List of biblical figures identified in extra-biblical sources
These are biblical figures unambiguously identified in contemporary sources according to scholarly consensus. Biblical figures that are identified in artifacts of questionable authenticity, for example the Jehoash Inscription and the bullae of Baruch ben Neriah, or who are mentioned in ancient but non-contemporary documents, such as David and Balaam, are excluded from this list. Hebrew Bible. Although the first mention of the name 'Israel' in archaeology dates to the 13th century BC, contemporary information on the Israelite nation prior to the 9th century BC is extremely sparse. In the following  centuries a small number of local Hebrew documents, mostly seals and bullae, mention biblical characters, but more extensive information is available in the royal inscriptions from neighbouring kingdoms, particularly Babylon, Assyria and Egypt. Deuterocanonicals. While the deuterocanon describes events between the eighth and second centuries BCE, most historically identifiable people mentioned in the deuterocanon lived around the time of the Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE), during which Judea was part of the Seleucid Empire. Coins featuring the names of rulers had become widespread and many of them were inscribed with the year number in the Seleucid era, allowing them to be  dated precisely. First-hand information comes also from the Greek historian Polybius (c. 200 – c. 118 BCE), whose "Histories" covers much of the same period as the Books of Maccabees, and from Greek and Babylonian inscriptions. Josephus also discusses the Maccabean Revolt in some detail in "Jewish Antiquities" Book XII, although the Greek version of the book of 1 Maccabees was one of Josephus's main sources, so "Antiquities" is considered by some scholars a circular reference rather than truly independent confirmation. New Testament. By far the most important and most detailed sources for first-century Jewish history are the  works of Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37 – c. 100 AD). These books mention many of the same prominent political figures as the New Testament books and are crucial for understanding the historical background of the emergence of Christianity. Josephus also mentions Jesus and the execution of John the Baptist although he was not a contemporary of either. Apart from Josephus, information about some New Testament figures comes from Roman historians such as Tacitus and Suetonius and from ancient coins and inscriptions. Tentatively identified. These are Biblical figures for which tentative but likely identifications have been found in contemporary sources based  on matching names and credentials. The possibility of coincidental matching of names cannot be ruled out however.