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As a result of the Hellenisation that stared in 323BC with Alexander the Great, many gentiles became interested in the Jewish Religious tradition. The people were called 'God Fearers', since they were non Jewish adherents of Jaweh. Herod built the largest temple precinct of the antique world in Jerusalem to accommodate these (paying?) visitors. Another result of the Hellenisation was the dominance of the Greek language. Subsequently a translation of the Hebrew text into Greek was made and completed around 160BC. It was called the Septuagint, meaning 70, for the 72 translators who all agreed! The Septuagint mentions God Fearers already at that time. These people were present through all the major centers of the Roman Empire and started the building of Synagogue buildings. The word synagogue is Greek for an assembly of people; no building required, just like the word 'church'.
A second group was the Hellenised Jews. This group was the mirror image of the God Fearers. Both groups were interested in the New Testament teachings.
The Essenes and the related Therapeutics were present throughout the Mediterranean world according to Philo and Josephus. They were prominent in Alexandria and Palestine. They were Jewish in origin with many strict rules, but functioned independent of the Temple related groups. Qumran was a centre of the Essenes from ca. 4BC until the destruction ca.68AD. No more than about 200 people could have been supported there according to archaeologists. Many thousands lived in the general community as families, albeit apart.
The Sadducees and the Priests were the old Jewish traditionalists, whose life was centered on the Temple in accordance with the teachings of Moses.
The Pharisees maintained that such temple centered life and sacrifice was no longer required. They taught that the application of the law in daily life was most important. They did remained firm on male circumcision, practice of the law and food proscription.
These were the main religious groups, but since many millions of Jews made a living throughout the Roman Empire and beyond, the traditions of these groups found their way in all the corners of the world of antiquity, as attested by Strabo a well known geographer and historian in antiquity. It is some of these communities that were visited by Paul and some apostles.
In "From Jesus to Christianity", the author, L.M. White, lists 15 entrees in a summary titled 'Radical Politics in the Time of Jesus'. (p.37). I will give a classified summary here:
The last three entrees of White's list were a Galilean rebel, a guerrilla chief and a zealot. They and their followers fought each other within the confines of Jerusalem city as the Roman legions were marching on them in the fall of 69. In 70 the Temple and city burned! The temple had been completed in the year 64 and had taken about 80 years to complete!
These radicals included the well know Zealots and the Sicarii (dagger men) who held off the Romans on the Masada for another four years to all die in a suicide pact.