Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate (/ˌpɒnʃəs ˈpaɪlət/ or /ˌpɒnti.əs ˈpaɪlət/;[1][2][3] Latin: Pontius Pīlātus, Greek: Πόντιος Πιλάτος, Pontios Pīlātos[4]) was the governor of the Roman province of Judaea from AD 26 until 36.[5][6]
| Pontius Pilate | |
|---|---|
| Prefect of Roman Judaea | |
.jpg) Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man"), Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Pilate presenting a scourged Jesus to the people of Jerusalem. | |
| Born | unknown Italia, Roman Empire |
| Died | c. AD 37 Italia, Roman Empire |
| Spouse | Claudia Procula |
| Occupation | Roman governor of Judea |
He was the sixth Procurator of Judaea. In modern times he is best known as the man who presided over the Trial of Jesus and ordered his crucifixion.
Pilate appears in all four canonical Christian Gospels. Mark, showing Jesus to be innocent of plotting against Rome, portrays Pilate as extremely reluctant to execute Jesus. The Jewish hierarchy was responsible for his death.[7] In Matthew, Pilate washes his hands of Jesus and reluctantly sends him to his death.[7] In Luke, Pilate not only agrees that Jesus did not conspire against Rome but King Herod also finds nothing treasonous in Jesus' actions.[7] In John, Jesus states: 'my kingdom is not of this world' when held by Pilate. (John 18:36)
Tacitus mentions in his Annales (15,44):[8] "Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus".[9]
Philo of Alexandria (Leg. ad Caj. 38) and Flavius Josephus (Antiq. 18:3, 4 and Bell. II:9, 2-4) also mention him.
Pilate's biographical details before and after his appointment to Judaea are unknown, but have been supplied by tradition, which include the detail that his wife's name was Procula (she is canonized as a saint in the Greek Orthodox Church).
Pilate's term serves as a reliable historical benchmark for Jesus' death.[source?]
Other websites
- Pilate in history; the Tiberieum dedication block Archived 2014-02-06 at the Wayback Machine
- The Administrative and Military Organization of Roman-occupied Palestine
- Pontius Pilate Texts and Jona Lendering's discussion of all sources
- Fresh translation of texts and analysis of evidence by Mahlon H. Smith
- Jewish Encyclopedia: Pilate, Pontius
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1911): Pontius Pilate
- Encyclopaedia Britannica 1911: Archived 2011-04-13 at the Wayback Machine "Pontius pilate"
- The Hausen Legend of Pontius Pilate Archived 2014-04-24 at the Wayback Machine
- Brian Murdoch, "The Mors Pilati in the Cornish Resurrexio Domini Archived 2009-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
- Fictional Memoires of Pontius Pilate - at BBC Radio 4 by Douglas Hurd Archived 2008-12-08 at the Wayback Machine
