Ruler Mentioned in the Bible by name

Felix

Get some riding animals too, and have Paul sit on them so he can get to Governor Felix safely."[Markus Antonius Felix was governor of Judea from 52 to 60 AD. His residence was in the provincial administrative capital, Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea. As governor of Judea, he ruled with an iron fist. He was recalled by Nero to Rom after hiring robbers to kill the high priest Jonathan. He was married three times. The Roman historian Tacitus writes that Felix indulged in cruelty and lust like a king, but had the mind of a slave, see Tacitus Historiae 5.9.]

[Sender:] Claudius Lysias.
[Recipient:] The highly esteemed governor Felix.
Greetings!

"Most honorable Felix! Thanks to you and your leadership, we have enjoyed a long period of peace. Your political reforms have made life much better for the people I represent, everywhere and in every way. We acknowledge this with great gratitude.
[The speech follows the rhetorical model common at the time. It begins with flattering words, a technique known in Latin as captatio benevolentiae. On both points, he stretched the truth; there had never been such unrest as under Felix's rule, and he had not made life better for the Jews. Felix was governor of Judea from 52 to 60 CE.]

Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, now postponed the trial and said, "When the commander Lysias comes down here, I will decide the case."
[Felix was in a political dilemma. He knew enough about the Christian faith to know that Paul was innocent. At the same time, he wanted to stay on good terms with the Jews, so he postponed the trial to gain time. We do not know if Commander Claudius Lysias was ever called in for further questioning.]

A few days later [after the trial], Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him talk about his faith in the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) Jesus.

But when Paul spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the coming Judg., Felix was frightened and said, "Go away for now. When I have time, I will call for you."

When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. Because Felix wanted to stay on good terms with the Jews, he left Paul in prison.
[The Jews hated Felix; they wrote a letter to Rom describing his brutality toward them. The complaints led Emperor Nero to dismiss Felix and appoint Festus as governor of Judea in the fall of 60 AD. He held the post for two years.]

Agrippa and Berenice stayed there for several days, and Festus presented Paul's case to the king. "Here is a man," he said, "whom Felix left as a prisoner.