Proconsul

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: ἀνθύπατος (Strong'S #446 — Noun Masculine — anthupatos — anth-oo'-pat-os )

from anti, "instead of," and hupatos, "supreme," denotes "a consul, one acting in place of a consul, a proconsul, the governor of a senatorial province" (i.e., one which had no standing army). The "proconsuls" were of two classes, (a) exconsuls, the rulers of the provinces of Asia and Africa, who were therefore "proconsuls" (b) those who were ex-pretors or "proconsuls" of other senatorial provinces (a pretor being virtually the same as a consul). To the former belonged the "proconsuls" at Ephesus,  Acts 19:38 (AV, "deputies"); to the latter, Sergius Paulus in Cyprus,   Acts 13:7,8,12 , and Gallio at Corinth,  Acts 18:12 . In the NT times Egypt was governed by a prefect. Provinces in which a standing army was kept were governed by an imperial legate (e.g., Quirinius in Syria,  Luke 2:2 ): see Governor , A, No. 1.

 Acts 18:12

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

Down to the time of Augustus this word had not become one, but was still two words-pro consule, ‘in place of a consul.’ It signified a man with the rank and insignia of a consul, whether he had already held the office or not. In practice the title was conferred on certain governors of provinces, and only the Emperor possessed the power belonging to this office within the walls of the city of Rome. Nothing need here be said of such governors during the Republican period. By the arrangements of January, 27 b.c., all the provinces of the Roman Empire (see Province) were divided between the Senate and the Emperor Augustus. In conformity with his desire to keep all the real power in his own hands, while the semblance was left in the hands of the Senate, the governors of Imperial provinces were given humble titles such as legati Augusti pro praetore, etc., whatever had been their career, but all governors of senatorial provinces were called proconsules. The senatorial provinces were divided into two grades-the higher grade, open only to ex-consuls, comprising Asia and Africa; and the lower, open to ex-praetors, comprising all the other senatorial provinces. The governors of Asia and Africa were provided with three legati each. In the NT only three proconsuls are referred to-the proconsul of Cyprus, Sergius Paulus ( Acts 13:7 ff.), the proconsul of Achaia, Gallio ( Acts 18:12), and the proconsul of Asia ( Acts 19:38, the plural is generalizing, and does not imply more than one at a time).

A. Souter.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Proconsul . This was originally two words proconsule , meaning a magistrate with the insignia and powers of a consul. When the kingship was abolished in Rome it gave place to a rule of two men, not called by the now detested name, but named prætores (‘generals’) or consules (‘colleagues’). As the Roman territory increased, men of prætorian or consular rank were required to govern the provinces (wh. see). During the Empire all governors of senatorial provinces were called proconsuls, whether they were ex-consuls and governed important provinces like Asia and Africa, or merely ex-prætors, like Gallio (  Acts 18:12 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] deputy ), who governed a less important province, Achaia .

A. Souter.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Proconsul. (For, Or In Place Of, The Consul). At the division of the provinces by Augustus, in the year B.C. 27, into senatorial and imperial, the emperor assigned to the senate such portions of territory as were peaceable and could be held without force of arms. Those which he retained were called Imperial , and were governed by Legates and Procurators . See Procurator . Over the senatorial provinces, the senate appointed by lot yearly an officer, who was called "proconsul," and who exercised purely proconsul, civil functions. The provinces were, in consequence, called "proconsular."

Morrish Bible Dictionary

One who acts as a consul in a province. The word ἀνθύπατος, translated 'deputy' in the A.V., shows the accuracy of Luke in giving this title to the governor of places to whom it belonged.  Acts 13:7,8,12;  Acts 18:12;  Acts 19:38 .

Webster's Dictionary

(n.) An officer who discharged the duties of a consul without being himself consul; a governor of, or a military commander in, a province. He was usually one who had previously been consul.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Acts 13:7  Acts 18:12  Acts 19:38

