Quote:Even when it's a matter of chance it's likely that fragments of records about lower class criminals would have turned up by now if the Romans had kept any.
What possible reason would someone have to go through the time and expense to copy old execution records? I'm sure there were plenty of fresh executions going on.
Quote:Vindolanda TabletsAnother fine example of the chance nature of what archaeology turns up. The survival of those tablets is attributed to the anaeobic conditions in the ground. People also wrote on broken pottery shards and there the shard itself does not biodegrade but the writing on them assuredly does.
Quote:What's that got to do with what I said in Post ~287?
Nothing, except I do agree that there was a sudden need for heroes/heroines and relics of all kinds in the 4th century.
Quote:The lack of records makes it impossible to know the real number of Christians who were thrown to the lions as opposed to the number that the Christian writers wanted people to believe had been martyred.We will see what Moss has to say on that subject. Thanks for reminding me. I have to go order that book.
