New Testament Political Figures: The Evidence
A web-exclusive supplement to Lawrence Mykytiuk's BAR article identifying real New Testament political figures
Lawrence Mykytiuk • 09/07/2017
The largest coin struck by King Herod the Great.
Photo: Copyright 2010 by David Hendin, from Guide to Biblical Coins
, 5th Edition.
Fifty-three people from the Hebrew Bible
have been confirmed by archaeology. What about the New Testament? In
“New Testament Political Figures Confirmed” in the September/October 2017 issue of
Biblical Archaeology Review, Purdue University scholar Lawrence Mykytiuk examines the political figures in the New Testament who can be identified in the archaeological record and by extra-Biblical writings. Below, see Mykytiuk’s extensive evidence, covering King Herod and his royal family to lesser known figures.
—Ed.
[HR][/HR]
Evidence Guide:
[HR][/HR]
BAS Library Members: Read Lawrence Mykytiuk’s article
“New Testament Political Figures Confirmed” in the September/October 2017 issue of
BAR.
Not a BAS Library member yet? Join the BAS Library today.
[HR][/HR]
New Testament Political Figures Evidence Chart [TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: #E0E0E0"]
[TH="align: left"][/TH]
[TH="align: left"]Name[/TH]
[TH="align: center"]Who was he or she?[/TH]
[TH="align: center"]When did he rule?[/TH]
[TH="align: center"]Where in the New Testament?[/TH]
[TH="align: center"]Sample of evidence in historical writings[/TH]
[TH="align: center"]Evidence in inscriptions[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 7, align: left"]Roman Emperors[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]1[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Augustus[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Roman Emperor[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]31 B.C.E.–14 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Luke 2:1[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Numerous[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Numerous[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]2[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Tiberius[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Roman Emperor[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]14–37 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Luke 3:1[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Numerous[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Numerous[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]3[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Claudius[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Roman Emperor[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]41–54 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 11:28; 18:2[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Numerous[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Numerous[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]4[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Nero[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Roman Emperor[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]54–68 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 25–26; 28:19[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Numerous[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Numerous[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 7, align: left"]Herodian Family[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]5[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Herod I, the Great[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Rome’s King of the Jews over all of Palestine.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]37–4 B.C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Matthew 2:1; Luke 1:5[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]6[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Herod Archelaus[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Oldest son of Herod the Great. Ethnarch of Judea, Samaria and Idumea.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]4 B.C.E.–6 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Matthew 2:22[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Herod Antipas[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Son of Herod the Great; second husband of Herodias. Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (Transjordan). He ordered the execution of John the Baptist.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]4 B.C.E.–39 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Luke 3:1; 13:31–32; 23:7–12; Mark 6:14; 6:16–28; 8:15[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]8[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Herod Philip[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Son of Herod the Great but not a ruler; Herodias’s uncle and first husband; father of their daughter Salome.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Matthew 14:3–4; Mark 6:17–18; Luke 3:19[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](No coins because he was not a ruler)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]9[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Herodias[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Granddaughter of Herod the Great; niece and wife of Herod Philip, mother of his daughter Salome; then Herod Antipas’s wife. She brought about the order to execute John the Baptist.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Mathew 14:2–11; Mark 6:17–28; Luke 3:19–20[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](No coins because she was not a ruler)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]10[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Salome[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Herodias’s daughter. Her dance led to the execution of John the Baptist. Grandniece and later wife of Philip the Tetrarch.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Matthew 14:3–12; Mark 6:17–29[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Coins of her second husband, Aristobulus, king of Chalcis[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]11[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Philip the Tetrarch[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Son of Herod the Great. Tetrarch of Trachonitis, Iturea and other northern portions of Palestine. Eventually husband of his grandniece Salome.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]4 B.C.E.–34 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Luke 3:1[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]12[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Herod Agrippa I[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Grandson of Herod the Great; brother of Herodias. King of Trachonitis, Batanea, gradually all of Palestine. Executed James the son of Zebedee and imprisoned Peter.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]37–44 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 12:1–6, 18–23[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]13[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Herod Agrippa II[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Son of Herod Agrippa I. Initially Tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis, then also over parts of Galilee and Perea, Chalcis and northern territories. Festus appointed him to hear Paul’s defense.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]50–c. 93 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 25:13–26:32[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]14[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Berenice/Bernice[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Sister and companion of Herod Agrippa II, rumored lovers. Attended Paul’s trial before Festus.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 25:13, 23; 26:30[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Inscription of King Herod Agrippa II in Beirut[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]15[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Drusilla[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Sister of Herodias and Herod Agrippa I; Jewish wife of Roman governor Felix.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 24:24[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](No coins; not
a ruler)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 7, align: left"]Roman Legate and Governors[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]16[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Publius Sulpicius Quirinius
( = Cyrenius)[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Roman imperial legate brought in to govern Syria-Cilicia after Herod Archelaus’s rule led to rebellion.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6–9 C.E. and possibly earlier[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Luke 2:2[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]The Lapis Venetus inscription discovered in Beirut[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]17[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Pontius Pilate[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Roman prefect of Judea who conducted Jesus’ trial and ordered his crucifixion.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]26–36 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Matthew 27:11–26; Mark 15:1–15; Luke 3:1; 23:1–24; John 18:28–19:22[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars; Tacitus,
Annals; Philo,
De Legatione ad Gaium[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Pilate Stone discovered at Caesarea Maritima; coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]18[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Lucius Junius Gallio[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Roman proconsul of Achaia who convened and dismissed the trial of Paul in Corinth.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]c. 51–55 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 18:12–17[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Seneca,
Letters; Tacitus,
Annals[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Stone inscription discovered in Delphi, Greece[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]19[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Marcus Antonius Felix[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Roman procurator of Judea who held initial hearings in the trial of the apostle Paul.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]52–c. 59 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 23; 24[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]20[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Porcius Festus[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Roman procurator of Judea who conducted a hearing in the trial of Paul, during which Paul appealed to Caesar and was sent to Rome.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]59–62 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 24:27–25:27; 26:24–32[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 7, align: left"]Independent Political Figures[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]21[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Aretas IV[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Arabian king of Nabatea. Father of Herod Antipas’s first wife, before Herodias.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]9 B.C.E.–40 C.E.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]2 Corinthians 11:32[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Inscriptions at Petra, etc.; coins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]22[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
The unnamed Egyptian leader[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]His Jerusalem-area insurrection was suppressed by Roman procurator Felix.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 21:38[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](No coins because he was not a ruler)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]23[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]
Judas of Galilee[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Led a rebellion against the census of Roman imperial legate Quirinius.[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Acts 5:37[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Josephus,
Antiquities and
Wars[/TD]
[TD="align: center"](No coins because he was not a ruler)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]