mountainman

Philo mentions both Essenes and Therapeutae c.20 CE.
The former dwell in Palestine, the latter are ubiquitous
in the empire, and in Greece, but congregate in Egypt.

They are different groups, and have both been pointed
at by various parties in the present day and in antiquity
(ie: Eusebius) as being "the earliest christians".

A proper study of the therapeutae must acknowledge
the Buddhist influences from at least the time of Ashoka
on the Greek and Roman empire. It must also acknowledge
the role of the popular god of Healing Asclepius, who had
temples and shrines scattered around the empire.

There is abundant archaeological evidence, and references
in ancient sources to the popularity of Asclepius, and to
the ubiquity of his shrines and temples 500 BCE to 500 CE.

There are a number of clear and unmistakable references
to the therapeutae of Asclepius (ie: attendants, aides,
trainees, etc). The priesthood was evidently ascetic,
and its lineage extended to the Pachomian monasteries
(near Nag Hammadi) of the fourth century.

Ancient Healers of the Lineage of Hippocrates and Galen,
therapeutae (physicians; "sons of the elder", "sons of the monk")
of Asclepius: an ascetic ministry and physicians of souls.

They are described by Philo, as distinct from the Palestinian Essenes, living in Egypt, and in Greece. Philo remarks they are ubiquitous in the empire c.20CE. The therepeutae were ascetics (Egyptian and Hellenic). The signature of Buddhist influence is unmistakable. The most popular Egypto-Graeco-Romon hero of the first three centuries -- by the archaeological evidence -- is the Healer Asclepius, his "asclepia" (healing centers), and associated gymnasiums, their associated libraries, and their hierarchy of attendants and priests - the therapeutae of Asclepius.

Which temples did Constantine target for destruction (Aegae, +, ...)?
Which priests did Constantine target for execution (Aegae, +, ...)?
Which ascetic priests wrote parodies against the ineptitude
of the fourth century christian "ministry" of "healing"
and of "embodied ascetic wisdom"? (Arius? Pachomius?)

In framing a thesis in which Constantine invented Christianity
in the fourth century, I have spent the time to try and
understand what was pulled down and destroyed at that time.

My research page on this issue has been entitled:

Ancient History of the Embodied Soul -
The Ministry of the Ascetics -
Essenes, Therapeutae and Asclepius

It is this group who existed in the Pre-Nicene Epoch,
when Christianity did not, and it was this group who
suffered at the military despotism of Constantine, and
whose monastaries were systematically targetted for
search and destroy missions for "prohibited texts".

Later in the fourth century, "christian councils" ensured
the ascetic practices and the healing arts were stamped
out, as the political and tax-exempt "christian ministry"
successfully destroyed the remnants of the ancient
ascetic ministries.

The therapeutae were not (necessarily) Jewish. They
were Hellenic and they were Egyptian and there was
not a great deal of difference between them and the
Pythagorean ascetics (such as Iamblichus -- see his
writings).

I put this data forward to fill the vacuum left after this
fiction of christianity is withdrawn from the first 300 years
of antiquity. The name of the Healer -- was Asclepius.

Constantine apparently didn't like the snake on the staff.
In 324/325 CE, he ordered the destruction of many temples
to Asclepius, and the execution of their leading priests.
The staff of Asclepius is on the letter head of the majority
of medical associations, and the Hippocratic Oath, with
its 5th century BCE "client confidentiality clause" still
emminently appropriate.

Before Jesus appeared (in the fourth century literature)
Asclepius had been around for almost a millenium.

Arius, who opposed Constantine, may have been a priest
of Asclepius, as indeed may have been Pachomius (NHC).
They were perhaps the last in the line of this tradition.
This tradition was politically exterminated by the newly
appointed christian top-down emperor cult, from 325 CE.

There you have it. The Pre-Nicene in a nutshell.
Very "christian-free" - like the archaeological citations.



Best wishes,


Pete Brown

mountainman

While travelling from England to India in January 1897,
on board the ship Prinz-Regent Luitpold, the venerable
sage Vivekananda told Nivedita about his dream of an
old bearded man named Therapeutae, (Theraputra -
son [putra] of an old monk [thera])
who had asked:

"Do ye come to effect our restoration?
I am one of the ancient order of Therapeutae.
The truths preached by us
have been given out by Christians
as taught by Jesus;
but for the matter of that,
there was no personality
by the name of Jesus
ever born".

Extracted from Vivekananda's autobiography.
Cited by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy;
and Narasingha Prosad Sil
(Link provided from here)

mountainman

Source = Asclepius: The God of Medicine - By Gerald D. Hart: (p.177)

It appears the forty six of the Roman emperors
from Nero to Licinius depicted Asclepius or Salus
on the coins that they minted.

The practice ceased with Constantine.
The following tabulation (a jpg) tells the story.



Constantine did not like the snake!

Best wishes,


Pete Brown