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Pilate's Wife: A Novel of the Roman Empire
A daughter of privilege in the most powerful empire the world has ever known, Claudia has a unique and disturbing "gift": her dreams have an uncanny way of coming true. As a rebellious child seated beside the tyrannical Roman Emperor Tiberius, she first spies the powerful gladiator who will ultimately be her one true passion. Yet it is the ambitious magistrate Pontius Pila...more
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
October 9th 2007
by Harper Perennial
(first published 2006)
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I thoroughly enjoyed the history in this book--it pieced together some religious events for me that were previously vague. I think this book is about 80% historically accurate--the story created around it is a little weak, but interesting nonetheless.
Claudia, the main character, is the daughter of Roman Empire royalty. She posesses the gift of "sight." Claudia's visions range from vividly detailed and informative to almost nonexistent, and the changing level of detail in places and characters gi...more
Claudia, the main character, is the daughter of Roman Empire royalty. She posesses the gift of "sight." Claudia's visions range from vividly detailed and informative to almost nonexistent, and the changing level of detail in places and characters gi...more
Okay, if this woman did so much historical research why does she get the small things wrong? Stuff like the old chestnut about "thumbs down" meaning to kill the losing gladiator, when modern scholars are pretty sure it's the opposite? She even gets the way Roman names were used wrong--she uses "Procula" as if it were a last name!
Pious Christians will recoil at her Mary Magdalene as Jesus's wife bit, but what bothers me more is the way she picks and choses her history and invents bits to fit her...more
Pious Christians will recoil at her Mary Magdalene as Jesus's wife bit, but what bothers me more is the way she picks and choses her history and invents bits to fit her...more
Aug 09, 2009
Rebecca
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
fans of ancient Roman history
I didn’t get to this book when I picked it up at the beach in May, so I saved it for a fun read after my statistics exam. I love historical fiction about ancient Rome, and this book lived up to my expectations. The book follows the life and tragedies of Claudia, the wife of Pontius Pilate. Claudia travels with her family and then with her husband all across the Roman empire, and I appreciated May’s detailed descriptions of Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Jerusalem among other locales. Most of the...more
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I loved this unusual perspective from the Roman Empire during the life of Jesus. Little is known about Pontius Pilate's wife Claudia, other than she likely was from a wealthy family and of a higher social class than her husband. May has created an intriguing image of what Claudia's life might have been like.
Claudia is a great worshipper of Isis and a major theme of the book is her connection to the Goddess, religious rituals, and her ability to sometimes predict the future. I didn't anticipate t...more
Claudia is a great worshipper of Isis and a major theme of the book is her connection to the Goddess, religious rituals, and her ability to sometimes predict the future. I didn't anticipate t...more
(Historic Fiction 2006) Almost like two books in one - a historical commentary, with good descriptions of the times and places she writes about, and a romance worthy of paperbacks. The family history is interesting, and the interactions between the various factions in the Roman Empire are intriguing. I don't know the background enough to comment on accuracy, but sometimes it felt right and others, maybe not so factual. I knew little about Pontius Pilate other than that he washed his hands of Chr...more
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Engaging historical fiction. I liked the focus on Claudia, her family life, and her marriage to Pilate. I was perplexed by her "sight". I know a few of her dreams came to fruition but so many people perceived her as having a gift after one incident. I think her ability was exaggerated. She was an interesting figure but her constant whining to Isis and the mystogogue annoyed me. I think Rachel added so much humanity to the story. I liked how the author revealed her history and the roles she plays...more
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Não tendo prestado grande atenção à sinopse, ou já me tendo esquecido dela quando comecei a ler o livro, era dos que achavam que iam ter em mãos algo que iria revolver em torno da condenação de Cristo. Não sei bem no que isso tornaria a leitura, mas à primeira impressão, tantas páginas para um só episódio, por mais importante e interessante que seja, não me alegra particularmente.
Naturalmente, o enredo começa muito antes, quando Cláudia, a mulher de Pilatos, é ainda uma criança prestes a tornar-...more
Naturalmente, o enredo começa muito antes, quando Cláudia, a mulher de Pilatos, é ainda uma criança prestes a tornar-...more
Jul 01, 2010
Rusty
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
spirituality-christian
The tale is told by Claudia, the wife of Pilate, who has visions of the future. Drawn by the goddess, Isis, she becomes an initiate and follower. She travels with her family because her father is a good friend of Germanicus, her uncle and a famous general. Men have no interest for Claudia until she is drawn to Pilate and marries him. At this point Germanicus becomes ill and is the first of the family to die. She loses her parents, two brothers, her sister and her aunt at the whim of Tiberius. Kn...more
Jun 01, 2010
PurplyCookie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
Claudia Procula (or Procles) was the wife of Pontius Pilate and accompanied him to Judea during his prefecture there (from 26 to 36 CE). Little verifiable fact is known about Pilate's wife and, despite this, May has created a vibrant novel which succeeds in bring Claudia to life.
