Biographical dossier
John the Baptist
John the Baptist is classified in the historical people index as RELIGIOUS FIGURE. This dossier preserves the indexed life dates and geographic anchors while explicitly marking what the source does not supply.
Record details
- Research ID
- catholon:person:person:wd:Q40662
- Catalogue ID
- person:wd:Q40662
- Wikidata ID
- Q40662
- Occupation class
- RELIGIOUS FIGURE
- Life span
- 20 BC–AD 31
- Birth anchor
- Herodian Kingdom of Judea (20 BC)
- Death anchor
- Machaerus (AD 31)
- HPI
- 90.30246786602905
Chronological record
The dataset places the life between 20 BC and AD 31. These indexed dates are identity and chronology fields, not a substitute for a critical biography.
Geographic anchors
Birth: Herodian Kingdom of Judea (20 BC). Death: Machaerus (AD 31).
Country keys are dataset keys and must not be mistaken for the historical boundaries that existed during the person’s lifetime.
Historical role
The source assigns the broad occupation class RELIGIOUS FIGURE. It does not by itself establish doctrine, sanctity, political legitimacy, responsibility for every event associated with the person, or the exact scope of an office.
Source and identity method
Source: PANTHEON_2_2020. Identity method: pantheon_wikidata_qid. Language-edition measure: 14.851417045898952.
Research questions
- Which primary sources are contemporary with this person?
- Which office, community or institution gives the person historical agency?
- How do later confessional, national or ideological narratives reshape the record?
- Which places on the atlas are genuine life anchors and which are later reception sites?
Phase II — source-led historical deepening
Historical horizon
John is read in the political setting of Herod Antipas and in the Gospel transition from prophetic expectation to the public ministry of Christ. The profile links the baptism at the Jordan, the call to repentance, martyrdom and early Christian testimony.
Primary-source path
- Matthew 3 and 11–14
- Mark 1 and 6
- Luke 1 and 3
- John 1 and 3
- Josephus, Antiquities 18.116–119
Geography and institutions
Birth anchor: Herodian Kingdom of Judea; Death anchor: Machaerus The map anchors support navigation, but no point is treated as the whole extent of a ministry, kingdom, journey or later cult.
Connected study paths
This layer expands the catalogue entry without turning later reception into contemporary evidence. Confessional judgements, historical claims and uncertain traditions remain explicitly distinguishable.