Caesar

The title by which a Roman emperor was known. The emperors during the time covered by the New Testament, with the dates of their accessions, were as follows: Augustus, 31 B.C.; Tiberius, A.D. 14; Caligula, A.D. 37; Claudius, A.D. 41; Nero, A.D. 54. The chief occasions on which the imperial name is mentioned are (1) when a question was put to our Lord as to the duty of paying tribute (Matt. 22:17; Mark 12:14; Luke 20:22); (2) at His trial before Pilate, when the charge was disloyalty to Caesar (John 19:12; see also Acts 17:7); (3) the famine in the reign of Claudius, A.D. 47 (Acts 11:28), and his expulsion of Jews from Rome, about A.D. 50 (Acts 18:2); (4) at Paul’s trial before Festus, when he claimed his right as a Roman citizen to be tried in the imperial court (Acts 25:11); (5) reference made by Paul to Christians who were members of Caesar’s household (Philip. 4:22).