Ancient texts from two Roman historians, Tacitus and Flavius Josephus, are being cited as significant evidence for the historical existence of Jesus. Both non-Christian writers, working in the first and second centuries AD, produced accounts that corroborate key details about Jesus' life and the origins of Christianity.
Tacitus, a respected Roman senator and historian, wrote around 116 AD in his work Annals. In describing Emperor Nero's response to the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, Tacitus mentioned a group known as Christians, whose name he traced to a figure called Christus. Tacitus stated that Christus had been executed during the reign of Emperor Tiberius by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Scholars view this reference as particularly valuable because Tacitus was openly hostile towards Christians, indicating he had no incentive to fabricate details supporting their movement. His account aligns with Gospel narratives that Jesus was executed under Roman authority and that his teachings continued to be spread by his followers.
Josephus, a Jewish historian born shortly after Jesus' presumed crucifixion, also provides corroborating evidence in his work Jewish Antiquities. In one passage, Josephus refers to the execution of James, identified as 'the brother of Jesus-who-is-called-Messiah.' The mention of Jesus is presented casually, serving primarily to identify James, which historians argue suggests Jesus was already a recognized historical figure. Josephus also wrote a more extensive passage describing Jesus as a wise teacher who attracted followers and performed remarkable deeds, though some scholars believe parts of this text may have been altered by later Christian scribes. Nevertheless, the majority of historians believe it is based on an original account by Josephus.
Combined, the writings of Tacitus and Josephus support the existence of Jesus as a real person, his known name, his gathering of followers in Judea, and his execution under Pontius Pilate. These sources also indicate that the Christian movement reached Rome within decades of Jesus' death and that early critics of Christianity rarely questioned his existence, instead focusing their attacks on his teachings and actions.
While the New Testament remains the primary source of information about Jesus, these ancient non-Christian accounts are considered crucial by many historians in establishing his historicity, moving the scholarly debate beyond whether he existed to the specifics of his life and teachings.