Quirinius, Governor of Syria When Jesus Was Born?
Quirinius (Cyrenius in Greek) was famous in Rome as a powerful Consul, the highest Senate rank achievable.[1] If not for the Nativity account in the Gospel of Luke, Quirinius would be all but forgotten.
Stints as a provincial governor in Crete & Cyrene, Galatia, Pamphylia, possibly Asia and a war hero for his military victories appear on the resume of Quirinius – all prior to 4 BC.[2] His governance in Syria may present the greatest challenge to validating the tight parameters established by Luke and Matthew for the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
Luke confirms Matthew‘s statement that Herod was King when Jesus was born during a time when Quirunius was governing Syria. Tightening the timeline, Luke adds two more defining parameters bringing the total to five – the rule of Caesar Augustus, his census decree, the reign of King Herod, Quirinius was governing in Syria plus a celestial star event.[3]
According to secular history, a conundrum is posed because Herod’s death year and the Quirinius governance do not sync with the 4 BC timeline. Extra-secular evidence strongly suggests Herod’s death occurred during the years 2 -1 BC potentially changing the equation for the rule of Quirinius.
Several historians independently tackled the Quirinus enigma. All still agreed Quirinius served in a governing capacity in Syria prior to his infamous 6 AD Roman legate governorship, but not all were in complete agreement with their conclusions and timelines with some narrowing the time frame to the years of 3-2 BC.[4]
Unique to the Gospels is Luke’s twice-used word hegemoneuo, a specific form of hegemon. Both words have different definition distinctions, yet are typically translated into English as “governor.”
Just twice and only in Luke does the author exclusively use the verb hegemoneuo. Appearing in relatively very close proximity in the text, the word is used to describe responsibilities of two different rulers, Quirinius and Pilate:[5]
LK 2:2 “This census first took place while Quirinius was governing [hegemoneuo] Syria.”
LK 3:1 “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor [hegemoneuo] of Judea…” (NKJV)
Greek hegemoneuo means “to act as ruler” as in acting with the authority of a governor, a verb.[6] Root word is hegemon, a noun meaning “a leader, that is, chief person (or figuratively place) of a province: — governor, prince, ruler”[7] Luke and Acts use the hegemon title reference 8 times and it is used 19 times in the New Testament.
In the eyes of the Jews, the Roman distinctions of rank made little difference. Both Pilate and Quirinius had virtually the same fearful Roman governing authority.[8]
Pilate was a Procurator, a Prefect, in a Roman province appointed by Caesar, not a legate “governor” requiring Senate approval.[9] Responsibilities included Roman financial affairs and vested judicial power over life and death decisions, essentially possessing the authority powers of a governor.[10]
Not alone is Luke treatment of Romans in a governing position in Syria – so did Caesar Augustus and Josephus.[11] Caesar, in a letter, instructed Herod to seat three Syrian judges for the murder plot trial of Herod’s two sons calling out by name Saturninius and Pedanius as the two “presidents” of Syria, and the procurator Volumnius.[12]
“Caesar had ordered the court to be assembled…The presidents set first, as Caesar’s letters had appointed, who were Saturninus, and Pedanius, and their lieutenants that were with them, with whom was the procurator Volumnius.” – Wars of the Jews
Secular history recognizes Saturninus as the legate Roman governor of Syria circa 9-6 BC.[13] Varus was the Roman legate governor from at least 6-4 BC, perhaps into 3 BC and possibly again in 1 BC leaving a complete gap in 2 BC.[14]
Question: who was the other “president” at the time of Herod’s death? Josephus didn’t say.
LK 2:1-3 “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.” (NKJV)
Greek texts use the word apographe, a noun meaning “a register; enrollment.” Muddling the situation, English Bible versions translate apographe using five different words – “census,” “registered,” “enrolled,” “numbering,” and “taxed.”[15]
“This census first took place…” if there was a first registration associated with Quirinius, there had to be a second on.[16] Indeed, there is a second reference in the Books of Acts, the common author of the Gospel of Luke:
ACT 5:37 “After this man [Theudas], Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census [apographe], and drew away many people after him.” (NKJV)
Comparing the two events, Luke’s registration scenario is benign while the Acts scenario is circumstantially different – it involved an uprising. Neither scenario is associated with a Roman lustrum census that was last taken in 8 BC.[17]
Two archeological discoveries of ancient inscriptions may provide the strongest evidence that Quirinius governed twice in Syria. Research by historian expert Gerard Gertoux concluded these two inscriptions identify Quirinius as the governor of Syria during the 3-1 BC timeframe; one naming Quirinius twice:[18]
“Q[uintus] Aemilius Secundus s[on] of Q[uintus], of the tribe Palatina, who served in the camps of the divine Aug[ustus] under P. Sulpicius Quirinius, legate of Caesar in Syria, decorated with honorary distinctions, prefect of the 1st cohort Aug[usta], prefect of the cohort II Classica. Besides, by order of Quirinius I made the census of 117 thousand citizens of Apamea.” – Titulus Venetus inscription (English translation) [19]
Gertoux also makes the case that Quirinius took a special census in 2 BC as part of the Breviarium of Augustus concluding a census in Apamea would have required the assistance of Judean King Herod. This was not possible if the King died in 4 BC.
