Gabbatha

The Judgment on the GabbathabyJames Tissot,c. 1890

Gabbatha(Aramaicגבתא) is theAramaicname of a place inJerusalemthat is also referred to by the Greek name ofLithostrōtos(Greekλιθόστρωτος). It is recorded in the gospels to be the place of the trial ofJesusbefore hiscrucifixionc.30/33AD.The site of theChurch of Ecce Homois traditionally thought to be its location, but archaeological investigation has proven this unlikely.Herod's Palaceis a more likely location.

Etymology

Lithostrōtos(lit. 'stone pavement',fromlithos‘stone’ andstrōtosστρωτός‘covered’)occurs in theBibleonly once, in John 19:13. It states thatPontius Pilate:

broughtJesusforth, and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha.

Roman pavement thought by some to be the site ofJesus' trial withPontius Pilate.Convent of the Sisters of Zion.

The name "Gabbatha" is an Aramaic word (not Hebrew, in spite of John), Aramaic being the language commonly spoken at the time inJudea.It is not a mere translation ofLithostrotos,which properly means the tessellated or mosaic pavement where the judgment-seat stood, but which was extended to the place itself in front of Pilate'spraetorium,where that pavement was laid. This was proved by the practice of St. John, who elsewhere gives Aramaic names as distinctly belonging to places, not as mere translations of the Greek. This is proved also becauseGabbathais derived from a root meaning 'back' or 'elevation' – which refers not to the kind of pavement, but to the elevation of the place in question. It thus appears that the two names "Lithostrotos" and "Gabbatha" were due to different characteristics of the spot where Pilate condemned Jesus to death. The Aramaic name was derived from the configuration of that spot, with the Greek name derived from the nature of its pavement.

Identification

Temple (outer court or nearby)

Efforts have been made by commentators to identify Gabbatha either with the outer court of the Temple, which is known to have been paved, or with the meeting-place of the GreatSanhedrin,which was half within, half without that Temple's outer court, or again with the ridge at the back of the House of the Lord; but these efforts cannot be considered as successful.

Antonia

Depiction of thegateway of the eastern forumofAelia Capitolinaand original Roman pavement. The vertical lines show where the wall of theConvent of the Sisters of Zioncurrently extends. The horizontal line shows the modern street level. The stairs led to theAntonia Fortress.

Archaeological studies have confirmed that the Roman pavement at these two traditional stationswas built byHadrianin the 2nd century AD as the flooring of the easternforumofAelia Capitolina.Prior to Hadrian's changes, the area had been a large open-air pool of water, theStruthion Poolmentioned byJosephus.The pool still survives undervaultingadded by Hadrian so that the forum could be built over it, and can be accessed from the portion of Roman paving under theConvent of the Sisters of Zion,and from theWestern Wall Tunnel.

Atriple-arched gatebuilt by Hadrian as an entrance to the eastern forum of Aelia Capitolina was traditionally, but asarchaeologicalinvestigation shows, mistakenly,said to have been part of the gate of Herod'sAntonia Fortress.This was alleged to be the location of Jesus' trial and Pilate'secce homospeech.

Herod's royal palace

According toPierre Benoit,Pilate carried out his judgements atHerod's Palaceat the west side of the city, rather than at Antonia in the city's eastern area and the Temple's northwest corner.Shimon Gibsonsupports this view.

References

This article incorporates text from thepublic domainCatholic Encyclopedia.