GOVERNOUR. The Romans had a custom of sending Governours to the Provinces under their obedience, and the Kingdoms reduced by them into Provinces. Here is the Succession of the several Governours of Syria, collected by M. Boivin the Elder.
| The Year of J. C. | |
|---|---|
| 62 | 1. Scaurus. App. Syr. Joseph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 8, & 9. & Gu. 1, 5, 6. |
| 62 | 2. Marcius Philippus. App. Syr. |
| 59 | 3. Cn. Lentulus Marcellinus. App. Syr. |
| 57 | 4. Gabinius. App. Syr. & Parth. Joseph. 14. 10, 11. Cic. pro Sextio. |
| 53 | 5. M. Licinius Crassus. Joseph. 14. 12. App. Syr. & Parth. |
| 53 | 6. C. Cassius Longinus, for Crassus in his absence. Jos. 14. 12. |
| 52 | 7. Bibulus. Cic. l. 6. Ep. 5. App. Syr. & Parth. |
| Saxa. App. Syr. | |
| 49 | Metellus Scipio. Joseph. 14. 13. Cæs. Bell. Civ. l. 1. Plutar. Cic. |
| 47 | Sext. Jul. Cæs. Jos. Antiq. 14. 17. & de Bello, 1. 8. App. Civ. l. 3. & 4. Dio. Hirtius. Bell. Alex. |
| 45 | L. Statius Murcus, or Marcus. Strab. l. 16. |
Judæa having been reduced into a Province by the Romans, after the banishment of Archelaus, Tetrarch of this Country, Governours were sent thither. The person who acted with this character, was called sometimes Præses, and sometimes Procurator, Prætor; Intendant, President, Governour. They were subject not only to the Emperors, but also to the Governours of Syria, whereof Judæa made a part.
The first Governour sent into Judæa after the banishment of Archelaus, was Coponius, a Roman Knight, who governed it from the year of Jesus Christ 9, which is Joseph. Antiq. l. 18. c. 1. p. 616. & de Bello, l. 2. c. 11. p. 784. Luke ii. 2.the sixth of the Vulgar Æra, to the year 13 of Jesus Christ, and 10 of the Vulgar Æra. At the same time Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was Governour of Syria. This is the Quirinius mentioned by St. Luke.
Marcus Ambibucus, or Ambivius, succeeded Coponius about the year 10 of the Vulgar Æra: he governed, probably, three years, to the year 13 of the Vulgar Æra; for the time of his government is not expressly Antiq. l. 18. c. 3. p. 619.mentioned in Josephus.
Annius Rufus succeeded Ambibucus, about the year 13 of the Vulgar Æra, and governed a year or two. Valerius Gratus succeeded Rufus, and governed from the year 15 or 16 of the Vulgar Æra, to the year 26 or 27 of Jesus Christ, that is, Joseph. ibidem.eleven years.
Pontius Pontius Pilate succeeded Gratus, about the year 26 or 27 of the Vulgar Æra, and governed Judæa to the end of the year 36, which is the year 39 from the true time of Jesus Christ’s birth.
Marcellus, in the year of the Vulgar Æra 36, was sent by Vitellius, Governour of Syria, to govern Judæa in the room of Pilate.
The year following, being the 37th of the Vulgar Æra, and the first of Caius Caligula, Judæa returned to its former state, and was given with the title of a Kingdom to Agrippa.
But after his death, which happened in the year 44 of the Vulgar Æra, and of Jesus Christ 47, Judæa was again reduced into a Province, and the Emperor Claudius sent thither Cuspius Fadus in quality of Joseph. l. 19. c. 7. p. 680. de Bello, l. 2. c. 19. p. 793.Governour or Intendant. He governed it about two years, till about the year 46 of the Vulgar Æra.
Tiberius Alexander, the son of Alexander Alabarch of the Alexandrian Jews, and nephew to Philo, forsook his Religion, and was made Governour of Judæa in the year 46 of the Vulgar Æra. He governed the Province for two years, to the year 48 of the Vulgar Æra.
Ventidius Cumanus succeeded Tiberius Alexander in the year 48, and governed Judæa to the year 52 of the Vulgar Æra.
Felix the Emperor Claudius’s Freed-man, was sent to govern Judæa in the year 52. He governed it to the year 60 of the common Æra.
Portius Festus was sent in his room, in the same year 60, and died in Judæa in the year 62 of the Vulgar Æra.
Albinus succeeded him, and came to Judæa in the year 62, and governed this Province to the year 64 of the Vulgar Æra.
Gessius Florus succeeded him towards the end of the year 64, or at the beginning of the year 65 of the Vulgar Æra. This was the last particular Governour that Judæa had. He by his ill conduct began the war there. What became of him after the year 66 of the Vulgar Æra, no one can tell. The City of Jerusalem was taken, and destroyed in the year 70 of the Vulgar Æra. The rebellion of the Jews began in the year 66.