andrewcriddle

There have been previous recent threads about the chronology of Marcion and our (limited) evidence about this.

One prominent piece of evidence is Tertullian in Against Marcion Book 1 http://www.tertullian.org/anf/anf03/anf03-28.htm The Latin is http://www.tertullian.org/articles/e...rc_04book1.htm

Usually this is taken to be a claim that Marcion's breach with the (proto)-orthodox occurred 115 1/2 years after Christ ie July 144 or thereabouts. There has been discussion here as to whether or not this is a reliable claim.

However, I increasingly doubt whether or not this is what Tertullian is claiming. Tertullian seems to be arguing as follows.
a/ It is accepted (presumably by both supporters and opponents of Marcion) that Marcion's career began sometime during the reign of Antoninus Pius it doesn't matter exactly when.
b/ It is agreed (by both supporters and opponents of Marcion) that Jesus' career began in the 15th year of Tiberius.
c/ As a matter of secular history there are 115 1/2 years from Tiberius to Antoninus Pius hence since Jesus becomes active in the reign of Tiberius and Marcion in the reign of Antoninus Pius there must be a gap of at least 115 1/2 years between them.

The obvious problem with this is that Tiberius died 16 March 37 and Antoninus became Emperor either on the death of Hadrian 10 July 138 or a few weeks later ie 101 years and a few months not the cited figure of 115 years and a few months. These sort of figures are typically arrived at by adding together the successive lengths of reign of the emperors and are prone to error (see Clement of Alexandria Stromateis book 1 chapter 21 http://www.tertullian.org/fathers2/A...#P4831_1447881 ) However an error of at least 14 years is not at first sight plausible.

It would be possible to argue that the figures in our manuscripts of Tertullian have been corrupted but there may be another explanation. If Tertullian was using figures similar to those of Clement then he would have given the same length of reign to Claudius and Nero. (Clement has Claudius for thirteen years, eight months, twenty-eight days. Nero reigned thirteen years, eight months, twenty-eight days; which is slightly wrong for both although in reality the two reigns were of almost the same length.) Hence the total of years would be arrived at by successively adding the same figure twice to the sum. It would be easy to mistakely add 13 years 8-9 months three times rather than twice with a total of around 115 years being the result.

If this is correct then although Tertullian is claiming that everyone agrees that Marcion began his career in the reigh of Antoninus Pius he is mot attempting to give a precise date.

Andrew Criddle

mountainman

Doesn't this remind you of the modus operandi of someone else?