JESUS CHRIST: Myth or Historical Person?

[Minimalist]

Suetonius and Pliny the Younger do mention Jesus

Actually, Phil, they do not. Both mention "xtians" ( except in one place Suetonius mentions "chrestians"). Neither one mentions fuckall about any "jesus."



As far as Tacitus goes the first appearance of much ( but not all ) of the passage which later appeared in Annales is from a 5th century xtian writer named Sulpicius Severus in his work Chronica.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/PATRISTC/PII11-5.TXT

CHAPTER XXIX.

Is the meantime, the number of the Christians being now very large, it happened that Rome was destroyed by fire, while Nero was stationed at Antium. But the opinion of all cast the odium of causing the fire upon the emperor, and he was believed in this way to have sought for the glory of building a new city. And in fact, Nero could not by any means he tried escape from the charge that the fire had been caused by his orders. He therefore turned the accusation against the Christians, and the most cruel tortures were accordingly inflicted upon the innocent. Nay, even new kinds of death were invented, so that, being covered in the skins of wild beasts, they perished by being devoured by dogs, while many were crucified or slain by fire, and not a few were set apart for this purpose, that, when the day came to a close, they should be consumed to serve for light during the night. In this way, cruelty tint began to be manifested against the
Christians. Afterwards, too, their religion was prohibited by laws which
were enacted; and by edicts openly set forth it was proclaimed unlawful to be a Christian. At that time Paul and Peter were condemned to death, the former being beheaded with a sword, while Peter suffered crucifixion. And while these things went on at Rome, the Jews, not able to endure the injuries they suffered under the rule of Festus Florus, began to rebel.

Two things about Chronica. First, as you can see even in this 5th century drivel there is no reference to "Pilate" or "Christ." This was obviously added in even later. Second, a little historical note to show how generally unreliable these writings can be on matters of "fact." Severus refers to Festus Florus. He has run together two Roman officials. Porcius Festus was procurator c 60 AD while Gessius Florus was procurator in 66 AD.