So, you’re going with Option 2 in my latest reply.
In which case, I don’t get it. I understand the jew could make disturbances with Christians, but who would jewish christians make disturbances with ? they alone wouldn’t do that. So maybe jewish christians were making disturbances with non-jewish christians ? but in that case, Suetinous would have mentioned more that he mentioned.
We have hints that at some point Jewish followers of Jesus were forced out of the synagogues. Perhaps they didn’t go quietly?
Hi all. I wanted to quickly deviate from the naming thing as I believe, whatever we argue with, whether it’s Christus or Chrestus, we will never come to conclusion.
It gets me curious that Tacitus mentions (due to burning Rome event) the persecution of christians, which we are all aware of.
I have read Suetonius, Cassius Dio and none of them mention the persecution at all. They don’t mention who were punished for this. Suetonius mentions Christian punishment but in a totally different chapter. Hence, no chance you can connect those 2.
Why do you think that is that in 1st, 2nd, 3rd centuries, we ONLY meet christian Persecution in Tacitus ?
I consider the persecution the same way as you explained. I don’t have any problem with that.
What My question is why don’t Suetonius and Cassius Dio mention persecution for burning the city ? I read their books(only the part of burning rome by Nero) and they just don’t say anything about persecution. In their books, we don’t know if there was even a persecution or anything for that matter.
Hence, What we end up with is only in Tacitus’s book, we see this persecution. (I’m talking about historians only in 1st, 2nd, 3rd century). Why don’t others write it as well ? what could be the explanation for this ?
Hey Robert.
Yes, Exactly.
Well, There’s some truth in Richard Carrier’s opinion.
It’s strange that only Tacitus mentions it, not any other historians, but after 4th century, other historians start mentioning persecuting christians. Note the 4th century.
This is just one building block of all the arguments why this event could never have happened, ofc, only this one is not enough, but it at least strengthens it by some bit.
You say that: “maybe it was a minor event and was not well known or considered terribly importan”. Well, There were lots of historians in 2nd-3rd century(some of them christians) – So they definately would have read Tacitus’s work(no doubt about that – as Tacitus is considered a great historian). Then, why none of them even quote that event of persecuting christians for the fire of Rome. or Someone(non-christian) would have mentioned it and then apologists would need to defense it. We have no record of anything about this.
Well, I find all this strange. Is there anything you don’t agree ?
BDEhrman
FreedomBen
evgendob
Robert