This is the second proof of the historicity of the existence of the procurator of Judea, who passed the death sentence on Jesus Christ.
A nondescript bronze signet ring with a poorly visible relief was discovered 50 years ago. In 1969, a team of Israeli archaeologists led by a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Gideon Forester, excavated Herod's palace in Bethlehem. However, then this find was not given importance and, together with a huge number of small artifacts, the ring was kept for a long time in the funds of the university. It was only recently that the ring was cleaned and studied in the laboratory. In the center of the restored drawing was a large wine goblet, and along the edges there were Greek letters, from which the word "Pilate" was formed. The image was made in a mirror image so that when printed on wax or wax, the correct pattern remained. Thus, it was the stamp that a man named Pilate used to seal personal letters or official correspondence.
- Who was the owner of this ring? In my opinion, this suggests a direct connection with the person of Pontius Pilate, the man who, according to the New Testament, sentenced Jesus to death, says Roi Porat, head of an archaeological expedition studying Herod's Palace in Bethlehem.
The name Pilate, derived from the Latin word “pilum” (armed with a spear), is very rare even for Italy. As for Judea, historians have no evidence of the existence of another Roman named Pilate here in the 1st century AD.
However, there is one catch. Not all of Professor Porat's colleagues agree with him. They believe that such a simple ring does not correspond to Pilate's high status as a provincial prefect. Judging by the quality of the matrix, the ring was cast by a not very skillful blacksmith. It is unlikely that a powerful, noble and wealthy person would wear bronze cheap stuff. This is more suitable for a Roman official or a middle-class military commander. Or this ring could be worn by one of Pilate's household members or even a slave to whom the procurator granted freedom.
However, Roy Porat offers another explanation: this signet was used for everyday routine correspondence, for example, on business issues. And for important documents, signet rings made of gold were used. So today the bosses of large companies have a facsimile of the signature with which the secretary stamped insignificant papers. And the boss personally signs serious documents with his signature.
How did Pilate's ring end up in Herod's palace? It was found on a garden terrace adjacent to the east wing of the palace, in an archaeological layer that dates from no later than 71 AD. This is the time of the Jewish Revolt, which was brutally suppressed by the Romans and ended in a grandiose massacre during the capture of Jerusalem. In Bethlehem during the period of the uprising, a garrison of rebellious Jews also settled, who turned Herod's Palace upside down. The eastern terrace was littered with a layer of broken pottery, arrowheads, and small coins minted during the uprising. And the fact that among the rubbish there was a ring associated with a representative of the ousted government fits well into the logic of those events.
The signet found in Bethlehem (by the way, in the homeland of Christ) is the second proof of the historicity of Pontius Pilate. The first archaeological evidence was found in the Mediterranean port of Caesarea, Palestine, where Pilate's residence was located. On a limestone slab one could read the words "Tiberium … Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea … dedicated." Once it was a stele glorifying the emperor Tiberius on behalf of Pilate. But when archaeologists found the slab, it served as a porch step and was turned with the inscription down.
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YAROSLAV KOROBATOV