Ecce homo ("behold the man") are the Latin words used by Pontius Pilate in the Vulgate translation of John, when he presents a scourged Jesus, bound and crowned with thorns, to a hostile crowd shortly before his Crucifixion. The original Greek is ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄνθρωπος (idou ho anthropos), and the Douay-Rheims Bible translates the phrase into English as "Behold the Man".
Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Ecce Homo, 1871 CE. The scene has been widely depicted in Christian art. The usual depiction shows Pilate and Christ, the mocking crowd and parts of the city of Jerusalem. Antonio Ciseri's 1871 Ecce Homo portrayal presents a semi-photographic view of a balcony seen from behind the central figures of a scourged Christ and Pilate (whose face is not visible). The crowd forms a distant mass, almost without individuality, and much of the detailed focus is on the normally secondary figures of Pilate's aides, guards, secretary and wife.
circa 150 CE
The traditional identification of the Ecce Homo episode with the location of Hadrian’s Arch reflects a later Christian devotional reinterpretation rather than evidence from contemporary sources. According to medieval tradition, the arch—originally constructed as part of Hadrian’s urbanization of Aelia Capitolina in the early second century CE—was located along the main thoroughfare of the city, providing a monumental backdrop for public processions and imperial ceremonies. Christian pilgrims and chroniclers of the Byzantine and medieval periods subsequently associated this site with the moment in the Passion narrative when Pontius Pilate presented Jesus to the populace, declaring “Ecce Homo”.
This association, however, is anachronistic, as the arch postdates the historical crucifixion by over a century and lacks any direct archaeological or textual evidence linking it to the event. Nevertheless, the identification became deeply entrenched in Christian topography and pilgrimage tradition, resulting in the enduring name “Ecce Homo Arch”, which continues to influence interpretations of the site’s historical and religious significance.
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The Madain Project is an online archive of Abrahamic History and Archaeology.
Abrahamic History & Archaeology is the study of history and archaeology with respect to the three Abrahamic Faiths without considering the religious and theological aspects. The goal of Abrahamic History is to understand how and why the religious doctrines and behaviours have evlovled and changed over time. Searching for patterns in the evolution of significant cultural events such as the development of farming, the emergence of cities, or the collapse of major civilizations for clues of why and how these have influenced the three major Abrahamic religions.
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