The Image of Pontius Pilate in the Writings of Latin Authors of the 1st–5th Centuries

In this article the author investigates the interpretation of the plot of Pilat’s trial in early Latin literature. The author presents new data from the historic works of St. Ambrose, St. Eusevus Ieronimus, Rufin Aquilean that remained untranslated before. The goal of the article is to investigate the attitude of early Christians towards the role of Pontius Pilatus in the trial of Christ. It aims to compare the interpretation of Pilate’s trial found in the Latin literature of the 1–5 centuries with that one in the writings of Athanasius of Alexandria and Ephraim the Syrian belonging to patristic literature. The author comes to conclusion that Pontius Pilate was not perceived by early Christians as a metaphor of the persecutor, in spite of all the persecutions executed by Romans at the dawn of Christianity. He almost was not blamed for the execution of Christ. Christians did not oppose themselves to the Roman authorities and did not accuse it of the crucifixion of Christ. The author considers that for Tertullian or Lactantius Pilate was rather a wise pagan opposed to a mad crowd thirsty for blood. The author emphasizes the fact that the theme of Pilat’s trial is significant in the speculations of Latin authors on power and humiliation. St. Jerome, as other authors, writes that Pilate “involuntarily made a cruel decision”. Through an appeal to the Old Testament prophecies St. Hieronymus tries to give not only a symbolic, but also religious significance to the washing of Pilate’s hands and to bind it with the detestation of the evil and possible forgiveness. The Latin Church Fathers and church writers mostly sympathized with the procurator of Judea, seeing in him a sacrifice of circumstances, although they condemned him for his weakness.