Pontius Pilate's signet ring?

A signet ring bearing the Greek inscription ΠΙΛΑΤΟ has been found at Herodion. Archaeologists believe it may have belonged to Pontius Pilate or to someone on his staff.



Here's a prutah of Pilate issued in the name of Tiberius. Let's see your Pilate coins!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

As usual, the headlines are overstated: “However, the authors of the paper caution, 'Simple all-metal rings like the Herodium ring were primarily the property of soldiers, Herodian and Roman officials, and middle-income folk of all trades and occupations.… It is therefore unlikely that Pontius Pilatus, the powerful and rich prefect of Judaea, would have worn a thin, all copper-alloy sealing ring.'"

https://www.newsweek.com/pontius-pi...man-governor-who-executed-jesus-found-1236970

Interesting, though.Thanks for the heads up.

 

Interesting post, @Roman Collector

 

True, but I believe it is only the second inscription found bearing his name. Amazing that it was found 50 years ago and only now being identified.

 

Doesn't Hendin claim that the priestly implement of the simpulum on this coin constituted a conscious insult to the Jewish people since it was an instrument associated with pagan polytheistic religious practice?

One of these is on my short want list...

 

Yes indeed, that's true— the same must be true of the augur's lituus on Hendin 1342.

 

Fascinating stuff - thanks for sharing.

 

Here is the only physical archeological evidence confirming that Pontius Pilate ever exist. It’s a limestone block with a latin inscription on it. Found in 1961 in Caesarea, it contains the words [....]TIVS PILATUS[...]. We do not know much about his personnal life, but the historian Josephus and the author Philo of Alexandria wrote a bit about him.

 

PONTIUS PILATUS and Julia Caesar (Livia) wife of Augustus:

Judaea Pontius Pilate - Prutah Julia - IOYLIA KAICAPOC Julia Caesar - LIVIA wife of Augustus Hendin 1341


PONTIUS PILATUS with a Lituus

Judaea Pontius Pilate 14-37 CE - Prutah TIBEPIOY KAICAPOC Lituus Hendin 1342

 

I’m fascinated by Biblical archaeology, so this is awesome.

Unfortunately, my computer is sucking at the moment, so I can’t post pics, but I have a couple of sweet Pontius Pilate prutot courtesy of our own Biblical coin scholar, Deacon Ray.

Erin

 

..ain't he the cat's meow ^^

 

To me, one of the more interesting dimensions of the Pontius Pilate story is that according Matthew 27:19, Pilate’s wife has a dream about Jesus and tries to warn Pilate not to crucify Jesus: “When [Pilate] was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, ‘Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.’” (KJV).

I’ve regularly attended church all my life and have yet to hear a sermon or even a significant reference to Pilate’s wife. Of course, the dream may be a common literary trope (cf. Julius Caesar’s wife warning him not to go to the Senate on the day of his assassination). Still, women on this board might think the whole thing typical—good advice from a woman gets ignored, and Pilate’s wife still doesn’t get that much attention in the Christian tradition.

 

« Pilate’s wife still doesn’t get that much attention in the Christian tradition »
That’s absolutely true, except from the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (!!!) who recognize Procula (Pilate’s wife name) as a saint !

 

Interesting. Perhaps it’s the Protestant tradition that doesn’t give Pilate’s wife her due.