Sanhedrin
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The first Sanhedrin was an
assembly of 23 people, one for
each of the lands in Biblical Israel.
Later on the Great Sanhedrin was
comprised of 71 members.
The Great Sanhedrin had a Nasi,
which was sometimes the Cohen
Gadol, a vice president, and 69
regular members.
The Sanhedrin had the power of a
Biblical Supreme Court. They had
authority over the lesser Jewish
Courts, but were still ruled by the
Cohen Gadol until 191 B.C.E.
Lost Authority
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After 191 B.C.E. the Sanhedrin lost
faith in the Cohen Gadol’s
judgement and they created the
role of Nasi.
The Nasi was most often a
descendant of Hillel.
The only tiime that the Great
Sanhedrin and the Lesser
Sanhedrin met is to discuss
matters of National importance.
After the destruction of the
Second Temple the Sanhedrin
moved to Yavneh.
The End of the Sanhedrin
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The Sanhedrin really fell apart
during the time of the Roman
persecution of Israel.
Gamliel VI was the last Nasi of the
Sanhedrin, with his death in 425
C.E. the Romans decreed that the
title Nasi was illegal, therefore,
stripping the Sanhedrin of its
powers.