Florus

Family: Roman · Role: governor · First appears: Book II, Chapter 15

Florus was a Roman governor. In Book II, Chapter 15, at Jerusalem, he provoked a Roman assault in which soldiers clubbed people fleeing through the gates and horsemen trampled them. Roman troops forced the crowd through Bezetha while trying to seize the temple and Antonia; after the cloisters were demolished, Florus abandoned that attempt, left one band in Jerusalem, and returned to Cesarea with the rest of his forces. Bernice repeatedly sent her guards and horse-masters to ask him to stop the slaughter, but he refused her requests, while Cestius assured the multitude that Florus would treat them more gently and Florus conducted Cestius as far as Cesarea.

In Chapter 16, Florus falsely accused the Jews of revolt and blamed them for the earlier disturbance. With Agrippa, the people rejected war against Rome but demanded action against Florus for his abuses, while those reporting their treatment to Agrippa provoked his indignation. In Chapter 17, Simon led ambassadors sent to Florus; in Chapter 19, Florus corrupted Tyrannius Priseus and cavalry officers, diverting Cestius from capturing Jerusalem. By Chapter 20, Cestius sent Saul and his companions to Nero to blame Florus for kindling the war.