.PROCURATOR 582 PROPERTY ii. q; Cic. in Verrem, passim, etc. etc.); and they weighed so heavily on the mind of the Emperor Trajan, that he called the extortions of provincial governors 'the spleen of the empire' (lien imperil).* The presence of the wives of Pilate (Matt. xxvii. 19) and Felix (Acts xxiv. 24) reminds us of the famous debate on the proposition of Cmcina to forbid the proconsuls and procurators to be ac companied by their wives (Tac., Ann., iii. 33, 34). This had been the old, and perhaps the wise regu lation of earlier days, since the cruelty, ambiti6n, and luxury of these ladies was often more formid able to the provincials than that of the governors themselves. But the rule had been often violated, and had of late been deliberately abandoned. We see, too, in the ready handing over of the prisoner from one authority to another (cipg7relAkv, remisit, Luke xxiii. 7 ; Acts xxvi. 32), some trace of that salutary dread of being denounced after their term of office was over, which alone acted as a check upon the lawlessness of even the most unscrupulous governors. Even the mention made of things at first sight so trivial as the tribunal ((3ijga), and the tessellated pavement (Woo-Too/7ov) on which it was elevated,t derive an interest and importance from the fact that they were conventional symbols of wealth and dignity, and that Julius Cxsar thought it worth while to carry one about with him from place to place (Suet., 7zt1., c. 46). Both in our Lord's case and that of St. Paul, it was necessary for the accusing Jews to frame a political charge (Luke xxiii. 3 ; Acts xxiv. 5 ; xxv. 18), since their proceedings would otherwise have been rejected by Pilate or Felix with as much contempt as they were by the proconsul Gallio (Acts xviii. 14). Yet
the procurators took care to keep under their own absolute control the appointment of the high-priest (Joseph. Alleg. xviii. 2. 2) ; and this became a constant source of violent contention between them and the Jews.
The following is a list of the procurators of Judma, with their approximate dates, so far as they are ascertainable, omitting Sabinus, who was only a temporary procurator 1. Coponius, A.D. 6-10.
2. Marcus Ambivius, A.D. 10 (?) 3. Annius Rufus, A.D. (?) 4. Valerius Gratus, A.D. 14-25.
5. Pontius Pilate, A.D. 25-36.
6. Marcellus, A.D. 37.
After this, in A.D. 41, Agrippa was established in the kingdom of Juda, and, on his death, a procurator was again appointed, viz.: 7. Cuspius Fadus, A.D. 44-46.
S. Tiberius Alexander, A.D. 46-48.
• Quia sicut crescente liene reliqui artus tabes cunt, sic aucto fisco, improbis exactionibus civium paupertas augetur' (Aurel. Vict., Epit., 42). Ves pasian (more suo)• took a more humorous view of the matter, and said that the procurators were like sponges, quod quasi et siccos madefaceret et ex primeret humentes' (Suet., Vesp., 16).
t This was outside the prxtorium (John xix. 13), as the Roman prxtors often heard causes in the open air.
On the death of Herod the Great (Joseph. Antiq. xvii. 9. 3). The leading 7r1porros (fifth) for rei.orr6s (sent) in the passage of Josephus which refers to Valerius Gratus (Ant xviii. 2. 2), seems to have led to Sabinus being generally counted. _ 9. Ventidius Cumanus, A.D. 48-52.
IO. Antonius* Felix, A.D. 52-60.
Porcius Festus, A.D. 6o-6z (?) 12. Albinos, A.D. 62-64.
13. Gessius Florus, A.D. 65-66.
[See PILATE; FESTUS; FELIX; PROVINCE, etc.) -F. W. F.