Category:Coponius (subject)
Coponius was the first Roman governor of Judea, from 6 CE to 9 CE, under Emperor Augustus.
Overview
In 6 CE, Judea became a Roman province after the deposition of Herod Archelaus, the son of Herod the Great. Consequently, Emperor Augustus appointed a governor of knightly rank, "having the power of life and death" (Josephus, Bel II 8.1; Ant XVIII 1.1). During Coponius' tenure the revolt of Judas the Galilean occurred, apparently in opposition to the census taken by Quirinius, the governor of Syria, who also came to Judea "to take an account of their substance, and to dispose of Archelaus's money." Quirinius also appointed Annas the first High Priest nominated directly by the Romans. Josephus records another incident during the Passover festival when some Samaritans scattered human bones along the colonnade of the Jerusalem Temple. Shortly after this event Coponius was recalled to Rome, and replaced by Marcus Ambivulus (Ant XVIII 2, 2).
Coponius in ancient sources
Josephus, Jewish War
Bel II 8, 1 -- And now Archelaus's part of Judea was reduced into a province, and Coponius, one of the equestrian order among the Romans, was sent as a procurator, having the power of [life and] death put into his hands by Caesar. Under his administration it was that a certain Galilean, whose name was Judas, prevailed with his countrymen to revolt, and said they were cowards if they would endure to pay a tax to the Romans and would after God submit to mortal men as their lords...
Josephus, Jewish Antiquities
Ant XVIII 1,1 -- Coponius also, a man of the equestrian order, was sent together with him [i.e. Quirinius], to have the supreme power over the Jews. Moreover, Cyrenius [=Quirinius] came himself into Judea, which was now added to the province of Syria, to take an account of their substance, and to dispose of Archelaus's money... Yet was there one Judas, a Gaulonite, of a city whose name was Gamala, who, taking with him Sadduc, a Pharisee, became zealous to draw them to a revolt, who both said that this taxation was no better than an introduction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty...
Ant XVIII 2, 2 -- As Coponius, who we told you was sent along with Cyrenius [=Quirinius], was exercising his office of procurator, and governing Judea, the following accidents happened. As the Jews were celebrating the feast of unleavened bread, which we call the Passover, it was customary for the priests to open the temple-gates just after midnight. When, therefore, those gates were first opened, some of the Samaritans came privately into Jerusalem, and threw about dead men's bodies, in the cloisters; on which account the Jews afterward excluded them out of the temple, which they had not used to do at such festivals; and on other accounts also they watched the temple more carefully than they had formerly done. A little after which accident Coponius returned to Rome, and Marcus Ambivius came to be his successor in that government.
Related categories
External links
This category currently contains no pages or media.