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

The Greek word ἀνθύπατος , for which this is the true equivalent, is rendered uniformly "deputy" in the A.V. of  Acts 13:7-8;  Acts 13:12;  Acts 19:38, and the derived verb ἀνθυπατεύω in  Acts 18:12 is translated "to be deputy." At the division of the Roman provinces by Augustus, in the year B.C. 27, into senatorial and imperial, the emperor assigned to the senate such portions of territory as were peaceable and could be held without force of arms (Sueton. Oct. 47; Strabo, 17:840; Dio Cass. 53:12), an arrangement which remained with frequent alterations till the 3d century. Over these senatorial provinces the senate appointed by lot yearly an officer who was called "proconsul" (ibid. 13), who exercised purely civil functions, had no power over life and death, and was attended by one or more legates (ibid. 14). He was neither girt with the sword nor wore the military dress (ibid. 13). He was chosen out of the body of the senate; and it was customary, when any one's consulate expired, to send him as a proconsul into some province. He enjoyed the same honor with the consuls, but was allowed only six lictors with the fasces before him. Such provinces were in consequence called "proconsular." With the exception of Africa and Asia, which were assigned to men who had passed the office of consul, the senatorial provinces were given to those who had been praetors, and were divided by lot each year among those who had held this office five years previously. Their term of office was one year. The proconsuls decided cases of equity and justice, either privately in their palaces, where they received petitions, heard complaints, and granted writs under their seals; or publicly in the common hall, with the formalities generally observed in the courts at Rome. These duties were, however, more frequently delegated to their assessors, or other judges of their own appointment. As the proconsuls had also the direction of justice, of war, and of the revenues, these departments were administered by their lieutenants, or legati, who were usually nominated by the senate. The expense of their journeys to and from their provinces was defrayed by the public. Livy (8 and 26) mentions two other classes of proconsuls — those who, being consuls, had their office continued beyond the time appointed by law; and those who, being previously in a private station, were invested with this honor, either for the government of provinces or to command in war. Some were created proconsuls by the senate without being appointed to any province, merely to command in the army, and to take charge of the military discipline; others were allowed to enter upon their proconsular office before being admitted to the consulship, but having that honor in reserve.

Among the senatorial provinces in the first arrangement by Augustus were Cyprus, Achaia, and Asia within the Halys and Taurus (Strabo, 17:840). The first and last of these are alluded to in  Acts 13:7-8;  Acts 13:12;  Acts 19:38, as under the government of proconsuls. Achaia became an imperial province in the second year of Tiberius, A.D. 16, and was governed by a procurator (Tacit. Ann. i, 76), but was restored to the senate by Claudius (Sueton. Claud. 25), and therefore Gallio, before whom St. Paul was brought, is rightly termed "proconsul" in  Acts 18:12. (See Gallio).

Cyprus also, after the battle of Actium, was first made an imperial province (Dio Cass. 53:12), but five years afterwards (B.C. 22) it was given to the senate, and is reckoned by Strabo (17:840) ninth among the provinces of the people governed by στρατηγοί , as Achaia is the seventh. These στρατηγοί, or propraetors, had the title of proconsul. Cyprus and Narbonese Gaul were given to the senate in exchange for Dalmatia, and thus, says Dio Cassius (54:4), proconsuls (ἀνθύπατοι ) began to be sent to those nations. In Bockh's Compus Inscriptionurm, No. 2631, is the following relating to Cyprus: ἡ πόλις Κοϊντον Ι᾿ούλιον Κόρδον ανθύπατον ἁγνείας This Quintus Julius Cordus appears to have been proconsul of Cyprus before the twelfth year of Claudius. He is mentioned in the next inscription (No. 2632) as the predecessor of another proconsul, Lucius Annius Bassus. The date of this last inscription is the twelfth year of Claudius, A.D. 52. The name of another proconsul of Cyprus in the time of Claudius occurs on a copper coin, of which an engraving is given under CYPRUS SEE CYPRUS. A coin of Ephesus (q.v.) illustrates the usage of the word ἀνθύπατπκ in  Acts 19:38.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Proconsul, a Roman officer appointed to the government of a province with consular authority. He was chosen out of the body of the senate; and it was customary, when anyone's consulate expired, to send him as a proconsul into some province. He enjoyed the same honor with the consuls, but was allowed only six lictors with the fasces before him.

The proconsuls decided cases of equity and justice, either privately in their palaces, where they received petitions, heard complaints, and granted writs under their seals; or publicly in the common hall, with the formalities generally observed in the courts at Rome. These duties were, however, more frequently delegated to their assessors, or other judges of their own appointment. As the proconsuls had also the direction of justice, of war, and of the revenues, these departments were administered by their lieutenants, or legati, who were usually nominated by the senate. The office of the proconsuls lasted generally for one year only, and the expense of their journeys to and from their provinces was defrayed by the public. After the partition of the provinces between Augustus and the people, those who presided over the provinces of the latter were especially designated proconsuls, for whom it appears to have been customary to decree temples. Livy (viii and xxvi) mentions two other classes of proconsuls: those who, being consuls, had their office continued beyond the time appointed by law; and those who, being previously in a private station, were invested with this honor, either for the government of provinces, or to command in war. Some were created proconsuls by the senate without being appointed to any province, merely to command in the army, and to take charge of the military discipline; others were allowed to enter upon their proconsular office before being admitted to the consulship, but having that honor in reserve.

When the Apostle Paul was at Corinth, he was brought before Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia, one of the provinces of Greece, of which Corinth was the chief city, and arraigned by the Jews as one who 'persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law' but Gallio refused to act as a judge of such matters, and 'drave them from the judgment-seat' .

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

prō - kon´sul ( ἀνθύπατος , anthúpatos (  Acts 13:7;  Acts 18:12 ); the King James Version deputy ). See Province .

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

Name given to the governor of a Roman province who was absolute ruler of it, disposed of the army, dispensed justice, controlled administration, and was represented by legates.