PROCURATOR 5S1 PROCURATOR justice, either privately in their palaces, where they received petitions, heard complaints, and granted writs under their seals ; or publicly in the common hall, with the formalities generally observed in the courts at Rome. These duties were, however, more frequently delegated to their assessors, or other judges of their own appointment. As the proconsuls had also the direction of justice, of war, and of the revenues, these departments were administered by their lieutenants, or who were usually nominated by the senate. The office of the proconsuls lasted generally for one year only, and the expense of their journeys to and from their provinces was defrayed by the public. After the partition of the provinces between Augustus and the people, those who presided over the provinces of the latter were especially desig nated proconsuls, for whom it appears to have been customary to decree temples (Suet. Aug.) Livy (viii. and xxvi.) mentions two other classes of pro consuls : those who, being consuls, had their office continued beyond the time appointed by law ; and those who, being previously in a private station, were invested with this honour, either for the go vernment of provinces, or to command in war.
Some were created proconsuls by the senate with out being appointed to any province, merely to com mand in the army, and to take charge of the mill; tary discipline ; others were allowed to enter upon their proconsular office before being admitted to the consulship, but having that honour in reserve.
When the Apostle Paul was at Corinth, he was brought before Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia, one of the provinces of Greece, of which Corinth was the chief city, and arraigned by the Jews as one. who persuadeth men to worship God con trary to the law' (Acts xviii. 13); but Gallio re fused to act as a judge of such matters, and drave them from the judgment-seat' (ver. 16).—G. M. B.