Pontius Pilate | Bronze Prutah

History of the Artifact The bronze prutah minted by Pontius Pilate between 26 and 36 A.D. is one of the most tangible surviving links to the world in which Jesus lived and was executed. Struck in Jerusalem during Pilate’s governorship, these small bronze coins circulated widely throughout Judea and Galilee—the very regions where Jesus preached. They would have passed through the hands of farmers, fishermen, tax collectors, and Roman officials alike. In that sense, the prutah serves as a direct archaeological connection to the historical context of the Gospels. What makes these coins even more striking is their symbolism. Pilate, known from the New Testament as the Roman prefect who condemned Jesus to crucifixion, placed on his coins pagan Roman religious images such as the lituus (the curved staff of an augur). Both were offensive to Jewish sensibilities, and their use reflected Pilate’s disdain for local customs and his insistence on Roman supremacy. On the reverse appears a wreath su