Procurator

A procurator (Greek hegemon, rendered "governor" in the NT) was a Roman official appointed by the emperor to administer an imperial province or sub-province. Judea became a procuratorial province after the removal of Archelaus in A.D. 6 and remained so (except for the brief reign of Herod Agrippa I, A.D. 41–44) until the Jewish War. The procurator held judicial, military, and financial authority, answerable directly to the emperor.

Four procurators appear in the NT narrative: Pontius Pilate (A.D. 26–36), who condemned Jesus (Matt. 27:2); Felix (A.D. 52–59), before whom Paul was held two years in Caesarea (Acts 24:27); Festus (A.D. 59–62), who succeeded Felix and before whom Paul appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11–12); and Albinus and Florus (A.D. 62–66) in Josephus but not in Acts. The procurator's headquarters were at Caesarea Maritima, with a Jerusalem praetorium for use during festivals.