Governor of Syria 4 - 1 BCE?

[Gladius Hispaniensis]

Ave

The above time period seems to be the only one in which an actual governor of Syria is not named in sources. The eminent Geza Vermes seems to suggest it was L. Calpurnius Piso, ostensibly based on a reading of the Lapis Tiburtinus.
Some have suggested an intriguing possibility that the gap could have been filled by P. Sulpicius Quirinius which would have meant Quirinius governing Syria twice in a decade, something quite remarkable which wouldn't have failed to elicit mention in contemporary sources.
What is the possibility that Qurinius could have had a double governorship in the area? Thanks for the input.

[D B Campbell]

Until recently, I would have blurted out "Quirinius!" (But that's what I like about RAT -- keeps you on your toes. :wink: )

The eminent Geza Vermes seems to suggest it was L. Calpurnius Piso, ostensibly based on a reading of the Lapis Tiburtinus.

I presume you mean the revised (1973) edition of Schürer's A History of the Jewish People by Geza Vermes and Fergus Millar? (I always assume that Millar did the "Roman" bits and Vermes the "Jewish" bits.)

The suggestion that it was Piso (cos., 15 BC) actually belongs to Sir Ronald Syme (in an inaccessible 1973 article, thankfully reprinted in his Roman Papers III). Lily Ross Taylor had previously suggested M. Titius (cos., 31 BC). But the favourite, since the days of Mommsen (1883), has always been P. Sulpicius Quirinius (cos., 12 BC).

Some have suggested an intriguing possibility that the gap could have been filled by P. Sulpicius Quirinius which would have meant Quirinius governing Syria twice in a decade, something quite remarkable which wouldn't have failed to elicit mention in contemporary sources.

See above.

The problem is not that Quirinius would have held the Syrian governorship twice, for the "system" was still settling down under Augustus and all sorts of oddities were permitted. In fact, the evidence of the Tibur inscription positively seemed to require that the missing governor be someone who held the command twice! (M. Titius was governor ca. 10 BC; P. Quirinius was governor ca. AD 6.)

The (incomplete) career inscription from Tibur (ILS 918) was dedicated to a man who, in the capacity of provincial governor, had quelled the revolt of a king, for which he received triumphal ornaments; had proceeded to the prestigious governorship of Asia; and had governed "again" (iterum) in Syria.

Previous to Syme, scholars had assumed that iterum must mean that the man was governing Syria "again" -- thus opening up possibilities to fill the vacant post with a duplicate like Quirinius --, but Syme pointed out that iterum simply implies that another governorship (any governorship) had also been held, and not necessarily the Syrian governorship.
[ Edit: In fact, if the inscription is in reverse order, the Syrian governorship would precede the one that has been lost at the top of the inscription, when the unknown king was subdued.]

This left Syme free to place Calpurnius Piso in Syria ca. 4 BC, in a post in which he is entirely unattested. You pays your money, you takes your choice. However, another (better) candidate has been proposed for the Tibur inscription: C. Sentius Saturninus (cos., 19 BC), who is attested as governor of Syria, but ca. 10-8 BC (not ca. 4 BC). Unfortunately, this would mean that we still don't know who held the command in ca. 4 BC. ad:

Sorry.

[M. Demetrius]

So the Biblical account could be true, as written? :wink:

[D B Campbell]

So the Biblical account could be true, as written? :wink:

Infallible. :wink:

[Renatus]

Does anyone know what Edward Dabrowa, The Governors of Roman Syria from Augustus to Septimius Severus, Bonn, 1998, says on this subject?

[Gladius Hispaniensis]

"Previous to Syme, scholars had assumed that iterum must mean that the man was governing Syria "again" -- thus opening up possibilities to fill the vacant post with a duplicate like Quirinius --, but Syme pointed out that iterum simply implies that another governorship (any governorship) had also been held, and not necessarily the Syrian governorship."

My thoughts precisely. Even with my amateurish Latin that possibility did occur to me.