Not equally moderate was his brother, surnamed Felix, who had
for some time been governor of
Judæa, and
thought that he could do any evil act with impunity, backed up as he was by
such power. It is true that the Jews had shown symptoms of commotion in a
seditious outbreak, and when they had heard of the assassination of Caius,
there was no hearty submission, as a fear still lingered that any of the
emperors might impose the same orders. Felix meanwhile, by ill-timed
remedies, stimulated disloyal acts; while he had, as a rival in the worst
wickedness, Ventidius Cumanus,
DISTURBANCES IN JUDÆA AND CILICIA |
who held a part of the province,
which was so divided that
Galilea was governed by
Cumanus,
Samaria by Felix. The two peoples had long
been at feud, and now less than ever restrained their enmity, from contempt
of their rulers. And accordingly they plundered each other, letting loose
bands of robbers, forming ambuscades, and occasionally fighting battles, and
carrying the spoil and booty to the two procurators, who at first rejoiced
at all this, but, as the mischief grew, they interposed with an armed force,
which was cut to pieces. The flame of war would have spread through the
province, but it was saved by Quadratus, governor of
Syria. In dealing with the Jews, who had been daring
enough to slay our soldiers, there was little hesitation about their being
capitally punished. Some delay indeed was occasioned by Cumanus and Felix;
for Claudius on hearing the causes of the rebellion had given authority for
deciding also the case of these procurators. Quadratus, however, exhibited
Felix as one of the judges, admitting him to the bench with the view of
cowing the ardour of the prosecutors. And so Cumanus was condemned for the
crimes which the two had committed, and tranquillity was restored to the
province.
