The temple Guards could be referring to the Legionaries that are stationed to protect Herod’s Temple in Jerusalem.
Well actually, the nearest legions were all stationed in Syria, where the Legate was. There may have been a few small details of legionaries or lone centurions on detached duty here and there, but their tasks would not have had anything to do with daily operations in Judaea.
Rome did not govern Palestine directly; the image we usually have of Roman soldiers patrolling the streets of the Galilee and Judea on a daily basis is more likely mistaken. It was ruled in a more indirect manner: Rome utilized client (puppet) kings, ethnarchs, tetrarchs, or resident governors who, in turn, utilized local aristocrats, especially the Jewish high priest.
During the time of Jesus’ death (20s-30s AD), the province of Judaea was governed by the prefect (in our case, this would be Pontius Pilate). The prefect would have a small number of troops (perhaps 3,000 at the least) at his disposal, but for the most part they stayed away from Jerusalem because of Jewish sensitivities. There was a small Roman garrison stationed within Jerusalem, and other fortresses within the province were also lightly garrisoned, but day-to-day control was actually in the hands of the high priest (in this instance, Caiaphas), who had informal councillors and also a small formal council. Most councillors were aristocrats, and many were aristocratic priests. He also had the Temple guards - which were usually composed of Levites and were distinct from the Romans stationed in the Antonia Fortress nearby - who had the duty of being the security force of the Temple and the city during most of the year.
The Romans considered the high priest to be the responsible official in Jerusalem, the spokesman and the representative of the natives, if you will. If people wanted to deal with Rome, they had to talk to the high priest, and if Rome wanted to communicate with the people, the prefect summoned him. If something went wrong, the high priest held responsibility. During feastdays such as Passover, the prefect and extra Roman troops would usually go to Jerusalem in case of trouble, to make sure that the vast crowds did not get out of hand. It was in this situation that Jesus was “
crucified under Pontius Pilate.”
Now, Pilate is traditionally held to be of equestrian rank, the second aristocratic order below that of senators. This might have some basis in history, as the men whom emperors appointed as governors were often equestrians. As an equestrian, Pilate was not of high enough status to command a legion, hence his garrison would have been composed of auxiliary troops, mainly recruited from the free subjects of the Empire who did not hold Roman citizenship. This was in contrast to the legions, which only admitted Roman citizens.
