Sanhedrin Under Roman Authority

Rome allowed local councils to govern internal affairs, but capital punishment was a power Rome reserved for itself — the ius gladii. The Sanhedrin, a council of 71 elders led by the high priest, handled Jewish religious law, but executing someone required the Roman governor's consent. This is exactly why Jesus was brought before Pilate: the Sanhedrin needed Roman authority to carry out a death sentence, and they had to reframe a religious charge as a political one — claiming kingship against Caesar.