Our Fascination with the Romans, why?

[willowfall]

I am kind of fascinated with the fascination the we have (as a group) with the Roman version(s) of crucifixion.

Many cultures used crucifixion as a punishment both before and after Rome, yet we constantly seem to be enamored with Rome.

The Phoenicians and Carthaginians certainly practiced it as did the post Alexandrian Greeks.

I've been reading a history of the Nabateans (the Arabic people who created Petra) and the author mentions a Hasmonean (same line Herod the Great came out of) King of Judea by the name of Alexander Jarnaeus who crucified 800 of his opponents and had their wives and children (while he was drinking wine surrounded by his concubines) massacred in front of them as they were dying on the crosses.

The Arab conquerors of the Middle East practiced crucifixion at least into the 700s (although they tended to torture their victims to death on the cross, not to use it by itself as a form of execution).

There is a story of a Japanese Damiyo falling to capture his opponent after a battle and crucifying the man's wife and children instead.

And the Chinese Warlords may have been using it as a form of punishment possibly up to WWII.

Yet we (mostly) keep coming back to the Romans. I wonder if this is based on our shared Christian heritage. Even those of us in the west who are not Christians have grown up in a culture seeped in Christianity.

Thoughts?

Kisses

willowfall

 

[Barbaria1]

Yet we (mostly) keep coming back to the Romans. I wonder if this is based on our shared Christian heritage. Even those of us in the west who are not Christians have grown up in a culture seeped in Christianity.

I think that is a major part of it ... what other modern culture uses crucifixion as a symbol?

 

[willowfall]

I think that is a major part of it ... what other modern culture uses crucifixion as a symbol?

You do see a lot of Japanese anime with crux themes and scenes and for the most part they aren't Christian and their exposure to Christianity is relatively new. I wonder if in their case their drive to 'modernize', close relations with the English (who are leaders in the field of kinky) and US occupation had anything to do with it.

kisses

willofall

 

[Barbaria1]

You do see a lot of Japanese anime with crux themes and scenes and for the most part they aren't Christian and their exposure to Christianity is relatively new. I wonder if in their case their drive to 'modernize', close relations with the English (who are leaders in the field of kinky) and US occupation had anything to do with it.

kisses

willofall

Interesting theory ... put pales beside the Western Christian tradition of the crucifixion as a powerful cultural symbol.

 

[willowfall]

Interesting theory ... put pales beside the Western Christian tradition of the crucifixion as a powerful cultural symbol.

True, Christianity (and the symbol of the cross) have been a driver in how western civilization developed.

And we are products of our culture.

kisses

willowfall

 

[windar]

I am kind of fascinated with the fascination the we have (as a group) with the Roman version(s) of crucifixion.

I'm not fascinated with it at all. I find it greatly overdone here. Guys in togas immediately make me think of John Belushi in "Animal House". I rarely read stories/pics with Romans unless there is some really novel hook in them.

The only crucifixion stories I've written have been set in: Massachusetts at the time of the Revolution
The Bronx in modern times

So, I would love to see stories set in the various times and places you mention...

 

[Barbaria1]

I'm not fascinated with it at all. I find it greatly overdone here. Guys in togas immediately make me think of John Belushi in "Animal House". I rarely read stories/pics with Romans unless there is some really novel hook in them.

The only crucifixion stories I've written have been set in: Massachusetts at the time of the Revolution
The Bronx in modern times

So, I would love to see stories set in the various times and places you mention...

So why are you on Cruxforums?

 

[windar]

So why are you on Crucforums?

What is Crucforums?

 

[Barbaria1]

What is Crucforums?

stupid iPhone

 

[Naraku]

We are much more familiar with Rome in the west than with the Carthaginians or Phoneticians and most people haven't even heard of the Nabateans. It is through the Romans and Christianity that most of us know of crucifixion.

