GENEALOGICAL TABLE.

ROMAN PROCURATORS.

'The Roman procurators had not only the charge of collecting the imperial revenues, but had also the power of life and death in capital causes; and on account of their high dignity they are sometimes called governors.' 'In the administration of justice, and the repression of tumults, some of them held independent jurisdictions, while others were subordinate to the proconsul or governor of the nearest province. The province to which Judea was annexed was that of Syria.' (Horne.)

'It has been said that the position of the ruler resident at Cæsarea in connection with the supreme authority at Antioch may be best understood by comparing it with that of the governor of Madras or Bombay under the governor-general who resides at Calcutta. The comparison is in some respects just, and British India might supply a further parallel. We might say that when Judea was not strictly a province, but a monarchy under the protectorate of Rome, it bore the same relation to the contiguous province of Syria, which, before the recent war, the territories of the King of Oude bore to the presidency of Bengal. Judea was twice a monarchy, and thus its history furnishes illustrations of the two systems pursued by the Romans, of direct and indirect government.' (Conybeare and Howson.)

D

PROCURATORS OF JUDEA.

Felix-a freedman of Claudius, who was appointed to succeed the banished Cumanus as procurator of Judea. Meeting with Drusilla, the admired sister of Agrippa the younger, and wife of Azizus, King of Emesa, he persuaded her basely to abandon her husband, and took her as his own wife. During his stay at Cæsarea, Paul was sent thither by the chief captain, Claudius Lysias, to evade the danger which threatened him at Jerusalem. Felix was thus privileged to hear the doctrines of Christianity unfolded and defended by its ablest advocate. 'After certain days,' says St. Luke, 'when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.' prisoner on this occasion reasoned so forcibly of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, that Felix trembled and answered, 'Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season I will call for thee.' Hoping, however, to receive money for his release, he kept him in confinement for two years, until he was succeeded in office by Porcius Festus. Claudius Felix

now retired from Judea and returned to Rome.

The

Festus succeeded Felix in office A.D. 60, and found Paul a prisoner at Cæsarea. Three days after his arrival in the province he went up to Jerusalem, where he was entreated by the high priest and the chief of the Jews to send for Paul, intending to assassinate him by the way. Festus, however, refused to grant them their request, and desired the accusers to proceed with him to Cæsarea, and urge their charges against him there. After tarrying at Jerusalem more than ten days, Festus returned, and on the following day he sat on the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought into his presence. The prisoner now finding that the Jews were resolved to get him into their power, availed himself of his citizenship, and appealed to Cæsar. A few days later, King Agrippa and

1 According to one account he was joint-procurator for a time with Cumanus, the latter holding Galilee, the former Samaria. (Vide Tac. Ann. xii. 54.) For further particulars respecting these procurators, vide pp. 33, 34.

Bernice visited Cæsarea to salute Festus, and the particulars of Paul's case were brought under their notice: agreeably with Agrippa's request, Festus sent for the prisoner to the place of hearing,' on which occasion the latter urged facts at variance with the governor's views with so much earnestness, that the latter cried out with a loud voice, 'Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning doth make thee mad.'2

Compared with his predecessors, Festus appears to have been a just and enlightened officer. After enjoying his government for the brief space of two years, he died in Judea A.D. 62, and was succeeded by Albinus.3

1 Acts XXV.

2 Acts xxvi.

3 Vide pp. 33, 34.