I. CLAUDIUS. The Emperor Claudius, of whom there is mention made in some places of the Scripture, succeeded Caius Caligula, in the year of J. C. 41, and reigned thirteen years eight months and nineteen days, and died in the year of J. C. 54. King Agrippa contributed a great deal by his persuasions, to his accepting, and keeping possession of the Empire, which was tendered to him by the Soldiers. As an Acknowledgment of this Service, he gave Agrippa all Judæa, and the Kingdom of Chalcis to his Brother Herod1. He put an end to the dispute which had been for some time on foot between the Jews of Alexandria, and the other Freemen of that City, confirmed the Jews in the possession of their Right of Freedom, which they had enjoyed from the beginning, and every where maintained them in the free exercise of their Religion and Laws2; but he would not permit them to hold any Assemblies at Rome3.
King Agrippa dying in the fourth year of Claudius, and of J. C. 44, the Emperor Acts xviii. 2.again reduced Judæa into a Province, and sent Cuspius Fadus to be Governor. About the same time the Famine happened, which is mentioned in the Acts of the Acts xi. 28, 29, 30.Apostles4, and was foretold by the Prophet Agabus. In this extremity the Christians of Antioch assisted those of Jerusalem, and sent Alms to them by the hands of Barnabas and Saul, in the year of J. C. 44. Claudius the year following ordained, that the High Priest’s pontifical Robes should remain in the possession of the Jews5; whereas the Governors of the Province had a mind to have the keeping of them.
At the same time Herod King of Chalcis obtained the favour from the Emperor of having Authority over the Temple, and the Money consecrated to God, with a power of deposing and establishing the High Priests. At length, in the ninth year of Claudius, and of J. C. 49, the Emperor published an order for expelling all Jews out of Rome. It is very probable that the Christians, who were at that time confounded with the Jews, were banished thence likewise; and6 Suetonius plainly intimates it, when he tells us, that Claudius drove the Jews out of Rome, by reason of the continual disturbances which were then excited by them, at the instigation of Chrestus: Judæos, impulsore Chresto, assidue tumultuantes, Roma expulit. This is almost all that we can find in the Reign of Claudius, particularly relating to the affairs of Jews and Christians, and which is proper to be inserted in a Dictionary of the Bible. Claudius was poisoned by his Wife Agrippina, and was succeeded by Nero.
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