Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel

Claudia's life did not start easily. The illegitimate daughter of Julia, reviled and exiled daughter of Caesar Augustus, Claudia spends her childhood in a guarded villa with her mother and grandmother. When Tiberius, who hates Julia, takes the throne, Claudia is wrenched away from her mother to be brought up in the palace in Rome. The young woman is adrift--until she meets Lucius Pontius Pilate and becomes his wife. When Pilate is appointed Prefect of the troublesome territory of Judea, Claudia does what she has always done: she makes the best of it. But unrest is brewing on the outskirts of the Roman Empire, and Claudia will soon find herself and her beloved husband embroiled in controversy and rebellion. Might she find peace and rest in the teaching of the mysterious Jewish Rabbi everyone seems to be talking about?

Readers will be whisked through marbled palaces, dusty marketplaces, and idyllic Italian villas as they follow the unlikely path of a woman who warrants only a passing mention in one of the Gospel accounts. Diana Wallis Taylor combines her impeccable research with her flair for drama and romance to craft a tale worthy of legend.

From the Back Cover

In a time of turmoil, one woman will search for love and peace--and find it where she never expected.

Tugged this way and that by fate's indifferent hand, Claudia's life is adrift--until she meets Lucius Pontius Pilate and becomes his wife. When they move to the troublesome territory of Judea, she does what she has always done: makes the best of it. But unrest is brewing and Claudia will soon find herself and her beloved husband embroiled in controversy and rebellion. Might she find hope in the mysterious Jewish Rabbi everyone seems to be talking about?

Let this epic story whisk you through marbled palaces, dusty marketplaces, and idyllic Italian villas as you follow the unlikely path of a woman who warrants only a passing mention in one of the Gospel accounts, but whose story, as told by Diana Wallis Taylor, is one worthy of legend.

"A stunning and powerful novel of controversy, romance, and rebellion. Meticulous research, drama, and passion hold readers to the page in this exquisite tale of inspiration and intrigue."--Karen O'Connor, author of When God Answers Your Prayers: Stories of How God Comes Through in the Nick of Time

"Diana Wallis Taylor takes the reader into the very heart and soul of an obscure New Testament woman whose few but compelling words have captivated readers for centuries. Inspiring and imaginative."--Susan Meissner, author of The Girl in the Glass


Diana Wallis Taylor is the author of the novels Journey to the Well, Martha, and Mary Magdalene and lives in California. Find out more at www.dianawallistaylor.com.