Claudius Lysias - Claudius Lysias, The Tribune

Claudius Lysias, The Tribune

Claudius Lysias is called "the tribune" (χιλίαρχος chiliarch) 16 times within Acts 21-24 (21.31-33, 37; 22.24, 26-29; 23.10, 15, 17, 19, 22; 24.22); 17 times if Claudius Lysias is also included in among the "military tribunes" in the "audience hall" when Herod Agrippa II and Bernice come to hear Paul (Acts 25:23). However, such a speculation is uncertain especially considering a minimum of two years from when Claudius Lysias sent Paul to the Procurator Marcus Antonius Felix in c. AD 57/58 Acts 23:26-35, to within the first few months of the new Procurator Porcius Festus who rules from AD 60-62 (Acts 24:27-25:1-22).

The Greek term Χιλίαρχος is said to be used to translate the Roman tribunus militum (following Polybius), and also for the phrase tribuni militares consulari potestate (Plutarch). The responsibilities of a χιλίαρχος were as a "commander of a thousand men". Essentially, Claudius Lysias is "a high-ranking military officer in charge" of anywhere from 600 to 1,000 men, and this appears to be the case for it is said that his command was over a "cohort" (σπειρα, speira) in Jerusalem which is "the tenth part of a Roman legion having about 600 men" (Acts 21:31).