Marcus Antonius Julianus

Marcus Antonius Julianus: Roman governor of Judaea (66-70).

Marcus Antonius Julianus is mentioned as procurator of Judaea by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. Julianus' governorship started during the great anti-Roman insurrection of 66; he succeeded Gessius Florus, who had not been able to prevent the revolt. If, as the name suggests, Marcus Antonius Julianus was a relative of Marcus Antonius Felix, who had been governor from 52 to 58, this connection may have been one reason why he was selected.

However this may be, his governorship was not a brilliant event. The insurrection escalated to war and the real man in power was the Roman general Vespasian and, in 70, his son Titus. Josephus mentions Marcus Antonius Julianus only as one of Titus' advisors in a debate about the fate of the temple in Jerusalem.note

The governor must have retired and wrote a treatise On the Jews. It is lost but is referred to by Minucius Felix.note

This page was created in 2012; last modified on 6 May 2019.