- Suetonius, another Roman historian in 120 AD
- Plinius Secundus, Pliny The Younger in 112 AD.
(Governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor)
- Thallus, a Samaritan born historian in 52 AD
- Phlegon, a First Century Historian
- Justin Martyr in 150 AD
Jesus Christ: a man of history
Jesus was a man of history
Many independent secular accounts in the first century confirm
the historicity of Jesus. Below are some examples of these:
| Cornelius Tacitus, a Roman historian, born between 52-54 AD
wrote: "But not all the relief that could come from man, not all the bounties that
the prince could bestow, nor all the atonements which could be presented to the gods,
availed to relieve Nero from the infamy of being believed to have ordered the
conflagration, the fire of Rome. Hence to the supress the rumor, he falsely charged with
the guilt, and punished with the most exquisite tortures, the persons commonly called
Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus (Jesus Christ), the founder of
the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of
Tiberius...." |
| Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian, born 37 AD, wrote:
"Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man,
for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with
pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the
Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned
him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared
to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten
thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from
him are not extinct at this day." |
| In addition to the above, the following also made reference
to Jesus or his followers, the Christians. - Suetonius, another Roman historian in 120 AD - Plinius Secundus, Pliny The Younger in 112 AD. (Governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor) - Thallus, a Samaritan born historian in 52 AD - Phlegon, a First Century Historian - Justin Martyr in 150 AD |
| According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, in regards to
independent secular accounts of Jesus Christ, it has this to say: "These independent
accounts prove that in the ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted
the historicity of Jesus, which was disputed for the first time and on inadequate grounds
by several authors at the end of the 18th and 19th , and at the beginning of the 20th
centuries." |