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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn antiquity, a stone was a stone–regardless of whether or not it bore an inscription from an earlier time. Ancient inscriptions found today may have been reused as building materials many times throughout the ages. Indeed, Frova\u2019s find was a prime example of this architectural recycling. While scholars disagree on the details, the inscription bearing Pilate\u2019s name probably dedicated a temple built in honor of Emperor Tiberius (see the word \u201cTiberieum\u201d on the inscription). It may have been used in several other buildings before being incorporated into the theatre during an expansion in the fourth century.4<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pontius Pilate was a Roman governor who presided over the province of Judaea from 27 to 37 CE. However, until 1961, Pilate was a shadowy figure mentioned in a small handful of roughly contemporary literary sources.5<\/a><\/sup> The most well-known of these is of course the New Testament. Pilate\u2019s name appears in the four Gospels, although the various accounts differ in the way they present him and his involvement in Jesus\u2019 execution. Other literary sources include those of Flavius Josephus, a 1st century CE historian born in Jerusalem; Philo, a philosopher from Alexandria, Egypt; and Tacitus, another 1st century CE historian from what is now southern France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ancient writers\u2019 opinions of Pontius Pilate vary considerably. In his\u00a0Legatio ad Gaium<\/em>\u00a0(The Embassy to Gaiu<\/a>s<\/em>6<\/a><\/sup>), Philo describes Pilate as \u201ca man of inflexible, stubborn and cruel disposition\u201d when he refuses to remove pagan statues from the Holy City of Jerusalem.7<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Gospel of John, however, describes Pilate as a man who bends to the whims of others:<\/p>\n\n\n\n As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw [Jesus], they shouted, \u201cCrucify! Crucify!\u201d But Pilate answered, \u201cYou take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.\u201d1<\/a><\/sup><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n In this excerpt, Pilate himself has no malice towards Jesus. His reply gives no indication of cruelty. Instead, Pilate responds to the wishes of those he governs and gives his approval to their demands.8<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n Josephus describes him with relative neutrality.9<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0In Josephus\u2019\u00a0The Jewish War<\/a><\/em>, Pilate stages a show of force against a group of dissenting Jews, but gains respect for them when he recognizes their religious dedication and calls off his guards.10<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0He serves the Roman Emperor but is not inherently malicious or anti-Semitic. While none of these authors portrays Pilate as a hero, some groups throughout history have viewed Pilate in this light. In fact, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church considers Pontius Pilate and his wife saints.11<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n In present day literature and film, depictions of Pilate cover a similar range. Monty Python\u2019s \u201cLife of Brian\u201d (1979) portrays Pilate as an incompetent puppet of the Roman Empire with an effeminate appearance and a comical lisp. In contrast, \u201cBen Hur\u201d (1959) depicts Pilate as a stereotypically masculine Roman leader who officiates chariot races. Here Pilate is just another Roman official, indistinguishable from the rest. Finally, \u201cJesus Christ Superstar\u201d (1970) paints Pilate as a sympathetic and complex character: he orders Jesus whipped as a concession to the demands of the crowd but then feels sickened by the crowd\u2019s bloodthirstiness and Jesus\u2019 unwillingness to defend himself. It is striking that few films depict Pilate as a villain whose first impulse is towards cruelty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What, then, are we to make of this enigmatic figure? Of all the provincial governors serving the frontiers of the Roman Empire, why does Pontius Pilate still capture our imaginations? From the New Testament to ancient historians and modern-day film, Pilate has been portrayed as everything from a lisping puppet to a ruthless dictator. We don\u2019t know, truly, who he was. And maybe this mystery is what catches our eye and sparks our interest. Pontius Pilate is whomever we need him to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Josephus, Flavius. The Antiquities of the Jews<\/em>. Trans. William Whiston. Accessed June 27, 2017. http:\/\/penelope.uchicago.edu\/josephus\/ant-18.html<\/p>\n\n\n\n Josephus, Flavius. The Wars of the Jews<\/em>. Trans. William Whiston. Accessed June 27, 2017. http:\/\/www.perseus.tufts.edu\/hopper\/text?doc=J.%20BJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maier, Paul L. The Fate of Pontius Pilate<\/em>. Hermes 99, no. 3 (1971): 362\u201371.<\/p>\n\n\n\n McGING, BRIAN C. “Pontius Pilate and the Sources.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 53, no. 3 (1991): 416\u201338.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vardaman, Jerry. “A New Inscription Which Mentions Pilate as \u2018Prefect.\u2019\u201d Journal of Biblical Literature 81, no. 1 (1962): 70\u201371.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWho was Pontius Pilate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pilate\u2019s Legacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Of all the governors\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bibliography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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