Did Quirinius govern in Syria at the time of a census registration decreed by Caesar Augustus while King Herod was alive?
Updated July 29 2025.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
REFERENCES:
[1] KJV. Kurenios <2958> Net.bible.org. <http://classic.net.bible.org/strong.php?id=2958>
[2] Gertoux, Gerard. “Dating the two Censuses of Quirinius.” Titulus Venetus (CIL III; ILS 2683). Inscription. p 9. <http://www.academia.edu/3184175/Dating_the_two_Censuses_of_Quirinius> Consuls.” History of Ancient Rome. 2018. <http://www.unrv.com/government/consuls.php> “Senatorial Provinces.” History of Ancient Rome. 2018. <http://www.unrv.com/government/senatorial-provinces.php> “Consul.” Livius.org. Ed. Jona Lendering. 2018. <http://www.livius.org/cn-cs/consul/consul.html> “P. Sulpicius Quirinius.” Livius.org. Ed. Jona Lendering. 2018. <http://www.livius.org/su-sz/sulpicius/quirinius.html> Josephus, Flavius. Antiquities of the Jews. The Complete Works of Josephus. Trans. and commentary. William Whitson. 1850. Book XVIII., Chapter I.1. <http://books.google.com/books?id=e0dAAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false> Bunson, Matthew. Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. “Consuls; Crete and Cyrenaica.” <https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816045624>
[3] Matthew 2. Luke 1-2.
[4] Davis, J. “Quirinius.” Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church, Vol. I. n.d. Christian Classics Ethereal Library. “Chronology of the Life of Christ.” “The Census of Quirinius.” pp 101-104. 13 July 2005 <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/hcc2.i.html> <https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/hcc1/hcc1.i.II_1.16.html> Ramsay. Was Christ Born in Bethlehem? Chapter 11.
[5] Josephus. Wars. Chapter IX. Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVII, Chapter XI; Book XVIII, Chapter V. “Tiberius.” Livius.org. Ed. Jona Lendering. 2018. <http://www.livius.org/articles/person/tiberius>
[6] Net.bible.org. Luke 2:1 footnote #5 and Greek text. “hegemoneuo <2230>” Lexicon-Concordance Online Bible. Josephus. Antiquities. Book VIII, Chapter XV; Book X, Chapter IV; Book XIV, Chapters IX, XII; Book XVIII, Chapter VI. Josephus. The Life of Flavius Josephus. n.d. #9, #17. Josephus. Wars of the Jews. Book I, Chapter XXVII.3. Josephus. Against Apion. Book II, #22.
[7] Net.bible.org. Luke 2:1 footnote #5 and Greek text. “hegemon <2232>” Lexicon-Concordance Online Bible. Josephus. Antiquities. Book VIII, Chapter XV; Book X, Chapter IV; Book XIV, Chapter IX; XII; Book XVIII, Chapter VI.. Josephus. Life. #9, 17. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXVII. Josephus. Against Apion. Book II, #22. “Pontius Pilate.” Livius.org. Ed. Jona Lendering. 2019. <https://www.livius.org/articles/person/pontius-pilate> “legate.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2018. <https://www.britannica.com/topic/legate-Roman-official> Carrier, Richard C. “Herod the Procurator: Was Herod the Great a Roman Governor of Syria?” 2011. p. 7. <https://www.academia.edu/1203990/Herod_the_Procurator_Was_Herod_the_Great_a_Roman_Governor_of_Syria?email_work_card=view-paper>
[8] Net.bible.org. Luke 2:1 Greek text, footnote #5; “hegemoneuo <2230>”; “hegemon <2232>”; “hegemoneuo #2230” (Greek Word Study). (Thayer); “hēgemoneuo <2230>” Lexicon-Concordance Online Bible. n.d. <http://lexiconcordance.com/greek/2230.html> Acts 5. Smallwood, E. Mary. The Jews Under Roman Rule: From Pompey to Diocletian. 1981. pp 151-156. <http://books.google.com/books?id=jSYbpitEjggC&lpg=PA151&ots=VWqUOinty4&dq=census%20Syria%20Rome&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false> Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVIII, Chapters I-IV.
