International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

SOSTRATUS

sos'-tra-tus (Sostratos, in Codex Venetus Sos-): "The governor of the citadel" of Jerusalem under Antiochus IV (Epiphanes). His duty was to gather the revenues of the city and province for the imperial treasury. He made a new departure in demanding from Menelaus direct the sum promised to the king in 2 Maccabees 4:27; (for Jason had the privilege of sending the money by his own messenger to the king (2 Maccabees 4:23)). This claim the usurper Menelaus disputed; consequently he and the governor were both summoned to appear before the king. No more is told, and Sostratus is otherwise unknown.

S. Angus