Posted on 11/29/2018 7:28:32 PM PST by bkopto
The Israeli daily Ha’aretz is reporting that a bronze ring found 50 years ago at the Herodion excavation near Bethlehem has been discovered to bear the name of Pontius Pilate, Roman governor of Jerusalem and the man who ordered the crucifixion of Jesus, according to the New Testament.
Ha’aretz reports that the name was discovered on the ring with the use of a special camera at the Israel Antiquities Authority labs. The letters on the ring spelled out in Greek writing “Pilatus.” The words surrounded a picture of a wine vessel.
Hebrew University Professor Danny Schwartz told Ha’aretz that Pilatus was a rare name in Israel. “I don’t know of any other Pilatus from the period and the ring shows he was a person of stature and wealth,” Schwartz said, according to the article.
The ring is a sealing ring, common in ancient times, and used to seal letters and stamp official documents using molten wax. “Researchers believe it was used by the governor in day to day work, or belonged to one of his officials or someone in his court, who would use it to sign in his name,” Ha’aretz reports.
Adding weight to the possibility that this ring belonged to the Pontius Pilate of the New Testament is the fact that this type of ring was a “hallmark” of the cavalry in the Roman era, to which Pilate belonged, Ha’aretz reports.
Pilate was the fifth prefect of the province of Judea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26 C.E. to 36 C.E., though there is some dispute about the exact dates.
The ring was originally found by Hebrew University Professor Gideon Forster shortly after the Six-Day War in 1968-69, Ha’aretz reports.
thanks for posting this
Thanks bkopto. It's amazing that it has survived.
...a bronze ring found 50 years ago at the Herodion excavation near Bethlehem has been discovered to bear the name of Pontius Pilate, Roman governor of Jerusalem... The letters on the ring spelled out in Greek writing “Pilatus.” The words surrounded a picture of a wine vessel... The ring is a sealing ring, common in ancient times, and used to seal letters and stamp official documents using molten wax.
Bad juju
It's the most wonderful time of the year, at least for the Star of the East topics, here they are, sorted newest to oldest. Michael Molnar is the best known of the researchers into the nature and dating of the star, the account of which is found in the Book of Matthew.
When I was in kindergarten I thought Punches Pilot was a first century Roman aviator just like Smilin’ Jack with a similar flight helmet. Any depiction of the Crucifixion that showed a helmeted Roman would have me asking, “is that the Pilot?”
Years later I read of Pilate washing his hands & thinking “That’s no way to get control of a howling mob”.
It seems fitting that something from the end of Christ’s time in Earth should find its way to the place where it all began.
Ping!
And this important ring was just left, literally, lying around?
I find that a little hard to believe. I wonder if they had counterfeiters back then?
Or...he simply made it up. Writers sometimes just fill in the blanks. That’s what writers do.
Could be. But they did find it in the building that used to be the administration headquarters for the Romans. Perhaps that is why they think it was used by a staff person to mark official documents - and not THE ring of Pilate? Stuffed in some drawer when the paper pusher retired.
If God couldn’t get what He wanted into Scripture He would be a pretty poor “almighty” Nobody needed to make anything up.
If it was pilates ring, as a high official of Imperial Rome, it would have been made of Gold or at least Silver.—Fake to me.
Thanks for the Christmas reading list.
Just make one up yourself ... (everybody does it).
Authentic. Can clearly see “McCain” on it.
That is the logic that makes the almighty the almighty.
I understand the concept of faith. I believe in a creator. I am simply skeptical of 2000 year old accounts of anything.
..................
Interesting that the seal of a Roman governor would spell his name in Greek.
The fact that the Romans governed from Caesaria would also suggest that. Pilate would only be in Jerusalem on occasion.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
