The Zealots were members of a Jewish political movement during the Second Temple period who sought to incite the people of Judaea to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the Land of Israel by force of arms, most notably during the First Jewish–Roman War. "Zealotry" was the term used by the Jewish historian Josephus for a "fourth sect" or "fourth Jewish philosophy" during this period.
At the core of Zealotry was the Jewish concept of "zeal," a total commitment to God's will and law, which was epitomized by the biblical figures of Phinehas and Elijah, and the Hasmonean priest, Mattathias. Zealotry was also driven by a belief in Israel's election by God, and is often seen as a key driver of the First Jewish Revolt.