Tacitus says that the Romans believed oriental stories ONLY after 70 CE

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
Post Reply
Giuseppe
Posts: 13732
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:37 am
Location: Italy

Tacitus says that the Romans believed oriental stories ONLY after 70 CE

Post by Giuseppe »


As for the hidden decrees of fate, the omens and the oracles that marked out Vespasian and his sons for imperial power, we believed in them only after his success

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... apter%3D10

What better circumstance to write a magical story for a Roman audience?
User avatar
mlinssen
Posts: 3431
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2019 11:01 am
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Tacitus says that the Romans believed oriental stories ONLY after 70 CE

Post by mlinssen »

Giuseppe wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 2:04 am
As for the hidden decrees of fate, the omens and the oracles that marked out Vespasian and his sons for imperial power, we believed in them only after his success

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... apter%3D10

What better circumstance to write a magical story for a Roman audience?
"Flavius Vespasian, a general of Nero's appointment, managed the war in Judæa with three legions"

A legion was the size of 5-6,000 infantry plus a few hundred auxiliary.
What a war! I used to go to festivals that size (and more) pre-covid

That, on a side note. It is on the next page that Galba's death gets announced so it must be 68 when Tacitus writes this
Charles Wilson
Posts: 2100
Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:13 am

Re: Tacitus says that the Romans believed oriental stories ONLY after 70 CE

Post by Charles Wilson »

In the East there was as yet no movement. Syria and its four legions were under the command of Licinius Mucianus, a man whose good and bad fortune were equally famous...
Giuseppe --

You can save yourself years of research:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7888

Tacitus, Histories, Book 2:

"Mucianus was governor of Syria, Vespasian of Judaea. In the administration of these neighbouring provinces jealousy had produced discord between them, but on Nero's fall they had dropped their animosities and associated their counsels. At first they communicated through friends, till Titus, who was the great bond of union between them, by representing their common interests had terminated their mischievous feud..."

Believe me when I tell ya'...
Post Reply