Coponius Explained

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

Biography

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] Probably, it is on account of this occurrence that one door of the Temple bore the name of "door of Coponius".^[5] Regarding the personal attitude of Coponius toward the Jews, nothing definite is known.

See also

• Roman Procurator coinage
• Coponia gens

References

1. H.H. Ben-Sasson, A History of the Jewish People, Harvard University Press, 1976,, 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.
5. Mid. i. 3.; compare the reading in Parḥi 16a, ed. Edelman.

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.