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Political Rulers of Palestine
in the New Testament Era

 Emperors  -  Procurators  - The Herods

Some of the following dates overlap or have gaps due the complicated political situation under Roman rule.  The territory we know as Palestine was divided into different administrative districts at different times and governed by various levels of the Roman political bureaucracy.  Also, political leadership was granted as a reward for being in favor with Caesar, and could be withdrawn just as quickly because of disfavor or perceived threat.  As a result, various parts of Palestine passed back and forth between supervised monarchial rule and total control under Roman procurators or governors.  The area was unified only during the reign of Herod the Great, 37 - 4 BC, and for a brief time AD 41 - 44 under Herod Agrippa I.

Roman Emperors
Dates Names Scriptures
27 BC - AD 14 Augustus (Octavian) Luke 2:1
14 - 37 Tiberius Luke 3:1
37 - 41 Caligula (Gaius)  
41 - 54 Claudius Acts 11:28; 18:2
54 - 68 Nero Acts 25:10; 28:19
68 Galba  
69 Otho  
69 Vitellius  
69 - 79 Vaspasian  
79 - 81 Titus  
81 - 96 Domitian  
96 - 98 Nerva  
98 - 117 Trajan  
117 - 138 Hadrian  
Roman Procurators of Judea
Dates Names Scriptures
AD 6 - 10 Coponius  
10 - 13 M. Ambivius  
13 - 15 Annius Rufus  
15 - 26 Valerius Gratus  
26 - 36 Pontius Pilate Matt 27:11-31,
Lk 3:1, 23:1,
Mk 15:1-15,
Jn 18:28-19:16
36 - 38 Marcellus  
38 - 41 Maryllus  
37 - 44 Herod Agrippa* (see below)
44 - 46 Cuspius Fadus  
46 - 48 Tiberius Alexander  
48 - 52 Ventidius Camanus  
52 - 59 M. Antonius Felix Acts 23, 24
59 - 61 Porcius Festus Acts 24:27
61 - 65 Albinus  
65 Gessius Florus  
Turmoil leading to the Destruction of Jerusalem, AD 70
72 Vettulenus Cerialis  
72 - 75 Lucilius Bassus  
75 - 86 Flavius Silva  
86 Pompeius Longinus  
* Herod Agrippa ruled as King over Galilee and Perea in AD 37-44, then in AD 39 took over the territories of Judea and Samaria previously governed by Herod Philip. For more information on the Herods, see
Palestine Under the Rule of the Herods
The Herods*
Dates Names Scriptures
37 - 4 BC Herod the Great Matt 2:1
4 BC -  AD 39 Herod Antipas
Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea
Luke 3:1, Mark 6:17-29, 8:15, etc.
4 BC - AD 6 Herod Archelaus
Ethnarch of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea
Matt 2:22
4 BC - AD 39 Herod Philip
Tertrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis
Luke 3:1
AD 37 - 44 Herod Agrippa I
(see above*)
Acts 12:1-3, 21-23
53 - 93 Herod Agrippa II
Tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis; c.  AD 56 also parts of Galilee and Perea
Acts 25:13-26:32
*For more information on the Herods, see Palestine Under the Rule of the Herods

-Dennis Bratcher, Copyright © 2018, Dennis Bratcher - All Rights Reserved
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