11-15-2014, 05:17 AM
Hi. I'm a new user but have been lurking on this board since last month trying to do research for a historical novel I'm working on based on the famous legend of a Roman soldier called Pantera being the biological father of Christ. I know the legend is thought to have little historical basis but I want my version of it to be as historically accurate and plausible as it's possible for a story based on a legend to be and I hope I can get some help on that on this forum.
So here are two questions I can't seem to really find the answer to. First of all, I should say that I'm going with the identification of the legendary Pantera with Tiberius Iulius Abdes Pantera (this ties into the questions so I think it's important to add in); so Pantera is Sidonian, an archer and ends up serving for 40 years before dying at age of 62.
1. As a stylistic choice my first draft is written as a diary. I have a feeling this is a stupid question but how plausible is it that an ordinary Roman soldier like Abdes Pantera would be able to keep a diary? My feeling is "not very" but is it even remotely plausible? Are there any surviving examples of diaries from people involved with the Roman military?
2. Ties into the first question and is more important. As part of research for this I've spent a lot of time looking at pictures of Abdes Pantera's gravestone. What could the letters exs on the stone mean? I've seen them interpreted as meaning that he was eventually a standard-bearer, which would make it highly likely he was literate. Any opinions on what they could mean? I can't read Latin so I have to rely on other people's interpretations.
Anyway hope this post isn't too stupid.
So here are two questions I can't seem to really find the answer to. First of all, I should say that I'm going with the identification of the legendary Pantera with Tiberius Iulius Abdes Pantera (this ties into the questions so I think it's important to add in); so Pantera is Sidonian, an archer and ends up serving for 40 years before dying at age of 62.
1. As a stylistic choice my first draft is written as a diary. I have a feeling this is a stupid question but how plausible is it that an ordinary Roman soldier like Abdes Pantera would be able to keep a diary? My feeling is "not very" but is it even remotely plausible? Are there any surviving examples of diaries from people involved with the Roman military?
2. Ties into the first question and is more important. As part of research for this I've spent a lot of time looking at pictures of Abdes Pantera's gravestone. What could the letters exs on the stone mean? I've seen them interpreted as meaning that he was eventually a standard-bearer, which would make it highly likely he was literate. Any opinions on what they could mean? I can't read Latin so I have to rely on other people's interpretations.
Anyway hope this post isn't too stupid.
The road goes ever on
