Sextus Julius Caesar

(d. 46 B.C.)

CAESAR, SEXTUS JULIUS° (d. 46 B.C.E.), kinsman of Julius *Caesar . After participating in the Spanish campaign against Pompey, he was appointed governor of Syria, where he met his death. Josephus writes that *Herod first came to his notice when he put to death Hezekiah "the bandit leader."

When Herod was summoned to stand trial before the Sanhedrin for this act and for other acts of violence (Jos., Ant., 14:159–60; Wars, 1:204–5), Sextus Caesar intervened by warning Hyrcanus not to condemn his protégé Herod (Jos., Ant., 14:170; Jos., Wars, 1:211). Soon afterward he appointed Herod to be the governor of Samaria and northern Palestine.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Schuerer, Hist, 110; Muenzer, in: Pauly-Wissowa, 19 (1917), 477f., no. 153; A. Schalit, Koenig Herodes (1969), 43, 45f.

[David Solomon]