For  a  long  time  it  was  illegal  for  a  Eoman
governor  who  was  appointed  to  a  dangerous
province  to  take  his  wife  with  him,  but  since
the  time  of  Augustus  it  was  permitted  (Taci
tus,  Ann.  in.  33).
Pilate  sent  a  detachment  of  troops  into
Jerusalem  by  night,  carrying  with  them
their  ensigns,  which  had  hitherto  always  been
left  outside  the  city.  On  these  ensigns  were
silver  eagles  and  small  images  of  the  em
peror,  and  they  gave  great  offense  to  the
Jews.  Deputations  went  to  Csesarea,  the
official  residence  of  the  procurators,  to  urge
the  removal  of  the  ensigns,  and  Pilate,  after
in  vain  attempting  to  intimidate  the  peti
tioners,  was  obliged  at  last  to  comply  with
their  request  (Antiq.  xviii.  3,  1 ;  War  ii.  9,
2  and  3).  Some  time  afterwards,  taking
the  sacred  money  called  Corban,  he  be
gan  to  expend  it  in  making  an  aqueduct
to  bring  water  into  Jerusalem  from  the  up
lands  south  of  the  capital.  The  Jews  con
sidered  that  this  was  applying  to  secular  uses
money  which  had  been  dedicated  to  God ;
and  on  Pilate's  visiting  Jerusalem  they  beset
his  tribunal  with  much  clamor  and  tumult.
