procurator Summary and Overview

The Greek agemon, rendered "governor" in the Authorized Version, is applied in the New Testament to the officer who presided over the imperial province of Judea. It is used of Pontius Pilate, #Mt 27:1| ... of Felix, Acts 23, 24, and of Festus. #Ac 26:30| It is explained under PROCONSUL that after the battle of Actium, B.C. 27, the provinces of the Roman empire were divided by Augustus into two portions, giving some to the senate and reserving to himself the rest. The imperial provinces were administered by legali. No quaestor came into the emperor's provinces, but the property and revenues of the imperial treasury were administered by procuratores. Sometimes a province was governed by a procurator with the functions of a legatus. This was especially the case with the smaller provinces an the outlying districts of a larger province; and such is the relation in which Judea stood to Syria. The headquarters of the procurator were at Caesarea, #Ac 23:23| where he had a judgment seat, #Ac 25:6| in the audience chamber, #Ac 25:23| and was assisted by a council #Ac 25:12| whom he consulted in cases of difficulty. He was attended by a cohort as body-guard, #Mt 27:27| and apparently went up to Jerusalem at the time of the high festivals, and there resided at the palace of Herod, in which was the praetorium or "judgment hall." #Mt 27:27; Mr 15:16| comp. Acts 23:35

"governor"; Greek heegemoon in New Testament, more strictly epitropos. Used of Pontius Pilate, Felix, and Festus (Matthew 27; Acts 23; 24; Acts 26:30). frontPONTIUS PILATE.) Legates governed the imperial provinces, with term of office subject to the emperor's will. They had six lictors, the military dress and sword (Dion Cass. 53:13). Procurators administered for the emperor's treasury (fiscus) the revenues. In smaller provinces as Judaea, attached to larger as Syria, the procurator had the judicial junctions as "president," subordinate to the chief president over Syria. Caesarea was the head quarters of the procurator of Judaea (Acts 23:23), where he had his judgment seat (Acts 25:6) in the audience chamber (Acts 25:23), assisted by a council (Acts 25:12) whom he cousulted in difficult cases. He had a bodyguard of soldiers (Matthew 27:27). He visited Jerusalem at the great feasts, when riots were frequent, and resided in Herod's palace, where was the proetorium ("judgment hall," John 19:9; "common hall," Matthew 27:27; Acts 23:35).