Cuspius Fadus was an
Ancient Roman
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–50 ...
''
eques'' and the 1st
procurator of
Iudaea Province in 44–46.
History
After the death of King
Marcus Julius Agrippa, in 44, he was appointed procurator by
Claudius
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Drusus and Antonia Minor ...
. During his administration, peace was restored in the country, and the only disturbance was created by one
Theudas, who came forward with the claim of being a prophet. But he and his followers were put to death by the command of Cuspius Fadus, as
Josephus
Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for '' The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly ...
recounts:
:"It came to pass, while Cuspius Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain charlatan, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the
Jordan river
The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...
; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it. Many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen out against them. After falling upon them unexpectedly, they slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, cut off his head, and carried it to
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
."
Cuspius Fadus was succeeded as procurator in 46 by
Tiberius Julius Alexander.
[Joseph. Ant. xix. 9, xx. 5. § 1, Bell. Jud. ii. 11. § 5; Tac. Hist. v. 9 ; Zonar. xii. 11; Euseb. Hist. Eccl. ii. 11.]
See also
*
Prefects, Procurators and Legates of Roman Judaea
Footnotes
References
Jewish Encyclopedia: Fadus Cuspius*
{{s-end
1st-century Romans
1st-century Roman governors of Judaea
Roman governors of Judaea