in Galilee was distinct from that in Judaea due to being influenced by the native Phoenician faith. John Elliott argues that only outsiders, like Romans, confused the Galileans with Judeans.

The Pharisaic scholars of Judaism, centered in