Coponius
Encyclopedia
Coponius was the first governor (Prefect
) of Iudaea province
, about 6 CE.
He was, like the procurators who succeeded him, of knightly rank, and "had the power of life and death". During his administration occurred the revolt of Judas the Galilean , 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
, which was a further cause of offence.
During Coponius' term of office also witnessed internal strife. During the Passover
festival, when the doors of the Temple were opened at midnight, certain Samaritan
s entered by the first door, and scattered human bones along the colonnade of the sanctuary.
Shortly after this event Coponius was recalled to Rome, and replaced by Marcus Ambivulus
. Probably it is on account of this occurrence that one door of the Temple bore the name of "door of Coponius". Regarding the personal attitude of Coponius toward the Jews nothing definite is known.
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
) of Iudaea province
Iudaea Province
Judaea or Iudaea are terms used by historians to refer to the Roman province that extended over parts of the former regions of the Hasmonean and Herodian kingdoms of Israel...
, about 6 CE.
He was, like the procurators who succeeded him, of knightly rank, and "had the power of life and death". During his administration occurred the revolt of Judas the Galilean , 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
Census of Quirinius
The Census of Quirinius refers to the enrollment of the Roman Provinces of Syria and Iudaea for tax purposes taken in the year 6/7 during the reign of Emperor Augustus , when Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was appointed governor of Syria, after the banishment of Herod Archelaus from the Tetrarchy of...
was being taken by Quirinius
Quirinius
Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was a Roman aristocrat. After the banishment of the ethnarch Herod Archelaus from the tetrarchy of Judea in AD 6, Quirinius was appointed legate governor of Syria, to which the province of Iudaea had been added for the purpose of a census.-Life:Born in the neighborhood...
, which was a further cause of offence.
During Coponius' term of office also witnessed internal strife. During the Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
festival, when the doors of the Temple were opened at midnight, certain Samaritan
Samaritan
The Samaritans are an ethnoreligious group of the Levant. Religiously, they are the adherents to Samaritanism, an Abrahamic religion closely related to Judaism...
s entered by the first door, and scattered human bones along the colonnade of the sanctuary.
Shortly after this event Coponius was recalled to Rome, and replaced by Marcus Ambivulus
Marcus Ambivulus
Marcus Ambivulus was Roman Prefect of the province of Judea and Samaria. Originally a cavalry officer, he succeeded Coponius in 9 AD and ruled the area until 13 AD when he was succeeded by Annius Rufus. Josephus noted his tenure in Antiquities 18.31....
. Probably it is on account of this occurrence that one door of the Temple bore the name of "door of Coponius". Regarding the personal attitude of Coponius toward the Jews nothing definite is known.