Category:Felix (subject)
Marcus Antonius Felix was the Roman governor of Judea, from 52 CE to 58 CE.
Biography
In 52 CE, Marcus Antonius Felix succeeded Ventidius Cumanus as Roman Procurator of Judea. Around 54-56, Felix divorced his fist wife and married Drusilla, daughter of Herod Agrippa. Felix' tenure was marked by unrest and accusations of bribe, violence and corruption. He escaped unpunished thanks to the support of his powerful brother Marcus Antonius Pallas, who served as a secretary of the treasury at Rome. Paul of Tarsus stood trial before Festus and was hold in prison at Caesarea for two years. In 58 CE Porcius Festus replaced Felix.
The son of Felix and Drusilla, Marcus Antonius Agrippa, died with his wife in 79 CE in the eruption of Mount Vesuvio.
Felix in ancient sources
Josephus' works are the major source of information on Felix.
While Felix was procurator of Judea, he saw this Drusilla, and fell in love with her; for she did indeed exceed all other women in beauty; and he sent to her a person whose name was Simon [5] [or Atomos], a Jewish friend of his, by birth a Cypriot, who pretended to be a magician. Simon endeavored to persuade her to forsake her present husband, and marry Felix; and promised, that if she would not refuse Felix, he would make her a happy woman. Accordingly she acted unwisely and, because she longed to avoid her sister Berenice's envy (for Drusilla was very ill-treated by Berenice because of Drusilla's beauty) was prevailed upon to transgress the laws of her forefathers, and to marry Felix (Ant XX 7.2).
Felix in Scholarship
Felix in Fiction
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