Judas Iscariot was one of the original twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, infamous for betraying Jesus to the authorities in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. His betrayal led to Jesus' arrest and subsequent crucifixion. Judas identified Jesus to the arresting soldiers by kissing him on the cheek. His surname "Iscariot" may mean "man from Kerioth," a town in Judea, or possibly derive from the Latin "sicarius," meaning "dagger man," although the Sicarii connection is debated. After his betrayal, Judas is reported to have died by suicide, either by hanging or falling, with varying accounts in the New Testament. He was also the treasurer among the apostles and was known to have stolen from their funds. The name Judas became synonymous with betrayal or treason in Christian tradition.
