Post by sandwiches on Sept 5, 2014 20:55:38 GMT
The Roman historian and senator Tacitus referred to Christ, his execution by Pontius Pilate and the existence of early Christians in Rome in his final work, Annals (written ca. AD 116), book 15, chapter 44
en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Annals_%28Tacitus%29/Book_15#44
Such indeed were the precautions of human wisdom. The next thing was to seek means of propitiating the gods, and recourse was had to the Sibylline books, by the direction of which prayers were offered to Vulcanus, Ceres, and Proserpina. Juno, too, was entreated by the matrons, first, in the Capitol, then on the nearest part of the coast, whence water was procured to sprinkle the fane and image of the goddess. And there were sacred banquets and nightly vigils celebrated by married women. But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor, and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed.
Some genius (ahem!) has written an article explaining this was an "interpolation" (presumably to prove the existence of Jesus at a time when no-one doubted his existence) - sadly the electronic record of this is subject to a year's delay (and who, in the meantime, apart from a very few academic institutions would pay for the print version?):
booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/15700720-12341171;jsessionid=24us9dcoumlil.x-brill-live-02
The Prospect of a Christian Interpolation in Tacitus, Annals 15.44
Author: Richard Carrier1
Source: Vigiliae Christianae, Volume 68, Issue 3, pages 264 – 283
Subjects: Biblical Studies
Publication Year : 2014
Abstract
Some scholars have argued that Tacitus’ reference to Christ in connection with the burning of Rome under Nero is a 4th century (or later) interpolation. It is here argued that their arguments can be met with no strong rebuttal, and therefore the key sentence in Tacitus referring to Christ should be considered suspect.
The same writer has previously written an article explaining that the reference to the death of James (brother of Jesus) in Josephus is also an interpolation:
muse.jhu.edu/login?type=summary&url=/journals/journal_of_early_christian_studies/v020/20.4.carrier.pdf
Origen, Eusebius, and the Accidental Interpolation in Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 20.200
Richard Carrier
Curious that no-one in antiquity seems to have suggested Jesus was an invention but someone now can work his way through references in antiquity to Jesus suggesting that all such references were inventions?
But a crafty way to build a research record?
en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Annals_%28Tacitus%29/Book_15#44
Such indeed were the precautions of human wisdom. The next thing was to seek means of propitiating the gods, and recourse was had to the Sibylline books, by the direction of which prayers were offered to Vulcanus, Ceres, and Proserpina. Juno, too, was entreated by the matrons, first, in the Capitol, then on the nearest part of the coast, whence water was procured to sprinkle the fane and image of the goddess. And there were sacred banquets and nightly vigils celebrated by married women. But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor, and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed.
Some genius (ahem!) has written an article explaining this was an "interpolation" (presumably to prove the existence of Jesus at a time when no-one doubted his existence) - sadly the electronic record of this is subject to a year's delay (and who, in the meantime, apart from a very few academic institutions would pay for the print version?):
booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/15700720-12341171;jsessionid=24us9dcoumlil.x-brill-live-02
The Prospect of a Christian Interpolation in Tacitus, Annals 15.44
Author: Richard Carrier1
Source: Vigiliae Christianae, Volume 68, Issue 3, pages 264 – 283
Subjects: Biblical Studies
Publication Year : 2014
Abstract
Some scholars have argued that Tacitus’ reference to Christ in connection with the burning of Rome under Nero is a 4th century (or later) interpolation. It is here argued that their arguments can be met with no strong rebuttal, and therefore the key sentence in Tacitus referring to Christ should be considered suspect.
The same writer has previously written an article explaining that the reference to the death of James (brother of Jesus) in Josephus is also an interpolation:
muse.jhu.edu/login?type=summary&url=/journals/journal_of_early_christian_studies/v020/20.4.carrier.pdf
Origen, Eusebius, and the Accidental Interpolation in Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 20.200
Richard Carrier
Curious that no-one in antiquity seems to have suggested Jesus was an invention but someone now can work his way through references in antiquity to Jesus suggesting that all such references were inventions?
But a crafty way to build a research record?
