mountainman

What new archeological finds in ancient literature would change
the way we currently think about the early christian evolution of
the first three centuries? Which books or MSs, having by some
miraculous means been unearthed, would be most revealing as
to the beginnings of the "christian" religion?

Here are my first three texts:

1) Ammianus Marcellinus' Res Gestae: Books 1 to 13

Only the books 14 to 31 are extant. Would the earlier books have
reported the existence of christianity in the history of the Roman
empire prior to the rise of Constantine? And what did the obituary
of Constantine written by Ammianus, actually say about the life
of the supreme imperial mafia thug dictator?

If you see this book in print some day, get ahold of it because there
is little doubt amidst all genuinely interested historians that it would
make most enlightening reading:




2) Emperor Julian's "Against the Galilaeans": Books 1, 2 and 3.

We dont know what Julian actually wrote about the fabrication.
We know that his writings were turning many people away from
the "christian regime" according to the bishop Cyril, and that
they were finally destroyed. We only know of that which Julian
wrote which was selected for refutation by Cyril, for only this
refutation of Julian by Cyril remains. We do know however, from
the admission from Cyril himslef, that he "omitted invectives against
Christ and such matter as might contaminate the minds of Christians."

3) Constantine's Will

Constantine wrote a will which was passed to Constantius.
Constantius was not a very nice person according to his obituary,
and seemed to be looking over his shoulder most of his
rule, counting military vitories against civilians and internal strife,
as other emperors regarded victories over non ROman armies.
What did Constantine say in his will? This document most likely
would have been transmitted from the fourth century, but at the
very heart of the mass of literature generated under Constantine's
rule, known today as "the early church fathers" and inclusive of
the contents of the Constantine Bible. Is the text of Constantine's
will still available somewhere in the Vatican archives?

mountainman

This is a rhetorical question, although it is possible that
such a document, or at least a copy of this document,
might well be secreted somewhere or other. What is the
likelihood that the text of "Constantine's Will" (as distinct
from this thing called "Constantine's 'Donation'") exists?

What do you think it would say?

"Dear Son,

I have arranged for a few executions .... "