ARCHAEOLOGY: Archaeological Evidence of Christ's Prosecutors

Pilate said to them, You have a guard of soldiers. Matthew 27:65

"Further archaeological evidence has confirmed the key people

who interrogated and prosecuted Jesus in the Passion Week narrative of the gospels.  Leaving aside the plentiful historical evidence for Jesus of Nazareth outside of the Bible, not only are Annas, Ciaphas, and Pilate known from other ancient writings, there is actual archaeological evidence for each as well.

Annas – In addition to the Palatial Mansion that has been identified

as the residence of Annas (mentioned above), the tomb of Annas the High Priest has been discovered and is further testimony to his wealth as it is one of the most richly decorated tombs of the Second Temple Period.

Caiaphas –  In 1990, a construction team that was building a water park in the Peace Forest near Jerusalem, stumbled upon a first-

century cave when their bulldozer plowed through the tomb’s roof.  Archaeologists discovered a variety of ossuaries (bone boxes used in the first-century), including an ornate one that inscribed with the name “Joseph son of Caiaphas.”  The ancient historian, Josephus, records that Caiaphas’s full name was Joseph Caiaphas.  Inside were the bones of a 60-year old man.  Scholars are convinced that this is the ossuary of the high priest who played a prominent role in the trial of Jesus.

Pontius Pilate – In 1961, Italian archaeologists discovered a stone inscription while excavating an amphitheatre near Ceasarea

Maratima.  The limestone block was part of a dedication to Tiberius Caesar from “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.”  Though Pilate is named in numerous literary sources outside of the Bible (ie. Josephus, Philo, and Tacitus) the “Pilate Stone” is the only known ancient archaeological evidence of Pontius Pilate."
BibleArchaeologyReport