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Christian Executions..
#1
Sometimes, they just go too far.....

[attachment=4692]P1140201.JPG[/attachment]

Filming at the Lunt, this it the part where we get to execute a couple of Christians!
(Good thing they go meekly, he was kinda big... :lol: )
Crispus, M. Krake and myself doing the honors..

[attachment=4693]P1140204.JPG[/attachment]


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Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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#2
[attachment=4696]P1140163.JPG[/attachment]
Filming a Documentary with the RMRS and VICUS, all photos courtesy of M. Haxel.
This was part of a days filming for a Television documentary.
It covered a long period of Roman History in Britain, from the subduing of wales, Boudicca's revolt, and in these photos the execution of Christian martyrs.

[attachment=4695]P1140189.JPG[/attachment]

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Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
Reply
#3
[attachment=4699]P1140143_copy.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=4698]P1140156.JPG[/attachment]
[attachment=4697]P1140159.JPG[/attachment]


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
           
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
Reply
#4
[attachment=4700]P1140140_copy.jpg[/attachment]
Crispus, giving instruction to the Director! :mrgreen:


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Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
Reply
#5
I do hope they pointed out Christians were not executed because of their faith, but rather for their behaviour as a result of it.

Afterthough: is there any evidence the Christians were executed "gladiator style", as most I believe were tried and sentenced for treason against the empire ? Which would call for public and gruesome execution to deter followers of the same cause?
Salvete et Valete



Nil volentibus arduum





Robert P. Wimmers
www.erfgoedenzo.nl/Diensten/Creatie Big Grin
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#6
Quote:I do hope they pointed out Christians were not executed because of their faith, but rather for their behaviour as a result of it.

What did this entail exactly? The Great Fire of Roman in 64, failing to worship the emperor, failure to pay taxes?
Quintus Furius Collatinus

-Matt
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#7
Failing to worship the emperor was cause enough for sure. Not paying tax was certainly frowned apon :-). But look at the uniforms, very Late Roman, wheras emperor Constance 1 embraced Christianity around 325. So I do wonder what the storyline here was ....
Salvete et Valete



Nil volentibus arduum





Robert P. Wimmers
www.erfgoedenzo.nl/Diensten/Creatie Big Grin
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#8
Quote:Afterthough: is there any evidence the Christians were executed "gladiator style"...?
Most of the more reliable martyr stories from the great persecution under Diocletian specify execution by beheading. In one case (Euplius in Catania) the martyr 'offered his neck to the sword', but this probably means the same thing. Reasons for execution (uncommon in the west, although Italy and Spain had quite a few) were failing to surrender holy books, interfering with the demolition of churches and (most critically) refusing to sacrifice to the emperor and/or the gods. Unlike earlier persecutions, this one was pretty definitely directly squarely at Christians.

Quote:But look at the uniforms, very Late Roman
They would fit the Diocletianic era, I'd say...
Nathan Ross
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#9
Part of the Emperor's right to rule was descent from, connection to the gods and often Emperor's were declared to be gods after death. To deny this was to deny the Emperor's right to rule. This was sedition, much like later on denying a given monarch like HenryIV of England had a right to rule because he had deposed a King, anointed by a representative of god to be the rightful King. The government was within its rights to quell such claims as denying the Emperor's right to rule denied Rom'es right to rule, and could have led to rebellion. The Romans were very broadminded about what gods you worshipped as long as you didn't challenge the status quo regarding the Emperor,s divine connections and right to rule.
Caesar audieritis hoc
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#10
Quote:Part of the Emperor's right to rule was descent from, connection to the gods and often Emperor's were declared to be gods after death. To deny this was to deny the Emperor's right to rule.
Strictly speaking, dead emperors were made 'divine', which isn't quite the same as being turned into gods, more a matter of association - and not too many emperors claimed direct descent from the gods either. But there was something about the legitimacy of government in the Roman state's actions against Christianity, I think.

The first major persecution, under Decius in 249-250, was actually just an order for everyone in the empire to sacrifice to the emperor, and get a certificate for doing so. This seems to have been an attempt by Decius to halt the cycle of civil war and overall bad luck that plagued the third century, by a mixture of enforced observance of his rule and an appeal to divine intervention. It wasn't specifically directed against Christians, but they were the ones who fared worst, and most of the accounts of it come from Christian sources. Valerian picked up the idea, but the impulse seems to have been the same - an appeal to traditional Roman values and imperial stability through the public performance of sacrifice.

Diocletian and his colleages actually did associate themselves directly with the gods - the idea being that the harmony of imperial government was a reflection of the divine order. Since the gods they chose were the very traditional ones - Jupiter, Hercules, Mars, Apollo - this was clearly a traditionalist move; Diocletian in particular was a very pious man, and genuinely seemed to have believed that the fate of Rome was imperilled by the activities of godless Christians. This explains the comparative severity of his persecution edicts in 303-304, and the fact that they were directed solely at Christian worship.
Nathan Ross
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#11
I believe that, technically, incense was burned to the emperor's "genius," (guardian and guiding spirit) not to the emperor himself.
Pecunia non olet
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#12
Specifically:

Quote:a sequence centred on the martyrdom of St Aaron and St Julius under the purges of Emperor Diocletion.

so i think our kit is fitting for the period.

One was beheaded, one was given an honerable death...(I believe he was a Roman citizen)
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
Reply
#13
Quote:I believe that, technically, incense was burned to the emperor's "genius," (guardian and guiding spirit) not to the emperor himself.
Ah yes, you're quite right.

Quote:
Quote:the martyrdom of St Aaron and St Julius under the purges of Emperor Diocletion.
so i think our kit is fitting for the period.
I'd certainly say so. Good looking kit too, btw.

Odd thing though - if Aaron and Julius were executed at Caerleon it disproves the idea that Constantius refused to persecute Christians in his region... Bit of a mixed message going on here, martyrdom-wise!

Quote:One was beheaded, one was given an honerable death...(I believe he was a Roman citizen)
By the later empire, being a citizen didn't protect anyone from all sorts of horrible deaths! Even senators were getting burned at the stake for trifling offences... Confusedhock:
Nathan Ross
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#14
Well, we had 2 options.. a double headed axe or a sword...it was too wet to burn him at the stake...
Besides, I think Petronius might have had a couple of issues with that... Wink
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
Reply
#15
I stand corrected on the kit, which is very good indeed, as I had pegged it as being later. Shows what I know of Late Roman uniform. Ah well, more into swords :-)
Good discussion, though, lot's of interesting info. Thanks!
Salvete et Valete



Nil volentibus arduum





Robert P. Wimmers
www.erfgoedenzo.nl/Diensten/Creatie Big Grin
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