Pilate's wife is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew 27:19: “When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have though nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this d...more
Pilate's wife is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew 27:19: “When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have though nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this d...more
'Love, sex and Betrayal' - the back cover starts. It can be a put off for those who look for more, and completely misleading for those who want only this.
Claudia was a very sensitively written book about a woman who may or may not have been a historical figure. 'Suffering' from divine vision, and the blessings of Isis, the book goes beyond her love and passion and talks of the choices a woman makes when she has so much power in her hands, how vulnerable and lost she still can be, and how she eme...more
Claudia was a very sensitively written book about a woman who may or may not have been a historical figure. 'Suffering' from divine vision, and the blessings of Isis, the book goes beyond her love and passion and talks of the choices a woman makes when she has so much power in her hands, how vulnerable and lost she still can be, and how she eme...more
A guilty pleasure. A book that at times felt like a historical romance was at times more than that, but even when that's what it was, it was unfailingly interesting. It follows the woman who became Pontius Pilate's wife from Gaul to Germania, where her father is the brother & aide to a popular, successful general; to Egypt, where she meets Jesus in passing at a temple to Isis, whose disciple she becomes; to Antioch, where she meets & marries Pilate; to Perganum, where she first meets the...more
I should have paid more attention to the subtitle of the book - A Story of the Roman Empire. I was expecting more Jerusalem. Claudia is a daughter of privilege in Rome, related to major players like Augustus and Germanicus. She has "the sight" and becomes involved in the worship of Isis. Tragedy consistently befalls her family as the political winds change direction. She marries Pontius Pilate and is in Jerusalem for the trial and crucifixtion of Jesus.
Good book if you remember that it is a sto...more
Good book if you remember that it is a sto...more
"First, let it be said that I did not attend the crucifixion." This is the first line in a historical page turner set in the Roman Empire in the time of Christ centered arounded the young wife of Pontius Pilate, Claudia. A daughter of privilege, she was gifted with "sight". Her dreams had a habit of coming true and the powerful people around her used this "gift" for their own purposes. Claudia is young at the beginning of the book and though we know her destiny, to be wife of Pontius Pilate, he...more
Apr 27, 2013
Vickey Foggin
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
Pontius Pilate's wife, in her dotage, recounts her history of travels through the Roman Empire to her granddaughter. To do this, Antoinette May employs a 'storytelling' cadance that I found kind of irritating. There's also very convoluted phrasing throughout, for example "I gently stroked a fluffy yellow kitten that resembled its ebony mother not at all." Claudia's a Roman noblewoman, a seer, conveniently connected to every important figure of the age and has some vague romance novel scenes. Thi...more
May 24, 2009
Jenn
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction,
historical-fiction
I was hoping to really like Claudia (Pilate's wife) and her telling of this story. I enjoyed the fresh perspective on biblical events and the story of the roman empire from a woman's perspective which you don't often get. But I felt that Claudia was at best immature and self absorbed. She made it very hard for me to sympathize with her through out her story and struggles and I really wanted to. I felt that Pilate really loved her and she never really gave him the chance he gave her. I enjoyed al...more
I enjoyed this book...not the best I've ever read, but a good first novel. Claudia is a rebel. She is also clairvoyant, which tends to cause her more pain than pleasure. She faces many trials and tribulations after she marries Pontious Pilate, culminating with the crucifixtion of Jesus Christ. Some interesting ideas about Jesus' relationship with Mary (Miriam?) Magdelene....
I learned a lot about Roman life during Tiberius Ceasar's reign (things have not changed much...desperate housewives!) The...more
I learned a lot about Roman life during Tiberius Ceasar's reign (things have not changed much...desperate housewives!) The...more
It's not surprising that this is the author's first novel. The plot, as well as the writing, is quite trite. The story itself is somewhat slow-moving and is far too long. One would expect a book referencing Pilate to have mostly to do with the crucifixion of Jesus, but that seminal event takes place only at the very end, almost as an afterthought. I really didn't like the bit where Mary Magdalene becomes Jesus's wife, as there is no evidence that he was ever married. It's a shame; this book coul...more
An interesting book, but a few gratuitously placed political statements and sketchy musings about Christianity dropped my rating to a 3. Nothing annoys me more than authors who place political and/or religous jabs in the narrative that have no relevance to the story. If you are writing fiction, stay true to the story...if you need to voice your opinion - write a piece of non-fiction!
Ironically, though, the storyline that probably rubs most Christians the wrong way, did not bother me at all...rin...more
Ironically, though, the storyline that probably rubs most Christians the wrong way, did not bother me at all...rin...more
Claudia, a young woman from a wealthy family in Ancient Rome, grows up amidst the swirling politics of the Emperor Tiberius, to whom she is distantly related. From a young age, she possesses a second sight, in which she sees and dreams of things that have not yet happened - sometimes tiny inconsequential details, other times things that will have a profound impact on her life, the lives of others, and on history itself. She is eventually married to a handsome man named Pontius Pilate, with whom...more
I am very confused over this book. I love ancient Rome and its surrounds, but I don't think I like the part Jesus took in this novel. I know, its a book about Pilate's wife. Pontius Pilate. Jesus kind of comes with that, but I still found it hard to read about Him in a fiction novel as a character.
