In search of Pontius Pilate

THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE of Pontius Pilate’s life is slight. A broken stone bears his name, as do a few small coins. He arrived in Judea as governor in the year 26 and stayed for ten uneasy years. He made several crass mistakes: he caused deep offence by decorating Jerusalem with images of the emperor; he commissioned a useful aqueduct, but had it paid for out of the temple treasury; he made a hash of the trial of Jesus. Then he slipped into obscurity. This much is recorded in the histories of Josephus and Philo or in the four brief gospel accounts.