You Are Pontius Pilate

[Pablo Sanchez]

The Jews bring before you an accused blasphemer and heretic. You are the sole representative of order in Jeruselam, and your interest is in preserving Roman law. This law is perhaps the most civilized that these barbarians have yet known, and it dictates that an innocent should not be executed. This man, Jeshua ben Joseph, a Carpenter and "Prophet" from Nazareth, is manifestly innocent of blasphemy.

Yet the urban mob screams for his death. Stirred up by their religious leaders, they desire the most terrible punishment allowed by your Roman laws. If you uphold your law, they may riot. So far your administration of Judea has been humanistic and peaceful. The only hitch has been these Hebrew zealots, but you have compromised and avoid a repetition of bloodshed.

Pontius Pilate did not have the advantage of knowing how momentous his decision would be. But you do.

[Perinquus]

In the interests of justice and stability, I pack him off to Dalmatia to spend the rest of his days scribbling bitter diatribes on bits of bark in a smelly little one room hovel.

[RedImperator]

Decisions, decisions...I can put an innocent man to death, and maybe have to explain it to Damascus, or I can possibly trigger a riot, and definitely have to explain it to Damascus, and maybe Rome. On the other hand, I can be reasonably confident the army can handle whatever rabble takes up arms against the Imperium Romana, and if the Jews rioted because I refused to execute an innocent man, then so much more reason to extinguish the inconvenient legal fiction which is the "Kingdom" of Judea.

My personal inclination, just based on my personality, would be to spare this carpenter fellow because I couldn't stand the idea of innocent blood being on my hands, and if the crowd is going to throw a hissy fit over it, then they can taste imperial steel. Knowing the zealots, they deserved it anyway.

If I know the future, then I know the Jews are going to revolt in sixty years anyway. Better to crush them now. The survival of Jesus doesn't necessarily eliminate Christianity, but a very, very different form of it would emerge. When you think about it, Jesus' message was fine from a Roman perspective: God loves the poor, be satisfied with this life because the next life is where all the rewards are, and pay your taxes. With any luck, maybe this less apocalyptic form of Christianity is more useful to Rome, and you get another couple centuries of dominating the entirety of European civilization.

[Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi]

If I put Jesus to death, I'll just make a martyr out of him, and stir up rebellion. What I would do is try to prove he was a false prophet, and not the "Son of God" as he claimed.

[Raptor 597]

I must agree with Red Imperator. Though I would usually be sadistic and kill him, but this case could kill Christainity then and there Jesus would not be scarificed destroying a pillar of Christainity.

[MirrorUniverseSpy1]

I agree with Red.

[HemlockGrey]

Well, if Christianity is right, it was going to happen anyway.

[neoolong]

Since they want it done by Rome's law. They will have to prove their case by Rome's law. If they can, I will execute him. If not, then I will not. And I will make a note that the Jews could be trouble later on.

[Pablo Sanchez]

There was a nice article written on Pontius Pilate sparing Jesus in the book What If? 2. The effect was that Jesus was recognized as the greatest prophet since Moses by most of the Hebrews, and his liberal stance allowed his followers to go forth and convert the gentiles. Armed with a living and amazingly charismatic prophet, the disciples make excellent progress, and the Roman authorities support this passive and deferent form of Judaism. By the age of Constantine, virtually all Rome is "Jewish," and persecutes the old Jews and what we would call Christians.

More importantly, Rome was still lively.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

The Jews bring before you an accused blasphemer and heretic. You are the sole representative of order in Jeruselam, and your interest is in preserving Roman law. This law is perhaps the most civilized that these barbarians have yet known, and it dictates that an innocent should not be executed. This man, Jeshua ben Joseph, a Carpenter and "Prophet" from Nazareth, is manifestly innocent of blasphemy.

Yet the urban mob screams for his death. Stirred up by their religious leaders, they desire the most terrible punishment allowed by your Roman laws. If you uphold your law, they may riot. So far your administration of Judea has been humanistic and peaceful. The only hitch has been these Hebrew zealots, but you have compromised and avoid a repetition of bloodshed.

Pontius Pilate did not have the advantage of knowing how momentous his decision would be. But you do.

Uphold the law. Worst case scenario I can use the riot as an excuse for a suppression of Judea and make myself filthy rich plundering my own province -- Assuming, of course, I can win without having to appeal for reinforcements.

Yeah, it's been commented upon that a revolt would look real bad on his record, but that's only if he needed help in suppressing it. If he didn't it might not look bad at all. If the appropriate measures had been taken the mob its self wouldn't be a problem; the question is if the entire Jewish State would erupt.

[Lord Pounder]

In Pilate's defence he was a long way from Rome, THe natives outnumbered him and like all Romans he probobly likes a good killing. SO he crucified the lying beardy cunt.

[McNum]

I would uphold the law.

Firstly: I don't want to kill a man that hasn't done anything wrong in the sense of the law.
Secondly: By giving in to the Angry Mob I would show a sign of weakness and the Mob would get the idea that they could get anything just by pressuring me.

So I would probably have to kill some of the Jews as they revolt, but at least they will have broken the law and be worthy of the punishment.
Who knows, perhaps this early revolt would be easier to quell than the one 60 years later.

[Alyrium Denryle]

*jews revot* "legionaires, throw pilum" * the roman soldiers throw their pilum inton the crows and the auxilliaries pour down arows and sling shots. Roman soldiers get into rank and file, and plow their way through the rioting crowd*

My predictions: jewish dead 300

roman dead 0-3

[NecronLord]

*jews revot* "legionaires, throw pilum" * the roman soldiers throw their pilum inton the crows and the auxilliaries pour down arows and sling shots. Roman soldiers get into rank and file, and plow their way through the rioting crowd*

My predictions: jewish dead 300

roman dead 0-3

Unfortunately that isn't entirely true. The nearest full legions were in Sryia. It would take approzimately two weeks for them to arrive, given time for a message to arrive. After that there would be an Imperial Smackdown(TM Vespasian, Mike Wong) Until that time I'd stall them, as the garrision of Jerusalem at the time was insufficent to crush a major revolt at that time. Insted I would nip it in the bud by flingin Jesus and co into a hole for a few weeks and quietly releasing them later. Let the sanctamonius beardy bastard run around spouting liberal Ideas, What do I care? I'm a proconsul... I have to power to raise new taxes in Judea, and am expected to do so and line my pockets with the proceeds.

[Alyrium Denryle]

I know there wasnt a full legion. But the crowd wanting to kill jesus wasnt that terribley large. Nothing that the well trained garrison couldnt handle

[Darth Yoshi]

Jesus hasn't advocated insurrection against the Empire. As such, he should be spared. If the mob disagrees and riots, then they are guilty of attempted revolution and should be dealt with.