Ecce Homo Arch: A Hello from the Roman Period
Introduction
The Ecce Homo Arch is named after Pontius Pilate’s Latin phrase, “Ecce Homo,” which translates to “Behold the Man”. The arch is now incorporated into the Sisters of Zion’s monastery.
Originally published: July 2023 | Last updated: May 2025
Location of the Ecce Homo
The Ecce Homo Arch is situated along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, the path that Jesus is believed to have walked on his way to his crucifixion.
Biblical Context
According to the Gospel of John (19:13), Jesus was brought out by Pilate and shown to the people at a place called Gabbatha – also referred to as the Stone Pavement. This location has traditionally been associated with the area near the Ecce Homo Arch. For many centuries, Christians believed this was where He was bound and crowned with thorns, to a hostile crowd shortly before his Crucifixion. Pilate utters the words “Ecce Homo” as he reveals the beaten and humiliated Christ to the masses.
This tradition places the trial near the Antonia Fortress, which once stood near the Temple Mount and served as a Roman military post. Over time, Christian churches and chapels were built nearby to commemorate these events, including the Chapel of the Condemnation, which was rebuilt in 1904 on the site of a medieval church.
However, some modern scholars now think Pilate may have judged Jesus elsewhere – possibly at Herod’s Palace, closer to today’s Jaffa Gate. That was a grander and more likely location for a Roman governor’s court.
So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the man!
History of the Ecce Homo Arch and the Church
The Ecce Homo Arch has a complex and layered history that spans several centuries. Initially, it was believed to be part of a gateway built by Hadrian in 135 AD as an entrance to the forum of Aelia Capitolina, the Roman city built on the ruins of Jerusalem following the Second Jewish Revolt.
The arch was originally a three-part structure:
The central arch, the largest, can still be seen today from the street.
The northern arch was incorporated into the Basilica of Ecce Homo and now frames the altar in the convent chapel.
The southern arch was once part of a nearby monastery but no longer survives.
The Sisters of Zion, a Catholic congregation, acquired the site in the 19th century. They discovered the Lithostrotos, or the pavement, where Pilate is said to have presented Jesus to the crowd, uttering the words “Ecce Homo.” The Sisters built the Ecce Homo Convent and the Basilica of Ecce Homo on this site, incorporating the arch into the structure of the buildings.
Archaeological Insights
Today, the original arch built by Hadrian remains in ruins. Only the central span and the northern arch remain partially standing. The northernmost small arch integrated into the Basilica of Ecce Homo, originally it would have allowed access into the forum of Hadrian. The central span of the arch continues through the wall of the convent chapel, where the smaller northern arch now frames the tabernacle, under a Byzantine cross on a gilded mosaic backdrop.
Beneath the arch, inside the Ecce Homo Convent, is a large stone pavement known as the Lithostrotos, meaning “stone pavement” in Greek. Early Christian tradition linked this pavement to the trial of Jesus because of the Gospel reference to Gabbatha.
Modern archaeology, though, tells a different story. The pavement was likely built in Hadrian’s time, as part of the Roman plaza. It was laid over the Struthion Pool, a large, open-air reservoir from the Hasmonean period. Hadrian covered the pool with vaulting to build the plaza above it. Visitors today can descend to see the vaulted ceiling and explore parts of the pool.
Archaeologists have found:
Carved games in the pavement stones, including one thought to be the “King’s Game,” played by Roman soldiers.
Grooves cut into the stones, likely to prevent horses from slipping.
Fragments of columns and other architectural pieces from the 1st century BCE to 1st century CE, possibly reused from earlier structures.
Interestingly, these soldier games were once cited as evidence for Jesus’ mockery by the soldiers, though we now know they date to a later period.
Additional Information
- 1st Century BCE – 1st Century AD: The Temple or Antonia Tower is in existence. A cistern known as the Struthion Pool is built by King Herod.
- Mid 1st Century CE: Herod Agrippa expands the city walls of Jerusalem, incorporating an asclepieion near the Bethesda pools into the city.
- 66-70 AD: The First Jewish Revolt occurs. The Roman general Titus destroys the Antonia fortress. Jerusalem and the Second Temple are destroyed. According to Josephus, a massacre of 20,000 Jews occurs in Caesarea.
- 128-129 AD: Roman Emperor Hadrian is active, as evidenced by a Latin inscription found outside Damascus Gate and acquired in 1903.
- 132- AD: The second Jewish Revolt occurs. Hadrian rebuilds Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina after the second Jewish Revolt. He lays a Roman pavement (Lithostrotos/Gabbatha) above the Struthion Pool, which serves as a plaza and market place. He also places a roadway along a dam and expands the asclepieion into a large temple dedicated to Asclepius and Serapis. Hadrian builds a triple arch as a gate to the plaza. The largest arch becomes known as the “Ecce Homo Arch.”
- 1857: Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne builds the Ecce Homo convent.
- 1864: The Ecce Homo Arch is documented in a photograph by James McDonald for the Ordnance Survey of Jerusalem.
- Beginning of the 20th Century: Fragments of vaulted ceilings, doorframes, and a column capital (part of the Temple or Antonia Tower) are found on site. The Lithostrotos (paved square) and a pagan altar (II Century AD) are also found on site.
- 1918: The basilica at the Ecce Homo convent, later called the Basilica of the Crowning of Thorns, is built.
What You Can See Today
The central Ecce Homo Arch stands over the Via Dolorosa and supports a small room above.
The northern arch, incorporated into the chapel of the Ecce Homo Basilica, is visible inside the convent.
The archaeological area beneath the convent includes the Roman pavement and a view of the Struthion Pool. Entry requires a ticket.
Nearby Sites
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St. Anne’s Church: Located at the start of the Via Dolorosa, St. Anne’s Church is a well-preserved example of Crusader architecture. It’s traditionally believed to be the birthplace of the Virgin Mary.
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The Pool of Bethesda: Mentioned in the Gospel of John, the Pool of Bethesda is where Jesus is said to have performed the miracle of healing a paralytic.
- The Church of Flagellation: This Roman Catholic church in Jerusalem commemorates the spot where Jesus Christ was flogged by Roman soldiers before his crucifixion. Built by Antonio Barluzzi, it has beautiful stained glass windows and the courtyard’s symbolic mosaic floor.
- The Lion’s Gate: Also known as St. Stephen’s Gate or Sheep Gate, the Lion’s Gate is one of the seven open gates in Jerusalem’s Old City walls. It’s named after the pair of lion symbols carved into the wall, and it’s the starting point of the Via Dolorosa, the path that Jesus is believed to have walked on his way to crucifixion.
