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James was older than John, and James was the first Apostle to be martyred.  The beheading of James by [[King Herod Agrippa I]] in Rome is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles of the New Testament (Acts 12:2), and occurred between A.D. 41 and 44, only about ten years after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.   

James was older than John, and James was the first Apostle to be martyred.  The beheading of James by [[King Herod Agrippa I]] in Rome is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles of the New Testament (Acts 12:2), and occurred between A.D. 41 and 44, only about ten years after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.   

The prominence of James' father, the success of their fishing business, the connection of James' brother John with the high priest (John 18:15), and the martyrdom of James by beheading rather than crucifixion might suggest the possibility that James might have even been a Roman citizen, as [[Paul]] was.  Roman citizens could not be crucified as Jesus and many Apostles were.  But James did not appeal his sentence to Caesar in Rome, which he could have done if he were a Roman citizen as Paul was.

The prominence of James' father, the success of their fishing business, the connection of James' brother John with the high priest (John 18:15), and the martyrdom of James by beheading rather than crucifixion might cause one to ask whether James could have even been a Roman citizen, as [[Paul]] was.  Roman citizens could not be crucified as Jesus and many Apostles were.  But James did not appeal his sentence to Caesar in Rome, which he could have done if he were a Roman citizen as Paul was, and there is no suggestion in the New Testament that any of Jesus's Apostles were citizens of Rome.