Sabinus

Family: Roman · Role: procurator of Syria · First appears: Book II, Chapter 2

Sabinus, a Roman procurator of Syria, first aided Antipas by letters to Caesar that accused Archelaus and highly commended Antipas. After those who hindered him were gone, he went to Jerusalem, seized the palace, examined the accounts, and tried to take possession of the citadels, though their governors maintained that their custody belonged to Caesar. He later compelled the keepers to surrender them and searched bitterly for Herod’s money; besieged with the Romans by Jewish forces, he ordered a legion to attack, while the Romans burned the cloisters, and he gathered what remained of the plundered temple treasure. Varus restrained him from going farther, and Sabinus repeatedly sent messengers asking Varus to come quickly to his aid.

In the night, Sabinus seized the capitol at Rome, and Domitian joined him with other prominent Romans. When Vitellius’s forces took the hill and destroyed the defenders, Sabinus was captured and slain; Vitellius was enraged at those who had revolted with him. Later, Sabinus reached a wall alone, declared his willingness to surrender himself to Titus and to die for his sake, and was overwhelmed and killed by Jewish defenders after wounding many of those who approached him.