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The '''Essenes''' were pious [[Jew]]ish ascetics who lived in communities in [[Palestine]] from the second century B.C. to the second century A.D., and may have been influential with key individuals such as [[John the Baptist]].  According to the historian [[Josephus]] (A.D. 27 - c. 100), the Essenes totaled about 4,000 late in the first century.  Neither the [[Bible]] nor the [[Talmud]] mentions the Essenes, but in addition to Josephus, the historians Philo (20 B.C. - c. A.D. 40) and the elder Pliny (A.D. 23-79) confirm their existence.

The '''Essenes''' were pious [[Jew]]ish ascetics who lived in communities in [[Palestine]] from the second century B.C. to the second century A.D., and may have been influential with key individuals such as [[John the Baptist]].  According to the historian [[Josephus]] (A.D. 27 - c. 100), the Essenes totaled about 4,000 late in the first century.  Neither the [[Bible]] nor the [[Talmud]] mentions the Essenes, but in addition to Josephus, the historians Philo (20 B.C. - c. A.D. 40) and [[Pliny the Elder|the elder Pliny]] (A.D. 23-79) confirm their existence.

The Essenes were celibates who adopted young children to maintain their numbers  They believed in immortality and enforced a caste system in their rigorous community life.

The Essenes were celibates who adopted young children to maintain their numbers  They believed in immortality and enforced a caste system in their rigorous community life.