Getting at the Truth Concerning Ancient Trials

Examine trial in light of understood practices

Trial of Socrates:

---History of tolerance of Socrates up to age 70
---Humorous references to religion in plays (e.g., rain is Zeus urinating through a sieve, Zeus as promiscuous, Zeus as henpecked, etc.)
---Socrates was bi-sexual and slept with some of his male students

Trial of Jesus:

---High tension surrounded Passovers (e.g, the fart in 50 AD that killed thousands; the Caligula statue incident in 41 AD)
---Anger over "dual purpose" use of Temple
---Crucifixion was a Roman punishment, stoning was the form of capital punishment practiced by Jews
---Pilate could have removed Jesus to Caesaria for trial
---Pilate removed as prefect in 36 AD for brutality and had little concern for Jewish sensibilities (e.g., effigies of Caesar in Jerusalem)
---No record of ever offering people choice to release one of two prisoners during Passover or at any other time