Yehoshua ben Perachyah & Nittai of Arbela

Yehoshua ben Perachyah and Nittai of Arbela were the second pair of Zugot. They are usually placed during the Hasmonean period, around the time of John Hyrcanus, when the Jewish state had gained independence but was also facing internal religious and political tensions.

This pair is important because it continues the chain of rabbinic tradition after the first Zugot. Their teachings in Pirkei Avot focus on choosing good teachers, good friends, and being careful in judgment. For your timeline, they show that even during the Hasmonean kingdom, Jewish religious authority was not only political or priestly, but also based on Torah learning and sage leadership.