MICHAL SCHWARTZ has posted a capsule history of the life of Shabbetai Zvi, with more promised on his later reception: Kabbalah: Sabbatai Zevi - Messiah ben David or Messiah ben Joseph?
I know of no persuasive evidence that the concept of the suffering Messiah ben Joseph was around as early as the first century BCE.
For more on Shabbetai Zvi (Sabbetai Sevi), go here, here, and here, and follow the many links.