What made me complete this novel despite my misgivings was the writing. It flowed so smoothly and made events form seamlessly. Ms May definitely has a gift in writing. I visualised these locations as i...more
What made me complete this novel despite my misgivings was the writing. It flowed so smoothly and made events form seamlessly. Ms May definitely has a gift in writing. I visualised these locations as i...more
Mar 25, 2012
Rio (Lynne)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
rome-italy-renaissance
This was an OK read. I bought it so I could learn more about Roman History. The story is very fictional. It covers Claudia, the wife of Pontius Pilate's life. The positive is that this book opened up a lot of conversation with my Christian friends who study the bible (I have not, so I had many questions.) I googled a lot throughout this read. The author covers many debatable areas of Jesus' life. Did he go to Isis' Temple in Egypt? Did he marry a prostitute? I found many areas to be far-fetched,...more
Nov 20, 2011
Fanda VIXXIO
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
buntelan,
sold-swaped
Mengisahkan kehidupan Claudia Procula, yang kelak menjadi istri Pontius Pilatus, gubernur Romawi yang mengadili Yesus hingga berakhir pada penyaliban Yesus.
Sebenarnya tak ada data sejarah yang memadai tentang Claudia, maka Antoinette May menulisnya sebagai fiksi sejarah. Dimulai dari Claudia saat berusia 10 tahun dan menemukan bahwa ia dapat melihat masa depan lewat mimpi. Ia bahkan bisa meramal pemenang pertarungan gladiator, yang hasilnya benar. Sang gladiator pemenang bernama Holtan, dan kela...more
Sebenarnya tak ada data sejarah yang memadai tentang Claudia, maka Antoinette May menulisnya sebagai fiksi sejarah. Dimulai dari Claudia saat berusia 10 tahun dan menemukan bahwa ia dapat melihat masa depan lewat mimpi. Ia bahkan bisa meramal pemenang pertarungan gladiator, yang hasilnya benar. Sang gladiator pemenang bernama Holtan, dan kela...more
I enjoy a classic romance novel as much as the next reader (laughter), which is precisely why Pilate’s Wife was so shockingly disappointing. Maybe the let down stems from the fact that this novel is marketed as historical fiction. True there are historical events sprinkled here and there. It’s also true that the people depicted in this novel are historical figures. Certainly, the filler is a bunch of fiction…wait, so it is historical fiction! Then why am I left feeling yucky? I’ve actually thoug...more
I had a love/hate affair with this book. Pilate's Wife started off interesting and I was enthralled with Claudia and her family's life, it got boring when she married Pilate and had her affair, got interesting again when she got to Judaea, and then it got bad really REALLY quickly. I felt Claudia put herself into certain situations that she knew (even without her Sight) would end badly, such as having her affair, but she did it anyway. There were times when she had the makings of being a strong...more
I enjoyed learning all that I did about life in the Roman Empire during the time of Jesus and for this I liked this book very much. I thought Pilate's wife was very self absorbed and shallow and had a hard time really liking her very much. This was disappointing as she seemed to have so much potential in the beginning. The middle of the book gets tedious for a bit it gets interesting again in the end when Jesus comes into the story. I would really wanted to give this book 3.5 stars but this is n...more
This was an interesting piece of historical fiction that was accurate at times, and shockingly assuming at others. The author spent many years studying Roman history, which gave the story an authentic feeling when temples, gods, politics, residences, and travel are described. The story begins with Claudia as a child, goes up to the time when she meets Pontius Pilate, and describes her marriage and life with him. She suffers incredible loss throughout her life (as a character in this story, since...more
Claudia is the daughter of Tata, Germanicus’ top lieutenant. Agrippina, Germanicus’ wife, is a second, if not always the warmest, mother to her. We see the events of the times through the eyes of this youngster as she comes of age, beginning the tale when she is an early teen. Characters here will be familiar to anyone versed in the I, Claudius saga. I was fortunate in having recently seen the entire series again. Claudia is no ordinary teen girl, however. She has a gift. She sees things. She la...more
Jun 26, 2008
Jennifer (JC-S)
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
librarybooks
Claudia Procula (or Procles) was the wife of Pontius Pilate and accompanied him to Judea during his prefecture there (from 26 to 36 CE). Little verifiable fact is known about Pilate’s wife and, despite this, Ms May has created a vibrant novel which succeeds in bring Claudia to life.
Pilate’s wife is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew 27:19 : ‘When he was set down on the judgement seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have though nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things th...more
Pilate’s wife is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew 27:19 : ‘When he was set down on the judgement seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have though nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things th...more
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