The
Essenes was a Jewish religious sect that flourished from the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE. They were opposed to the Pharisees
? and Saducees
?. They are discussed in some detail by Josephus and Philo Judaeus. Many scholars believe that the community at Qumran that produced the [Dead Sea Scrolls]
? was an offshoot of the Essenes. A smaller number of scholars believe that the Dead Sea sect may be an offshoot of the Saducees.
see [1]
Reference
Lawrence H. Schiffman, "From Text to Tradition: A History of Second Temple & Rabbinic Judaism", Ktav Publishing House, 1991