Intro
In this episode of “The Daily Stoic” podcast, Ryan Holiday interviews Ann Wroe, the author of a biography of Pontius Pilate. They discuss the real story of Pontius Pilate and his connection to Stoicism. Ann Wroe is a writer and editor who has written extensively on obituaries. The book on Pontius Pilate has ties to Stoicism and mentions Marcus Aurelius in the introduction.
Main Takeaways
Ryan Holiday’s Recommendation
- Ryan Holiday recommends a biography of Pontius Pilate as one of the best books he has ever read.
Ann Wroe and Obituaries
- Ann Wroe, the author of the book, is a writer and editor who has written extensively on obituaries.
- Obituaries are not usually about the cause of death, but about what the person accomplished in life.
- Most people who die are increasingly old and living longer.
- There is a desire to know the cause of death, especially if the person is young.
- Suicide can be difficult to write about in obituaries.
- Writing obituaries is enjoyable for some people and death is seen as another stage of life.
Pontius Pilate and Stoicism
- The book on Pontius Pilate has ties to Stoicism and mentions Marcus Aurelius in the introduction.
- The interview with Ann Wroe discusses the real story of Pontius Pilate and his connection to Stoicism.
- The book on Pontius Pilate is highly recommended but tragically not as popular as it should be.
Pontius Pilate and History
- The Pontius Pilate book was interesting because he was a character that no one knew much about, but was invented throughout history.
- Pilate was a guy with a shitty job, a shitty boss, and stuck in a shitty situation.
- Pilate was not a diplomat or philosopher, but a soldier with the basic duty to keep on the right side of Tiberius.
- Pilate’s famous question at Jesus’ trial, “What is truth?” was not asked as a philosopher wanting to know the answer, but rather as a way to dismiss the situation.
- The Bible and Roman texts were written during the same time period, but often taught separately.
- The Bible is mystical and supernatural, while Roman texts are more grounded.
- Jesus and Seneca have similar arcs and philosophies, despite being from different cultures.
- Pilate’s question to Jesus about where he is from is significant, as it challenges the idea of gods taking human form.
- The Pontius Pilate book managed to produce a lot of fascinating detail about Pilate despite little historical fact being known about him.
- Pilate’s only significant role in the crucifixion was writing the sign that went over the cross.
- The author wanted to show Pilate noticing the strange events happening during the crucifixion from a distance.
- The author chose not to include the crucifixion in the book because there are already many accounts of it elsewhere, and they wanted to focus on Pilate’s perspective.
Writing Obituaries and Famous People
- Writing obituaries is enjoyable for some people.
- Obituaries are equalizing, everyone gets a page whether famous or not.
- The most interesting obituaries are of unknown people with great stories to tell.
- There is a disinterest in writing about famous people due to the saturation of coverage.
- The challenge of writing about famous people is to say something new and unique.
Pontius Pilate’s Role and Perspective
- Pilate just wanted to go back to his life and saw people as an impediment to peace.
- Better people in less difficult situations did just as badly as Pilate in trials, such as Rusticus in Justin Martyr’s trial.
- Writers of the Gospels tried to exonerate the Romans and blame the Jews for Pilate’s actions.
- Pilate played a crucial role in the spread and flowering of Christianity, fulfilling God’s will for the redemption of mankind.
- Pilate had no way out of his role in the crucifixion, and everyone involved in the story was courting it.
Ancient Rome and Modern Politics
- The Romans had a beauty in the ordinary, as seen in the way bread breaks open.
- The Romans were tolerant of other religions but didn’t necessarily believe in them.
- There is a strong streak of self-knowledge and civic courage in ancient Rome that is still relevant today.
- America has recently become more interested in ancient Rome, possibly due to similarities with modern politics.
- Trump’s success in politics is due to his similarity to ancient Roman populists.
- There are more analogs and examples of Trump in classical literature than we realize.
- America sees itself as the new Rome, but in many ways that are not so great.
Other Interesting Points
- The convention at the time was for banquets to have all guests on one side of the table.
- An anecdote in Seneca’s writings shows that not much has changed in terms of seating arrangements.
- Marcus Aurelius described the beauty of small, unexpected effects in nature, including putrescence.
