Porcius Festus
Encyclopedia
Porcius Festus was procurator
of Judea
from about AD 59 to 62, succeeding Antonius Felix
. His exact time in office is not known. The earliest proposed date for the start of his term is c. A.D. 55-6, while the latest is A.D. 61. These extremes have not gained much support and most scholars opt for a date between 58 to 60. F. F. Bruce says that, "The date of his [Felix's] recall and replacement by Porcius Festus is disputed, but a change in the provincial coinage of Judaea attested for Nero's fifth year points to A.D. 59" Conybeare and Howson lay out an extended argument for the replacement taking place in A.D. 60.
Festus inherited all of the problems of his predecessor in regard to the Roman practice of creating civic privileges
for Jews. Only one other issue bedeviled his administration, the controversy between Agrippa II
and the priests
in Jerusalem regarding the wall erected at the temple to break the view of the new wing of Agrippa's palace.
During his administration, Jewish hostility to Rome
was greatly inflamed by the civic privileges
issue. Feelings were aroused which played an important part in the closely following Jewish War of AD 66
.
In the New Testament
, the Apostle Paul
had his final hearing before Festus. In Acts
25:12, Festus sought to induce Paul to go to Jerusalem for trial; Paul appealed to the Emperor
. The appeal resulted in Paul being deported to Rome.
Procurator (Roman)
A procurator was the title of various officials of the Roman Empire, posts mostly filled by equites . A procurator Augusti was the governor of the smaller imperial provinces...
of Judea
Iudaea Province
Judaea or Iudaea are terms used by historians to refer to the Roman province that extended over parts of the former regions of the Hasmonean and Herodian kingdoms of Israel...
from about AD 59 to 62, succeeding Antonius Felix
Antonius Felix
Marcus Antonius Felix was the Roman procurator of Iudaea Province 52-58, in succession to Ventidius Cumanus.- Life :...
. His exact time in office is not known. The earliest proposed date for the start of his term is c. A.D. 55-6, while the latest is A.D. 61. These extremes have not gained much support and most scholars opt for a date between 58 to 60. F. F. Bruce says that, "The date of his [Felix's] recall and replacement by Porcius Festus is disputed, but a change in the provincial coinage of Judaea attested for Nero's fifth year points to A.D. 59" Conybeare and Howson lay out an extended argument for the replacement taking place in A.D. 60.
Festus inherited all of the problems of his predecessor in regard to the Roman practice of creating civic privileges
Privilege
A privilege is a special entitlement to immunity granted by the state or another authority to a restricted group, either by birth or on a conditional basis. It can be revoked in certain circumstances. In modern democratic states, a privilege is conditional and granted only after birth...
for Jews. Only one other issue bedeviled his administration, the controversy between Agrippa II
Agrippa II
Agrippa II , son of Agrippa I, and like him originally named Marcus Julius Agrippa, was the seventh and last king of the family of Herod the Great, thus last of the Herodians. He was the brother of Berenice, Mariamne, and Drusilla...
and the priests
Kohen
A Kohen is the Hebrew word for priest. Jewish Kohens are traditionally believed and halachically required to be of direct patrilineal descent from the Biblical Aaron....
in Jerusalem regarding the wall erected at the temple to break the view of the new wing of Agrippa's palace.
History of Rome
The history of Rome spans 2,800 years of the existence of a city that grew from a small Italian village in the 9th century BC into the centre of a vast civilisation that dominated the Mediterranean region for centuries. Its political power was eventually replaced by that of peoples of mostly...
was greatly inflamed by the civic privileges
Privilege
A privilege is a special entitlement to immunity granted by the state or another authority to a restricted group, either by birth or on a conditional basis. It can be revoked in certain circumstances. In modern democratic states, a privilege is conditional and granted only after birth...
issue. Feelings were aroused which played an important part in the closely following Jewish War of AD 66
First Jewish-Roman War
The First Jewish–Roman War , sometimes called The Great Revolt , was the first of three major rebellions by the Jews of Judaea Province , against the Roman Empire...
.
In the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, the Apostle Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
had his final hearing before Festus. In Acts
ACTS
Acts or ACTS may refer to:Christianity* Acts of the Apostles , a genre of early Christian literature* Acts of the Apostles, the fifth book in the Bible's New Testament...
25:12, Festus sought to induce Paul to go to Jerusalem for trial; Paul appealed to the Emperor
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
. The appeal resulted in Paul being deported to Rome.
See also
- Prefects, Procurators, and Legates of Roman Judaea
- Roman Procurator coinageRoman Procurator coinageRoman Procurator coinage were coins issued by the Roman Procurators and Prefects of the province of Judea between 6 - 66 AD. They minted only one denomination and size, the bronze prutah.Not all of the Procurators issued coinage...