Pontius Pilate
fifth Prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26–36
b. c. Dec 12 BC
Pontius Pilate was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of Jesus and ultimately ordered his crucifixion. Pilate's importance in Christianity is underscored by his prominent place in both the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Because the gospels portray Pilate as reluctant to execute Jesus, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believes that Pilate became a Christian and venerates him as both a martyr and a saint, a belief which was also historically held by the Coptic Church.
Works
Events
Commemorated
Places
- Abruzzo birth
How we know
Recorded as a historical figure.
- Gospel of John 1 claim — Trial before Pilate
- Gospel of Luke 1 claim — Trial before Herod
- Gospel of Mark 1 claim — crucifixion of Jesus
- Jewish Antiquities 1 claim — Pilate is recalled to Rome
Glosses
- The Pilate stone In 1961 a block reused as a step in the theatre at Caesarea Maritima was found to carry a dedication naming him: a fragmentary Latin text of which the surviving words include TIBERIEVM, PONTIVS PILATVS and PRAEFECTVS…