Phillippe Bohstrom has written a fascinating and informative article about the discovery of a Roman inscription mentioning the province of Judea and a previously unknown Roman governor.
This Marcus Paccius ruled Judea before the Bar Kochba Revolt (about A.D. 135).
There were nearly 20 Roman prefects or governors during the first century A.D., but we learn only the names of Pontius Pilate (the trial of Jesus), Felix (Acts 23-24), and Festus (Acts 25-26) in the New Testament.
Haifa University underwater archaeologists found this inscription off the coast of Dor.
The newly found inscription, carved on the stone in Greek, is missing a part, but is thought to have originally read: “The City of Dor honors Marcus Paccius, son of Publius, Silvanus Quintus Coredius Gallus Gargilius Antiquus, governor of the province of Judea, as well as […] of the province of Syria, and patron of the city of Dor.”
The inscription is now on display in the Haifa University Library.
Stone inscription with the name of Marcus Paccius, governor of the province of Judea and Syria. Photo by Jenny Carmel in HaAretz.
Read Bohstrom’s article with photos here.
Our photo below shows the area around ancient Dor.
Aerial view of Dor. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.
For a list of Old Testament reference to Dor click here.
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Thanks to Shmuel Browns for the reference to the earlier inscription mentioning Marcus Paccus, and for leaving the info on Facebook as well.
Dr. David E. Graves has written a scholarly post about this Marcus Paccius Silvanus Quintus Coredius Gallus Gargilius Antiquus, and includes links to some of the earlier literature. Here is the link to his Deus Artefacta blog.
Reblogged this on clawingmywayin and commented:
beautiful and historical
Interesting that there was a similar artifact found by the East gate of Dor in 1948 and “rediscovered” in 1978 with an inscription in Greek on a circular base of limestone for a statue “(Someone) … honored Marcus Paccus son of Publius … Silvanus Quitus Coredius Gallus Gargilius Antiquus, imperial governor with Praetorian rank of the province Syria Palestine.”