- The paintings on the walls of Pompeii show a different way of seeing sunlight and the human body.
- Homer’s description of the wine dark sea has always been a mystery.
- The duality of the Romans is fascinating; they are relatable yet completely different from us.
- The sculpture of Jesus and Pilate by Eric Gill in Westminster Cathedral inspired the author to write the book.
- The sculpture shows Jesus and Pilate on the same level, looking at each other, and is a powerful image.
- The confrontation between Jesus and Pilate is seen as the most momentous in human history.
- The Comanche people and US politicians could not negotiate because they fundamentally did not share the same beliefs and history.
- The Europeans and Native Americans had a chasm they could not bridge because they existed independently without any overlap for eons.
- Biographies of people are often written after their death.
- Humans tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly.
- Learning from past mistakes is a gradual process.
- The book “The Lives of the Stokes” is described as a masterpiece.
- The podcast is available on Amazon Music and Wondery Plus.
Summary
Pontius Pilate: The Real Story and His Connection to Stoicism
Ryan Holiday interviews Ann Wroe, the author of a biography of Pontius Pilate, in this episode of “The Daily Stoic” podcast. The book on Pontius Pilate has ties to Stoicism and mentions Marcus Aurelius in the introduction. Ann Wroe, a writer and editor who has written extensively on obituaries, discusses the real story of Pontius Pilate and his connection to Stoicism.
Writing Obituaries and the Fascination with Famous People
Ann Wroe shares insights into the world of obituaries, highlighting that they are not just about the cause of death but also about what the person accomplished in life. Writing obituaries can be enjoyable for some people, as death is seen as another stage of life. The most interesting obituaries are often of unknown people with great stories to tell. However, there is a disinterest in writing about famous people due to the saturation of coverage, and the challenge lies in saying something new and unique.
Pontius Pilate: A Character Invented Throughout History
Pontius Pilate is a character that has been invented throughout history, and the book on him sheds light on his real story. Pilate was a soldier with the basic duty to keep on the right side of Tiberius, rather than a diplomat or philosopher. His famous question at Jesus’ trial, “What is truth?”, was not asked as a philosopher seeking an answer but as a way to dismiss the situation. The book provides fascinating details about Pilate, despite the scarcity of historical facts about him.
Ancient Rome, Modern Politics, and the Beauty of the Ordinary
Ancient Rome continues to captivate us with its relatability and differences from our own society. The Romans had a beauty in the ordinary, as seen in the way bread breaks open. They were tolerant of other religions but didn’t necessarily believe in them. There is a strong streak of self-knowledge and civic courage in ancient Rome that remains relevant today. In recent times, America has become more interested in ancient Rome, possibly due to similarities with modern politics. The success of politicians like Trump can be attributed to their similarity to ancient Roman populists.
Pontius Pilate’s Role and Perspective in the Crucifixion
Pontius Pilate played a crucial role in the spread and flowering of Christianity, fulfilling God’s will for the redemption of mankind. However, he was trapped in his role and had no way out of his involvement in the crucifixion. The author wanted to focus on Pilate’s perspective and the events leading up to the crucifixion, rather than reiterating the well-documented accounts of the crucifixion itself. Pilate’s only significant role in the crucifixion was writing the sign that went over the cross.
Other Fascinating Points
Throughout the podcast, various other fascinating points are discussed, such as the convention of banquets having all guests on one side of the table, the beauty of small, unexpected effects in nature described by Marcus Aurelius, and the duality of the Romans as relatable yet different from us. The sculpture of Jesus and Pilate by Eric Gill in Westminster Cathedral is highlighted as a powerful image representing the most momentous confrontation in human history. The podcast can be accessed on Amazon Music and Wondery Plus.
Conclusion
Ann Wroe’s biography of Pontius Pilate offers a unique perspective on a historical figure who has been largely misunderstood and invented throughout history. The book connects Pilate to Stoicism and delves into his role in the crucifixion, shedding light on his perspective. The podcast episode also explores the world of obituaries and the fascination with famous people. Ancient Rome and its relevance to modern politics are discussed, highlighting the beauty of the ordinary and the complexities of human nature. Overall, this episode provides thought-provoking insights into history, philosophy, and the human condition.
