Roman Governors of Judea

• ANCIENT SOURCES: see Roman Governors of Judea (sources)
• SCHOLARLY AND FICTIONAL WORKS: see Category:Roman Governors of Judea (subject)

Roman Governors ruled over Judea from 6 CE to the Jewish War in 66-70, with the only exception of the period 41-44 when Judea was reigned by the Herodian King Herod Agrippa

List of the Roman Governors and years in office

Appointed by Augustus

< Herod Archelaus, 4 BCE - 6 CE >

• Coponius, 6–9 CE
  • First Roman Governor of the newly formed province of Judea and first appointee by Emperor Augustus, while Quirinius (6-9 CE) was the Roman Governor of Syria
  • Annas served as High Priest during his tenure and beyond
  • Suppressed the rebellion of Judas the Galilean

• Marcus Ambivulus, 9–12
  • Second appointee by Emperor Augustus
  • Annas remained in office as High Priest during his tenure and beyond

• Annius Rufus, 12–15
  • Third and last appointee by Emperor Augustus
  • Annas remained in office as High Priest during his tenure

Appointed by Tiberius

• Valerius Gratus, 15–26
  • First appointee by Emperor Tiberius
  • Removed Annas from the office of High Priest and appointed several High Priests, from to Caiaphas

• Pontius Pilate, 26–36
  • Second appointee by Emperor Tiberius, when Lucius Aelius Lamia, Lucius Pomponius Flaccus and Lucius Vitellius were Roman Governors of Syria
  • Caiaphas remained in office as High Priest during his entire tenure
  • Condemned Jesus of Nazareth to crucifixion
  • Suppressed the movement of the Samaritan Prophet
  • Was remove from power by Lucius Vitellius

• Marcellus, 36–37
  • Was appointed by the Roman Governor of Syria Lucius Vitellius, under Emperor Tiberius, to temporarily replace Pontius Pilate.
  • Removed Caiaphas from the office of High Priest and replaced him with another member of the House of Annas, Jonathan ben Ananus.

Appointed by Caligula

• Marullus, 37–41
  • First and only appointee by Emperor Caligula (37-41 CE), when Lucius Vitellius (35-39 CE) and Publius Petronius (39-41 CE) were governors of Syria.
  • Theophilus ben Ananus (37-41 CE) served as High Priest during his entire tenure

Appointed by Claudius

• < Herod Agrippa, 41-44 >
  • Appointed by Emperor Claudius (41-54 CE) as King of Judea

• Cuspius Fadus, 44–46
  • First appointee by Emperor Claudius (41-54 CE), when Cassius Longinus (45-49 CE) was Roman Governor of Syria
  • Joseph ben Camydus served as High Priest during his entire tenure
  • Raised (and lost) a controversy about the custody of the vestments of the High Priest
  • Crushed the revolt of Theudas

• Tiberius Julius Alexander, 46–48
  • Second appointee by Emperor Claudius, when Cassius Longinus (45-49 CE) was Roman Governor of Syria
  • The scion of a wealthy Jewish family of Alexandria, was the nephew of the philosopher Philo
  • Ananias ben Nebedeus served as High Priest during his tenure
  • Condemned the two sons of Judas the Galilean to crucifixion
  • The most successful Jew in the Roman administration, was Prefect of Egypt under Nero, a key supporter of Vespasian, and second-in-command of the Roman army besieging Jerusalem during the Jewish War

• Ventidius Cumanus, 48–52
  • Third appointee by Emperor Claudius
  • Ananias ben Nebedeus remained in office as High Priest during his tenure
  • Removed from office, was sent into exile

• Marcus Antonius Felix, 52–58
  • Fourth appointee by Emperor Claudius, remained in office also under Emperor Nero
  • His brother Marcus Antonius Pallas was the powerful secretary of the treasury at Rome
  • Married Drusilla, daughter of Herod Agrippa and sister of Berenice and Herod Agrippa II
  • Paul of Tarsus stood trial before him and was hold in prison at Caesarea for two years

Appointed by Nero

• Porcius Festus, 58–62
  • First appointee by Emperor Nero, when Quadratus and Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo were Toman governors of Syria
  • Fought against the rising power of the Sicarii
  • Deported Paul of Tarsus to Rome
  • Died in office

• Lucceius Albinus, 62–64
  • Second appointed by Emperor Nero, when Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo and Cestius Gallus were Roman Governors of Syria
  • Removed Ananus ben Ananus from the office of High Priest and appointed Joshua ben Damnaeus first and then Joshua ben Gamaliel

• Gessius Florus, 64–66
  • Third and last appointee by Emperor Nero, while Cestius Gallus was Roman Governor of Syria
  • Matthias ben Theophilus served as High Priest during his tenure
  • Is blamed by Josephus for the outbreak of the Jewish War

< Jewish War, 66-70 >

Appointed by Vespasian

• Sextus Vettulenus Cerialis, 70-71

• Lucilius Bassus, 71-72

• Lucius Flavius Silva, 73-80
  • Besieged and conquered Masada in 73

Related categories

• Roman Emperors / Roman Governors of Syria / High Priests

References

• Roman Governors / Margaret H. Williams / In: The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism (2010 Collins / Harlow), edited volume, 1158-1162