Re: constructed romance languages

On Wed, 20 Jan 1999, Carlos Thompson wrote:

> Another idea (taken from a subject in soc.history.what-if I didn't read), a
> conEarth when Constantino had supported and being supported by Jewes instead of
> Christians, or, at least, a big part of the Roman Empire had become Jewish.
>
I don't know what soc.history.what-if said (I'm holding out for someone to
start a what-if mailing list rather than a newsgroup - that's a blatant
hint!) but I remember reading a historical novel on the life of Josephus
Flavius years ago.  He managed to convert two of the Flavians to Judaism,
but when it was discovered by the emperor Domitian he had them executed
and began a pogrom which, I think, was against both Jews and Christians
indiscriminately.  It impressed me enough to wonder what would have
happened if the pogrom had never occured and a proselytised emperor had
succeeded Domitian instead of Constantine.  (I think I may be riding
roughshod over details of history here - my apologies to listmembers who
know this period better than I do.)

- circumcision as a rite of passage may have been downplayed in 'Imperial
Judaism' due to the Romans abhorance of self-mutilation, emphasis may be
placed on a rite of baptism or its equivalent, not necessarily a sacrament
in the Christian sense.  The Noachian covenant may be emphasized in an
Imperial Judaism than the Abrahamic or Mosaic covenants.

- A 'Third, or Roman' Temple would be built at Jerusalem.  As this would
be sponsored and built by the Roman State, and accessible to anyone who
observed the Emperor's religion, the existing authorities would have to
decide whether such a temple was legitimate, and then agree on that
judgement...

- Eventually the pagan temples would have to be closed, and then probably
the churches...

- andrew.

Andrew Smith, Intheologus                       hobbit@earthlight.co.nz
Q. Why are there so many Smiths in the Phone Book?
A. Because they all have telephones!

-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.1
GL d+ s-:+ a32 C+ UL P? L E? W++ N+ o-- K- w O M+ V PS++ PE- Y+ PGP- t+*
5+ X- R tv b+++ DI+ D-- G e++ h- !r y-
------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------