'Jesus Never Existed', Eh? - And The Acta Diurna Populi?
Author's Background.
Pontius Pilate (1 BC - circa AD 37) was the fifth Roman procurator of Judea (AD 26 - 36 ) under Emperor Tiberius,
who sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. The quotes
below refer to the Acts of Pontius Pilate. The existence of
the Acts of Pontius Pilate is strongly supported by
Epiphanius (Heresies 50.1), Justin Martyr (First
Apology, A.D. 150) and Tertullian (Apology, A.D. 200).
The Acts of Pontius Pilate were kept in the Roman
archives as stated in the following quote.
The ancient Romans were scrupulously careful to
preserve the memory of all remarkable events which
happened in the city; and this was done either in their
"Acts of the Senate" (Acts Senatus), or in the "Daily Acts of the People" (Acta Diurna Populi),
which were diligently made and kept at Rome . . . In like manner it was customary for the
governors of provinces to send to the emperor an account of remarkable transactions
that occurred in the places where they resided, which were preserved in the "Acts of"
their respective governments . . . we find, long before the time of Eusebius [3rd century],
that the primitive Christians, in their disputes with the Gentiles, appealed to these "Acts of
Pilate" . . . Thus, Justin Martyr, in his first "Apology" for the Christians, which was presented
to the Emperor Antoninus Pius [A.D. 138-161] and the senate of Rome, about the year
[A.D.] 140, having mentioned the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and some of its attendant
circumstances, adds, "And these things were done, you may know from the 'Acts' made
in the time of Pontius Pilate."
