04-10-2013, 07:58 AM
Ahhh.... I was rather hoping you had something new!
It is hard to say if Pilate would have used fully armed troops in the face of any potential trouble at the crucifixion. At Caesarea he had soldiers draw swords on a crowd demonstrating against his decision to install some presumably insulting inscriptions in the Temple and threatened to kill them if they did not withdraw. The crowd called his bluff and Pilate backed down, the inscriptions were removed. He also backed down when he tried to move military standards into Jerusalem covertly. Although it is possible these incidents are in fact the same.
It is interesting that many early crucifixion scenes show un-armoured soldiers. (see attached) A later exception is the character of the Centurion, who in early Byzantine art is sometimes depicted in armour.
On another occasion when a crowd protested against his use of Temple funds to build an aqueduct in Jerusalem he mingled some of his soldiers in the crowd in local dress, an indicator of their local origin too and on a given signal they broke up the crowd with their wooden clubs.
It might have depended on whether he also had the support of the Temple authorities or not.
When he later used troops to disperse a gathering of Samaritans there were a number of fatalities. it might have been this incident which resulted in his recall to Rome.
Being Prefect of Judaea meant you had to tread very carefully!
Graham.
It is hard to say if Pilate would have used fully armed troops in the face of any potential trouble at the crucifixion. At Caesarea he had soldiers draw swords on a crowd demonstrating against his decision to install some presumably insulting inscriptions in the Temple and threatened to kill them if they did not withdraw. The crowd called his bluff and Pilate backed down, the inscriptions were removed. He also backed down when he tried to move military standards into Jerusalem covertly. Although it is possible these incidents are in fact the same.
It is interesting that many early crucifixion scenes show un-armoured soldiers. (see attached) A later exception is the character of the Centurion, who in early Byzantine art is sometimes depicted in armour.
On another occasion when a crowd protested against his use of Temple funds to build an aqueduct in Jerusalem he mingled some of his soldiers in the crowd in local dress, an indicator of their local origin too and on a given signal they broke up the crowd with their wooden clubs.
It might have depended on whether he also had the support of the Temple authorities or not.
When he later used troops to disperse a gathering of Samaritans there were a number of fatalities. it might have been this incident which resulted in his recall to Rome.
Being Prefect of Judaea meant you had to tread very carefully!
Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
