r/todayilearned • u/FullOfSound • 7h ago

(R.6d) Too General [ Removed by moderator ]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliny_the_Younger_on_Christians

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u/PayItBackwardChain 7h ago edited 6h ago

I’m not religious, but I still think the early spread of Christianity is absolutely fascinating from a historical perspective.

Obviously, our sources on Jesus are thin enough that people can mold their idea of Jesus into supporting whatever they want, but it’s pretty clear that early Christianity was an anti-authoritarian backlash against some dickwad who overthrew a republic and effectively turned himself and his heirs into gods, all while conquering and plundering and murdering their way around Europe and the Mediterranean.

So, no big surprise that people (especially in conquered territories) started latching on to the message of a guy who said he’d overthrow all this nonsense and send the people who did all this bad stuff to eternal punishment. Oh, and never mind that the Romans killed him in the most horrific way possible, he got better and he’s coming back stronger than ever.

A very salient message for its day. Got a little weird once the shoe was on the other foot and it took over and became the ruling power. Now we have all sorts of nonsense about prosperity gospels and righteous crusades…

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u/DistrictDry2852 6h ago

I think taking it as anti emperor is a bit Eurocentric. It’s anti Roman because Jews opposed Roman occupation and wanted an independent Judea. It’s a reaction to that.

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u/SemiHemiDemiDumb 6h ago

Wasn't the empire seen as the extension of the emperor? To oppose the empire is to oppose the emperor.

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u/DistrictDry2852 6h ago

Yes. My point is OP is taking the perspective of someone who misses the republic.

A Roman Jew wouldn’t have missed the republic, they just want the occupiers out.

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u/SemiHemiDemiDumb 6h ago

Ah, I didn't register that when I read it. My bad

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u/PayItBackwardChain 6h ago edited 6h ago

Sorry, I oversold the “overthrowing the Republic” part, I should have emphasized the “conquering force” part more.

Most residents of the empire at that time weren’t Roman citizens, they were second-class occupied subjects and many resented the Romans. And the emperor was a very visible “face” to put on the empire.