helmut said:
cmeinsen said:
helmut said:
Well I sat down to finish “The Nailing†and somehow managed to become sidetracked by another idea. It’s a new idea for me and maybe a good, fresh start after my recent surgery and perhaps “the Nailing†is finished and I have yet to understand that. So here it is:
Enjoy,
Helmut
The scene is England in the time of Nero, London has recently fallen to the onslaught of Boudica and her Iceni warriors and while many of it’s Roman inhabitants were killed immediately a certain few select women have been held for future sacrifice, among them this hapless Roman matron.
Eventually the Battle of Watling Street will reassert Roman rule and the value of a field hardened Roman legion but by that time many more will suffer for the outrageous treatment inflicted on the peoples of England by the Roman and it’s legions.
Did they really use to crucify people upside down?
The story of St. Peter AKA Simon Peter the fisherman as told by the RC Church has it that he was crucified up side down and beheaded. They claim to have his remains and that the head is missing.
Helmut
Hi,
I can't find any definate answer. CNN wasn't about at the time.
"The Bible nowhere records the upside down crucifixion of an apostle.
History affirms that the apostle Peter was crucified in Rome under the death
of the emperor Nero, but the exact nature of that crucifixion (i.e., upside
down) is less certain.
In John 21:18-19 the Lord signified to Peter that he would die a martyr's
death by crucifixion.
Here is a reference I found on the internet which provides some interesting
information on this matter (a link to the page is also provided):
-----
http://www.new-life.net/faq800.htm
Was Peter crucified upside-down?
Q: I had a question that has come up in a mailing list discussion (for one
of my classes) regarding upside down crosses. Someone brought up the fact
that Peter was crucified upside-down. I've heard about this too but I don't
remember reading it in the Bible. What is the documentation for that?
Someone has challenged the fact that Peter was ever crucified. I wish I knew
my history better but they don't exactly teach you biblical history in
public schools!
A: It seems absolutely certain that Peter was executed in Rome sometime
during the persecutions under Nero (AD 64). Whether he was crucified
upside-down is a little less certain. Here is the evidence and
documentation:
The earliest mention that we have of Peter's death is in a letter from
Clement, bishop of Rome (AD 88-97), to the Corinthians. He mentions the
suffering and martyrdom of Peter and Paul in Rome.
Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, bears the following testimony (about AD 180)
referring to Peter and Paul: "Both of these having planted the church at
Corinth, likewise instructed us; and having in like manner taught in Italy,
they suffered martyrdom about the same time."
About AD 200, Tertullian, a Christian teacher, mentions the deaths of Peter
and Paul as occurring in Rome under Nero.
Peter's death is also found in Caius, an ecclesiastical writer (3rd
century), who says that Peter and Paul "suffered martyrdom about the same
time."
Eusebius in his book entitled Ecclesiastical History (written AD 325) says:
"Thus Nero publicly announcing himself as the chief enemy of God, was led on
in his fury to slaughter the apostles. Paul is therefore said to have been
beheaded at Rome, and Peter to have been crucified under him. And this
account is confirmed by the fact, that the names of Peter and Paul still
remain in the cemeteries of that city even to this day" (Ecclesiastical
History 2:25).
This tradition of Peter's death was not localized in Rome alone, but was
apparently widespread throughout the Church.
There are also a large number of written stories about Peter. These stories
are highly questionable as history, but they all agree when speaking of
Peter's death: he was crucified in Rome during the time of Nero. Some of
these stories are quite early -- for example "The Acts of Peter" (2nd
century AD). It is from "The Acts of Peter" that we get the story of Peter
being crucified upside-down. Supposedly Peter requested that he be crucified
upside-down because he was "unworthy to die in the same manner as my Lord."
Eusebius also records this story, but says his source is from a church
theologian named Origen (who wrote about AD 230): "Peter appears to have
preached through Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia, to the
Jews that were scattered abroad; who also, finally coming to Rome, was
crucified with his head downward, having requested of himself to suffer in
this way" (Ecclesiastical History 3:1).
-----
Julie
