Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate (Latin Pontius Pilatus, Greek: Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, Pontios Pīlātos) was the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26–36.
He served under Emperor Tiberius, and is best known for presiding over the trial of Jesus and ordering his crucifixion.
In 1961, archaeologists led by Antonio Frova discovered in Israel a block of limestone imbedded in a section of steps leading to an Amphitheater in the Roman city Caesarea. The inscription includes the following:
- "Pontius Pilatus, Prefect of Judea has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius."[1]
Emperor Tiberius reigned from 14 to 37 AD, which verifies the New Testament account that records Pontius Pilate ruling as governor from 26 to 36 AD.
The early governors of Judaea were of prefect rank, but later were of procurator rank.
Tacitus, a first century Roman historian, also mentioned Pontius Pilate:
"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..."[2]
Besides Tacitus others like Philo of Alexandria, and Josephus also speak of him as well as the four canonical gospels; the Gospel of Nicodemus; the Gospel of Marcion; and other apocryphal works.
Pontius Pilate's title was traditionally thought to have been procurator, since Tacitus speaks of him as such. However, an inscription on the limestone block known as the Pilate Stone — a dedication to Tiberius Caesar Augustus — that was discovered in 1961 in the ruins of an amphitheater at Caesarea Maritima refers to Pilate as "Prefect of Judaea".
When applied to governors, this term procurator, otherwise used for financial officers which was a chief roll of Pilate in Judea, connotes no difference in rank or function from the title known as "prefect".
The procurators' and prefects' primary functions were military, but as representatives of the empire they were responsible for the collection of imperial taxes. It cost money to maintain a peace keeping force in Judea.
He had limited judicial functions which would include usurpation or rebellion against the local government.
According to the Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved April 15, 2014. Defines "Procurator". with the addition of "From a recently discovered inscription in which Pontius Pilate is mentioned, it appears that the title of the governors of Judea was also "praefectus"."
A promagistrate (Latin: pro magistratu) is a person who acts in and with the authority and capacity of a magistrate, but without holding a magisterial office. A procurator, a posting originally as a financial manager in a province, was a position which held no magisterial power.
The question is although general magistrate power was not granted to praefectus until Claudius in 44 AD did Pilate have procurator status. We know he minted coins and collected taxes.
Was Pilate an exception to the rule? We know while the typical term for a Roman prefect was 1–3 years, Pilate was to hold his post as the fifth Roman procurator for 10 years. In assuming his position, Pontius Pilate succeeded Valerius Gratus.
As a Roman prefect, Pontius Pilate was granted the power of a supreme judge, in certain criminal matters but he was a Roman representative, not the ruler of the nation. Pilates appointment was undoubtedly because of his popularity with Tiberius and his personal knowledge of religious laws. He was marrid to Tiberius' favorite granddaughter, Claudia Procula.
There are countless books that say that Pilate was the Procurator of Rome.
Work in progress to find out the whole truth.