[9] “Pontius Pilate.” Livius.org. “legate.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXIV.6, Book II, Chapter VIII, XIV. Josephus. Antiquities. Book XV, Chapter III, Book XVII, Chapters IV & XX; Book XVIII, Chapter III; Book XIX. Chapter XIX; Book XX, Chapter I. “Legate.” RomanGreek.com. n.d. < https://romangeek.com/wiki/legate> Last accessed 29 July 2025.
[10] “Procurator.” Livius.org. “Governor (Roman).” Livius.org. <http://www.livius.org/gi-gr/governor/governor.html> “Procurator.” Merriam-Webster. 2018. <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procurator> “Procurator.” Jewish Virtual Library. 2008. <https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/procurator>
[11] Ramsay, William M. “Was Christ Born in Bethlehem?” 2010. Biblehub.com. Chapter 11. <http://biblehub.com/library/ramsay/was_christ_born_in_bethlehem/index.html>Net.bible.org. Greek text. “protos” <4413>” Lexicon-Concordance Online Bible. n.d. <http://lexiconcordance.com> Smith, William; Wayte, William; Marindin, G.E., Ed. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. 1890. “apographe.”
[12] Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXVII. Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVI, Chapter XI. Bunson, Matthew. Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. “Berytus.” <https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816045624>=; Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVI, Chapter IX; Book XVII Chapters, IX, X. Josephus. Wars. Book II, Chapter II. Bunson, Matthew. Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. “Judaea.” 2002. <https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816045624> Josephus. Antiquities. Book XVI, Chapters IX, XI; Book XVII, Chapter IX-XI; Book XX, Chapter XVIII. Josephus. Wars. Book I, Chapter XXXI; Book II, Chapter II. Antiquities. Josephus. Life. #11.
[13] “Syria.” Regnal Chronologies. Doig, Schurer, Emil. A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ.1890. <http://books.google.com/books?id=BRynO3W9FPcC&pg=PP1#v=snippet&q=Tiberius&f=false>
[14] “Ancient History Sourcebook: Res Gestae Divi Augusti, c. 14 CE.” Davis, William Steams, ed. 1912. <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/14resgestae.asp> Ramsay. Was Christ Born in Bethlehem? Chapter 11. “Syria.” Regnal Chronologies. n.d. <http://web.raex.com/~obsidian/Syria.html#Syria> Schurer. A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ. Volume 1, page 351. Martin, Ernest L. The Star of Bethlehem: The Star That Astonished the World. Chapter 10. <http://askelm.com/star/star000.htm#_edn11%3E%20%3Chttp://web.archive.org/web/20170111193244/http://www.askelm.com/star/star001.htm>
[15] Acts 5:37. BibleHub. com. lexicon. “582.” n.d. < https://biblehub.com/lexicon/acts/5-37.htm G0582.” LexiConcordance..com. n.d. <http://lexiconcordance.com/greek/0582.html Smith, William; Wayte, William; Marindin, G.E., Ed. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. 1890. “apographe.” <https://books.google.com/books?id=Cu89AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA403&lpg=PA403&dq=greek+word+for+census&source=bl&ots=LM1MjmCiJt&sig=1_yjJgyNxcCcSWZvf0QK69IJuMw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjx0oPA04DYAhXo6YMKHebvAEwQ6AEIejAK#v=onepage&q=register&f=false> Bunson, Matthew. Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. “Censor; Census.” <[16]0816045624″>https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816045624
[16] NRSV. Luke 2. Net.bible.org. Greek text. “protos” <4413>” Lexicon-Concordance Online Bible. n.d. <http://lexiconcordance.com> Smith, William; Wayte, William; Marindin, G.E., Ed. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. 1890. “apographe.”
[17] Smallwood. The Jews Under Roman Rule. p. 152. Ando, Clifford. A Companion to the Roman Empire. Ed. David s. Potter. pp 178-179, 186. 2006. Academia.edu. <https://www.academia.edu/649274/The_Administration_of_the_Provinces
[18] Gertoux. “Dating the two Censuses of Quirinius.” pp 3-5. Gertoux, Gerard. “Dating the death of Herod.” 2015. p 1. <http://www.academia.edu/2518046/Dating_the_death_of_Herod>
[19] Gertoux. “Dating the two Censuses of Quirinius.” Titulus Venetus (CIL III; ILS 2683). Inscription. p 4.