Simon Boethus As Simon Magus

[yakovzutolmai]

This is a short one just for the record.

In a previous hypothesis, I have speculated about whether Mariamne Boethus is the Mariamne of Herod Archelaus and whether Simonian traditions of Helena in a tower derive from an actual historical event where Mariamne is kept in a tower of Herod's palace around which onlookers gather to catch sight of her.

There is a possible overlap in this tradition with Pege of Bethlehem, who appears to be the goddess associated with the shrine of Adonis there (upon which was built the Church of the Nativity). In one telling, Myria is the daughter of Pege.

Although the importance of Bethlehem's lady can remain entirely mythical, the existence of a historical event which parallels the mythic form could help explain how a popular historical person could be conflated by the ancients with one of their divines. I have already speculated that Mariamne in the tower as a historical event could have inspired the popular identification of her with the sacred female deity.

In the same sense, if Mariamne's mother was a woman of importance from Bethlehem (priestly/cultic, or "Davidic" - though David at this point seems to be a Judaized, historicized Adonis of Bethlehem), then this would even further the ease by which Mariamne could be popularly identified as an incarnation of the goddess.

I would like to identify Mariamne Boethus as Helena of Adiabene, and her husband-consort as Bazeus. I would like to claim that this Helena is the historical basis for Mary of the Holy Family.

However, Simonians identify Helen of the Tower as Ennoia and the consort of Simon Magus.

I have realized that this paradox is resolved if one casts the historical Mariamne along with her mother as joint incarnations of Ennoia. Thus, you have Simon Boethus and Helen/Pege, and then Bazeus with Mariamne/Myria/Helena.

My hypothesis with Simon Boethus is that he has some relation to the Jews of Babylon, and that he received the High Priesthood through the intervention of Tiridates II of Parthia via the Roman peace deal with Parthia in 23BC. Tiridates being Manu Saflul aka Philp II Philoromaois, father of Bazeus.

So, Simon Boethus is not a true High Priest, but rather "purchased" his office via influence with Rome. Neither is he a true Jew, but rather a "Samaritan" or Israelite-adjacent (I speculate that Simon may be the son of Ptolemy Menneus with the Hasmonean Alexandra, thereby having basic pedigree).

Simon Magus appears in the fictitious Acts of the Apostles in the middle of the first century AD.

There is the hypothesis that the catholic tradition is a reaction to the Gnostic elements of the original Christian cult, particularly by Hellenized anti-Gnostic Jews. I have speculated that the Boethusians and Ananian families had a factional rivalry in the high priesthood, the latter being the Hellenics, the former the Gnostics.

So, from the "Ananian" or anti-Gnostic point of view, Simon Boethus is the father of the Gnostics and bought his way into his office illegitimately. Symbolically, his leadership or preeminence within later Christian cults is fraudulent. The Philonic follows of the philosophically pure and correct Logos/Christ spirit are the true apostles.

Simon was said to have come out of Alexandria, so there may be a connection there to later "Egyptian" magicians.

Simon and a historic lady of Bethlehem as Simon Magus and Helen, then their daughter Mariamne as Myria of Bethlehem, later Helena. With Izates as Theudas, later the new Joshua.

We have attribution of the Boethusians in history. Can their speculated link to the Essenes also connect them to the Simonians? Can Simon Boethus be thought of as an agent with sufficient influence to raise the prominence of the Essene cult in Jerusalem, as yet another catalyst of first century religious developments? In this way, Boethus is not actually Simon Magus, but rather is a figurehead and catalyst for the Simonian movement, and so is the face of the allegorical Magus.

[yakovzutolmai]

I just checked Ben-Zion.

The Boethusian-Essene link is tenuous, and probably wrong for ever having been suggested.