Pontius Pilate

Pontius Pilate ( or ; Latin: Pontius Pīlātus, , Pontios Pīlātos; Latin: Pontius Pilatus, ) was the governor of the Roman province of Judaea from AD 26 until 36. 

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. In Matthew, Pilate washes his hands of Jesus and reluctantly sends him to his death. In Luke, Pilate not only agrees that Jesus did not conspire against Rome but King Herod also finds nothing treasonous in Jesus' actions. 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):auctor nominis eius Christus Tibero imperitante per procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio adfectus erat  "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".

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).

 Other websites 
 Pilate in history; the Tiberieum dedication block 
 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:  "Pontius pilate"
 The Hausen Legend of Pontius Pilate 
 Brian Murdoch, "The Mors Pilati in the Cornish Resurrexio Domini 
 Fictional Memoires of Pontius Pilate - at BBC Radio 4 by Douglas Hurd 

 References 

Category:1st-century BC births
Category:37 deaths
Category:Roman people
Category:New Testament people