FESTUS. Porcius Festus was the successor of Felix as the Roman governor of Judxa, to the duties of which office be was appointed by the Emperor Nero (Joseph. Antiq. xx. S. 9 ; De Bell. yud. ii. 14. I) in the first year of his reign (Winer, Hana'w5rterbuclz, in voc.) One of his first official acts was hearing the case of the apostle Paul, who had been left in prison by his predecessor. He was at least not a thoroughly corrupt judge ; for when the Jewish hierarchy begged him to send for Paul to Jerusalem, and thus afford an opportunity for his being assassinated on the road, he gave a refusal, promising to investigate the facts at Csa. rea, where Paul was in custody, alleging to them, it is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him ' (Acts xxv. 16). On reaching Cmsarea he sent for Paul, heard what he had to say, and, finding that the matters which his accusers had against him' were questions of their own superstition, and of one Jesus which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive,' he asked the apostle whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be tried, since Festus did not feel himself skilled in such an affair. Paul, doubtless because he was unwilling to put himself into the hands of his implacable enernieS, requested to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus,' and was in consequence kept in custody till Festus had an opportunity to send him to Cmsar. Agrippa, however, with his wife Bernice,
having come to salute Festus on his new appoint ment, expressed a desire to see and 'hear the man.' Accordingly Paul was brought before Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice, made a famous speech, and was declared innocent. But having appealed to Cxsar, he was sent to Rome.
Festus, on coming into judxa, found the country infested with robbers, who plundered the villages and set them on fire ; the Sicarii also were nume rous. Many of both classes were captured, and put to death by Festus. He also sent forces, both of horse and foot, to fall upon those that had been seduced by a certain hnpostor, who promised them deliverance and freedom from the miseries they were under if they woul I but follow him as far as the wilderness. These troops destroyed both the impostor and his dupes.
King Agrippa had built himself a splendid dining-room, which was so placed that, as he re clined at his meals, he commanded a view of what was done in the Temple. The priests, being dis pleased, erected a wall so as to exclude the mo narch's view ; on which Festus took part with Agrippa aouinst the priests, and ordered the wail to be pulled down. The priests appealed to Nero, who suffered the wall to remain, being influenced by his wife Poppa, who was a reliQous woman' (Joseph. Antiq. xx. S. II). Festusedied shortly afterwards. The manner in which Josephus speaks is favourable to his character as a governor (De Bell. "ltd. ii. 14. 1).—J. R. B.