The Sadducees (/ˈsædʒəˌsiːz, ˈsædjə-/; Hebrew: צְדוּקִים Ṣĕdûqîm) were a sect or group of Jews that was active in Judea during the Second Temple period, starting from the second century BCE through the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. The sect was identified by Josephus with the upper social and economic echelon of Judean society. As a whole, the sect fulfilled various political, social, and religious roles, including maintaining the Temple.