Who was Festus?

Festus was a Roman governor of Judea in the New Testament. He was appointed by the Roman Emperor Nero in 59 AD and served until 62 AD. He was the successor of Felix, who had been the governor of Judea for the previous ten years. Festus was born in Rome and was the son of Marcus Antonius Felix and his wife Drusilla. He had two siblings, Marcus Antonius Felix Junior and Drusilla the Younger. Festus is best known for his role in the trial of the Apostle Paul. Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem and was sent to Caesarea to stand trial before Festus. Festus heard Paul's case and then sent him to Rome to be tried before the Emperor. Festus is also known for his fairness and impartiality in the trial of Paul. He was willing to listen to both sides of the case and was not swayed by the opinions of others. He also allowed Paul to appeal his case to the Emperor, which was a rare privilege. Festus was a fair and just ruler who was respected by both Jews and Romans. He was a good example of a Roman governor who was willing to listen to both sides of a case and make a decision based on the facts. He is remembered for his fairness and impartiality in the trial of Paul.