Ancient writings of two Roman historians have been highlighted as some of the strongest evidence that Jesus was a real person.
The records come from Tacitus, one of Rome’s most respected historians, and Flavius Josephus, a Jewish aristocrat and historian who lived just decades after Jesus’ death.
Neither man was a Christian, and neither was trying to prove the claims of the New Testament.
Yet both left behind accounts that place Jesus in Judea, connect him to the origins of Christianity and link his death to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.
In one of the texts, Tacitus wrote that a man called Christus was executed during the reign of Emperor Tiberius.
In another, Josephus referred to James as ‘the brother of Jesus-who-is-called-Messiah,’ identifying Jesus as a real person known to his readers.
The references have drawn renewed attention as historians continue examining evidence for Jesus that exists outside the Bible.
For many scholars, the accounts represent some of the clearest non-Christian evidence that Jesus was a historical figure rather than a legend.