Coponius

Coin of Coponius

Coponius was the first Roman governor (prefect^[1]) of Judaea province (from 6 CE to 9 CE).

Biography

Map of the province of Judaea during Coponius' governorship

He was, like the prefects who succeeded him, of knightly rank, and "had the power of life and death".^[2] During his administration the revolt of Judas the Galilean occurred,^[3] the cause of which was not so much the personality of Coponius as the introduction of Roman soldiers. Owing to the reconstruction of the province of Judea then in progress, the census was being taken by Quirinius, Roman legate of Syria, which was a further cause of offence.

In 9, Coponius was recalled to Rome, and replaced by Marcus Ambivulus.^[4]

See also

• Roman Procurator coinage
• Coponia gens

References

1. H.H. Ben-Sasson, A History of the Jewish People, Harvard University Press, 1976, ISBN 0-674-39731-2, page 246: "At first the governor of Judea held the title of prefect; only after Herod Agrippa's death (in A.D. 44) did procurator become the official designation."
2. Josephus, "B. J." ii. 8, § 1; "Ant." xviii. 1, § 1.
3. "B. J." l.c.
4. "Ant." xviii. 2, § 2.

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Coponius". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.

Further reading

• Schürer, Emil. Geschichte des Jüdischen Volkes im Zeitalter Jesu Christi. 3d ed., i. 487.
• Schlatter, Adolf. Zur Topographie und Geschichte Palästinas. p. 206.
• Krauss, Samuel. Griechische und Lateinische Lehnwörter in Talmud, Midrasch und Targum. ii. 537.

Coponius Roman Rulers of Judea
Preceded by Herod Archelaus, Ethnarch of Samaria, Judea, and Edom	Prefect of Judaea	Succeeded by Marcus Ambivulus