Pontius Pilate

It is known that Pilate died in 37 A.D. but it not known for certain that under what circumstances did he die. According to some myths, the Roman emperor Caligula ordered him to death by execution or suicide.

He chose to go into exile and kill himself and these myths also state that after he committed suicide, his body was thrown into the Tiber River.

Not much is documented about Pilate’s birth and early life but it is presumed that he was born in the small village of Bisenti, which is now in central Italy. There are ruins of his house in the village. But there are also other assumptions as to where he was born, some of these assumed places are: Fortingall in Scotland, Tarragona in Spain, Forchheim in Germany, etc. But the most accurate suggestion is still considered to be Central Italy.

In 26 A.D., Pilate was appointed as the prefect of the Roman provinces of Judaea, Samaria and Idum�a. The usual term for a Roman prefect was 1–3 years but he held his post for 10 years.

He was appointed in his position after Valerius Gratus. His main tasks were military, but as legislative body of the empire he was accountable for colleting colonial taxes and had some restricted judicial role as well.

He had small auxiliary armed force of locally employed soldiers stationed at all times in Caesarea and Jerusalem, and provisionally anywhere else that might need military. He had around 3000 soldiers at his disposal at all times.

Pilate mostly lived in Caesarea but travelled to Jerusalem, so as to perform his duties properly. During the Passover, a festival of prominence for the Jews, he, as the prefect, used to be in Jerusalem to maintain the order.

Pilate’s most vital liability was that of maintaining law and order in his province and he had the power of a supreme judge, which gave him the sole power to preside over and to order a criminal’s execution.

Some myths believe that towards the end of his life, Pilate was converted to Christianity and was later canonized.

He is considered a saint by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Italian archeologist Dr. Antonio Frova, during a 1961 excavation in Caesarea Maritima, discovered a piece of limestone emblazoned with Pilate’s name in Latin, linking him to Emperor Tiberius’s reign.

There is a legend that places his death at Mount Pilatus, in Switzerland.

Some say that he was exiled to Gaul and eventually committed suicide there in Vienne.