You do see a lot of Japanese anime with crux themes and scenes and for the most part they aren't Christian and their exposure to Christianity is relatively new. I wonder if in their case their drive to 'modernize', close relations with the English (who are leaders in the field of kinky) and US occupation had anything to do with it.

kisses

willofall

If you watch as much anime as I do, you'll realize that the Japanese have a rather "odd" view of Christianity and it's institutions.
Crucifixion was introduced as a means of displaying criminals prior to execution sometime after the arrival of Christian missionaries in the XVI century. As result and through more recent expose to Western culture,the concept has become a part of the Japanese psyche. However, it doesn't carry the religious power it does in the West.

 

[Hangnail]

I'm sure our Christian heritage is part of it, but also the Romans are a very well documented example of a culture in which this was a normal part of life, integrated into the institutions of the society. This provides a very rich context for stories and artwork.

 

[Tricia]

For me, I have to say that it goes back to my religious upbringing that gave me a detailed education on the practice. Where ever I turned their were crucifixes and stations' of the cross. The crucifix in my church was quite large and left very little to the imagination for a young girl. The loincloth being positioned perfectly to provide just enough modesty to cover the genitals but not that much more. We were taught the whole process of crucifixion at a very young age. In my school, they went into great detail describing it to us including that Jesus was stripped naked when he was crucified. I can remember it like it was yesterday.

 

[Crux-Emperor Baracus X]

In the fictional movie 'The Scorpion King'
they threaten to crucify the lead character....
An Akkadian....set in Pre-Pharonic..Egypt !!
Go figure.....

 

[Felonius]

For me, I have to say that it goes back to my religious upbringing that gave me a detailed education on the practice. Where ever I turned their were crucifixes and stations' of the cross. The crucifix in my church was quite large and left very little to the imagination for a young girl. The loincloth being positioned perfectly to provide just enough modesty to cover the genitals but not that much more. We were taught the whole process of crucifixion at a very young age. In my school, they went into great detail describing it to us including that Jesus was stripped naked when he was crucified. I can remember it like it was yesterday.

I share the same experience. I doubt that I would have had as much interest in crucifixion had I not been exposed to it in my early years. Of course the most mentioned crucifixion in history involved the Romans so that is where the most reference in literature and art leads to.

 

[Tricia]

Of course the most mentioned crucifixion in history involved the Romans so that is where the most reference in literature and art leads to.

Felonius....I think you hit the nail on the head (no pun). There is so much literature and art on the crucifixion of Christ that most of us would not have been exposed to. I've mentioned in other posts that the artists also had a lot to do with my fascination on the subject. This was on an Christmas album cover my parents had when I was growing up. Needles to say...I was fascinated by it!

 

[fat slave girl]

Felonius....I think you hit the nail on the head (no pun). There is so much literature and art on the crucifixion of Christ that most of us would not have been exposed to. I've mentioned in other posts that the artists also had a lot to do with my fascination on the subject. This was on an Christmas album cover my parents had when I was growing up. Needles to say...I was fascinated by it!

Graphic indeed. And I notice that, while the two thieves are allowed to retain their modesty, this Jesus is stark naked.

 

[Tricia]

Graphic indeed. And I notice that, while the two thieves are allowed to retain their modesty, this Jesus is stark naked.

If you look closely, he's not naked...there is a very thin loincloth (almost covering him). Needless to say...I loved that album cover.

 

[fat slave girl]

If you look closely, he's not naked...there is a very thin loincloth (almost covering him). Needless to say...I loved that album cover.

So I see! And were any of those loincloths still there in your young imagination?

 

[Tricia]

So I see! And were any of those loincloths still there in your young imagination?

laughing...they were gone!!! When I would be in church, I would always try to look at the crucifix from different angles to try to see underneath the loincloth. It was amazing at how the artist draped that loincloth!

 

[Barbaria1]

laughing...they were gone!!! When I would be in church, I would always try to look at the crucifix from different angles to try to see underneath the loincloth. It was amazing at how the artist draped that loincloth!

such an inquisitive mind!