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Pontius Pilate
Prefect of Roman Judaea
Ecce homo by Antonio Ciseri (1).jpg
Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man"), Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Pilate presenting a scourged Jesus to the people of Jerusalem.
Born unknown
Birthplace Italia, Roman Empire
Died c. AD 37
Place of death Italia, Roman Empire
Consort to Claudia Procula

Pontius Pilate (/ˌpɒntʃəs ˈpaɪlət/ or /ˌpɒnti.əs ˈpaɪlət/; Latin: Pontius Pīlātus, Greek: Πόντιος Πιλάτος, Pontios Pīlātos) 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): "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).

Pilate's term serves as a reliable historical benchmark for Jesus' death.


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Groups: Angels • Disciples • Evangelists • Godfearers • Herodians • Magi • Myrrhbearers • Proselytes • Samaritans • Sanhedrin • 70 Disciples • Scribes • Zealots
Andrew • Bartholomew • James of Alphaeus • James of Zebedee • John  • Judas Iscariot • Jude Thaddeus • Matthew • Matthias • Paul • Peter • Philip • Simon the Zealot • Thomas
Agabus • Ananias (Judaea) • Ananias (Damascus) • Apollos • Aquila • Aristarchus • Bar-jesus • Barnabas • Cornelius • Demetrius • Dionysius • Dorcas • Eutychus • Gamaliel • James the Just • Jason • Joseph Barsabas, • Judas of Galilee • Lucius • Luke • Lydia • Manahen • (John) Mark • Mary mother of J. Mark • Nicholas • Paul • Philip • Priscilla  • Publius • Sapphira • Sceva • Seven Deacons • Silas/Silvanus • Simeon of Jerusalem • Simon the Sorcerer • Sopater • Stephen • Theudas • Timothy • Titus • Trophimus • Tychicus
Roman Officials

Gospels: Aretas IV • Cornelius • Herod Antipas • Herod Archelaus • Herod Philip II • Herod the Great • Longinus • Lysanias • Pontius Pilate • Pilate's Wife • Quirinius • Salome • Tiberius

Acts: Agrippa I • Agrippa II • Felix • Claudius Lysias • Junius A. Gallio • Festus • Sergius Paulus
Antipas • Four Horsemen • Apollyon • Two Witnesses • Woman • Beast • Three Angels • Whore of Babylon • Angel Michael

Images for kids

  • First century Iudaea province

    Map of the province of Judaea during Pilate's governorship in the first century CE.

  • Christus bij Pilatus

    Print of Christus with Pontius Pilate. Made in the sixteenth century.

  • Munkacsy - Christ in front of Pilate

    Christ before Pilate, Mihály Munkácsy, 1881

  • A remorseful Pilate prepares to kill himself. Engraving by G Wellcome V0034470

    A remorseful Pilate prepares to kill himself. Engraving by G. Mochetti after B. Pinelli, early 19th century.

  • Pilate Inscription

    The so-called Pilate Stone. The words [...]TIVS PILATVS[...] can be clearly seen on the second line.

  • Coin-of-Pilate

    Bronze perutah minted by Pontius PilateReverse: Greek letters ΤΙΒΕΡΙΟΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ and date LIS (year 16 = AD 29/30) surrounding simpulum.Obverse: Greek letters ΙΟΥΛΙΑ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ, three bound heads of barley, the outer two heads drooping.

  • Court of Pilates - Sant'Apollinare Nuovo - Ravenna 2016.jpg

    Mosaic of Christ before Pilate, Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, early sixth century. Pilate washes his hands in a bowl held by a figure on the right.

  • Magdeburger Reliefs Verhör Geisselung

    Panel from the Magdeburg Ivories depicting Pilate at the Flagellation of Christ, German, tenth century

  • Bernwardstür (28)

    Christ before Pilate on the Hildesheim cathedral doors (1015). A devil whispers in Pilate's ear as he judges Jesus.

  • Christ before Pilate Bible moralisee Oxford-Paris-London BNF Lat11560 f183v

    A depiction of Christ before Pilate from a thirteenth-century Bible moraliséee

  • What-is-truth02

    Nikolai Ge, What is truth?, 1890

  • SAAM-1929.6.148 1

    Christ before Pilate, 16th-17th century

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