There are two places in which we have a record of the historical Jesus. This is, of course, other than the Gospels themselves. One is a work called Antiquities of the Jews , written by the Jewish historian Josephus, who was born a few years after the death of Christ. The other is the Roman historian Tacitus, born a few years later, who wrote some of the most important works of his time and of classical antiquity.
The idea of the Germans as being tribes of uncivilised (‘barbaric’) but fiercely independent, masculine and freedom-loving people comes from a Tacitus work called Germania . It was used by German nationalists just before the time of Hitler to promote their racism.
In The Annals , Tacitus writes the history of Rome in the 54 years between 14 AD and 68 AD. This was the period covering the reigns of the emperors Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero.
Journalist’s eye
Because it is a short period in time, Tacitus gives us a lot of detail. The word ‘annal’ means the record of a year, and as a senator of Rome himself, Tacitus had access to the official record. This makes his work credible and interesting. Tacitus says that the hated Tiberius was murdered in his sleep, smothered with his pillow by the guards, to allow the ascension of Caligula, whose father was a famous soldier. Caligula too was assassinated by the soldiers (knifed by several people in succession, like Julius Caesar), in a pattern that became familiar to Roman leaders. Claudius after him was poisoned and his successor Nero also died violently.
Tacitus tells us that though weak of voice, Nero was vain and thought himself a good singer and composer. He played a harp-like instrument called the lyre (and not the fiddle), which he was apparently playing away from the city when a fire started that burnt down large parts of Rome.
A rumour began in the city that the fire was started deliberately. Tacitus writes: “Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind.”
It is when we read such material that we begin to put flesh and muscle on stories that for us had merely been bone. Tacitus makes ancient history real and immediate. He has also a journalist’s eye for detail that makes him a compelling writer. Here, he is describing the retribution that visited the Christians as Nero played with them.
Still true
Following the fire in Rome, Tacitus says, “Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man’s cruelty, that they were being destroyed.”
Words that for some reason seem relevant even in our time and in our place.
The writer is a columnist and translator of Urdu and Gujarati non-fiction works.
