Crucifixion is an unusually cruel and humiliating punishment that, according to the Dead Sea Scrolls, was abhorred by both the Jews and the Romans. The texts say that only slaves and enemies of the Roman Empire were sentenced to this horrid death. The Jewish religious leaders convinced Pilate that Jesus was a political threat to Rome, so Pilate ordered his crucifixion. In this chapter, you'll read about archaeological discoveries that some say confirm the biblical accounts of Jesus’ existence, Pilate's existence, and execution by crucifixion.