#the sea flunkies one is high up on the 'most likely' list

[gin-juice-tonic]

one day i’ll expand at least one of my ideas into a full episode. one day

[self-deprogrammed]

The imperial cult

“Another element in the Roman state religion was what is generally referred to as the imperial cult. This cult regarded emperors and members of their families as gods.

“On his death, Julius Caesar was officially recognised as a god, the Divine ('Divus') Julius, by the Roman state. And in 29 BC Caesar's adopted son, the first Roman emperor Augustus, allowed the culturally Greek cities of Asia Minor to set up temples to him. This was really the first manifestation of Roman emperor-worship.

“While worship of a living emperor was culturally acceptable in some parts of the empire, in Rome itself and in Italy it was not. There an emperor was usually declared a 'divus' only on his death, and was subsequently worshipped (especially on anniversaries, like that of his accession) with sacrifice like any other gods.

“Emperor-worship was a unifying factor in the Roman world, practiced not only by army units spread throughout the empire but also by individuals in the provinces, where there were collective imperial cult centres at places such as Lyons (Gaul), Pergamon (Asia) and (probably) Colchester (Britain).

“The imperial cult helped to focus the loyalty of provincials on the emperor at the centre of the empire, and in some regions (such as Gaul), there is evidence that Roman authorities took the initiative in setting it up, presumably for that very reason.”

“The image shown here is that of a sculpted relief from the base of the column of the emperor Antoninus Pius, probably to be dated to AD 161. It shows the apotheosis (transformation into gods) of Antoninus Pius and his wife Faustina.”

“They are shown by the portrait busts at the top of the frame, flanked by eagles - associated with imperial power and Jupiter - and were typically released during imperial funerals to represent the spirits of the deceased.

“Antoninus and Faustina are being carried into the heavens by a winged, heroically nude figure. The armoured female figure on the right is the goddess Roma, a divine personification of Rome, and the reclining figure to the left - with the obelisk - is probably a personification of the Field of Mars in Rome, where imperial funerals took place.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/roman_religion_gallery_06.shtml

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FACT:

1. The Romans were experienced at setting up religious cults.

2. No “Christian” group is listed in contemporary histories as being present as victims, refugees or participants in ANY of the besieged Cities in the civil war in Judea 66-73 AD. The contemporary histories include the groups and the leaders of the Priests, Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, Zealots, Samaritans, etc. “Christians” are not mentioned in any contemporary histories written prior.

3. Most Jewish people lived outside of Judea in the eastern parts of Asia Minor that had been 300 years earlier conquered by Alexander. The Jewish were probably 10% of the population of the Empire (Comparison: black people are about 10% of the US population)

4. The Pharisees were popular among Jews and non-Jews. The Pharisees were anti-slavery, anti-taxes, pro-social justice.

5. The Roman Empire was dependent upon slavery and high taxes. The Romans were terrified of a Spartacus-type slave revolt.

6. Biblical scholars see little of the Jewish religion in the New Testament; rather the philosophical positions and terminology are very Greco-Roman. Such as the ascension depicted above. Or Jesus comment about Peter being “the rock” is a pun only in Latin. Or that the Emperors Titus and Domitian were both a ‘Son of God’ as their father, Vespasian, was declared a ‘Living God’. The term ‘Gospel’ is from a Greek term used only for military victories.

7. The three year campaign of Titus between the destruction of the Temple (70 CE) and the fall of Masada (73 CE) takes Titus to the same locations as Jesus purportedly visited in the three year of ministry 31-33 CE.

8. Coincidences?

The Gospels record Jesus allegedly performing a miracle transfering demons to 2,000 swine who are stampeded down a hill to their deaths. In the same location Titus’ army forces thousands of Jews to their deaths. In both cases ‘Legion’ is responsible.

At the Sea of Galilee Roman soldiers are “fishers of men” as they spear Jews they pursued in fishing boats.

The Siege of Jerusalem began just before Passover in April, 70 CE and end in September. Starvation hastened the collapse of the defenders. Incidents of cannibalism occurred including that of a mother named Mary whose son was eaten.

8. The Cities which allegedly had Congregations to which Paul allegedly wrote all had Temples dedicated to Julius Caesar.

9. Caesar’s apotheosis includes betrayal by a loyal friend, death at the hands of Romans while his main subordinate flees, being acclaimed a God after his death & therefore ascending, the suicide of his betrayer. Caesar’s effigy is depicted on a Tropeum - a cross like a small ‘t’.

10. The Cities addressed in “Revelations” all had Temples to Vespasian, Titus and Domition.

11. The Rabbinic Talamud records the agreements reached between Vespasian & Titus by the founder of post-Temple Rabbinic Judaism, Yohanan ben Zakkai. Zakkai escaped from the Zealots in Jerusalem by pretending to be dead. Then is “resurrected” to meet with Vespasian.

12. Christians only begin to appear in history after 100 CE.

SPECULATION (see Joesph Atwell “Caesar’s Messiah” among others)

With the premise that there is not an historical Jesus:

A. Effective Roman propaganda would certainly have wanted to smear the reputation of the anti-slavery Pharisees among the Jews by linking them with the hated Roman state and the puppet king descended from Herod.

B. With the possibility of the ideals behind the Jewish Civil War spreading to the rest of the Empire, effective propaganda would be to neuter aggressive Jeswish activism.

One way would be a miasma of legalistic minutia for the educated Jews by sponsoring and nurturing Talamudic Judiasim.

Another, targeting the working class and enslaved Jews, would be to create a cult of a pacifistic tradesman who advocated peace and paying taxes (“render unto Caesar...”). Revenge on cruel Romans would be deferred to the afterlife.

C. With the help of flunkies from the defunct Jewish royalty the Romans could have drafted the synchronic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). Written post-73 CE but set in 30-33 CE which would make them very prescient about ‘future events like the destruction of the Temple.

D. Texturally the synchronic Gospels appear to have been initially developed only for the Jews: Jesus sends his Apostles only to the Jews. Salvation is only for the Jews. In then the “Last Supper” coverts the Jewish Passover commemoration into a crude and disgusting commemoration of the starvation of the Jews during the siege of Jerusalem.

E. Later, the Romans could have added the Gospel of John, the Acts of the Apostles, the letters of Paul, and Revelations to broaden the appeal of the propaganda to non-Jews.