Buddhism in the Roman World?

[jbd_29349]

One of the guys I work with is taking a world religion course and told me the something the other day that was very interesting to me. He said that Buddhism was known to the Romans. I know that Buddhism in more the 2500 years old but didn't know it has spread to Europe that early.

I did some research and found a few things. One that I found most interesting was that the robes worn my Buddhist monks were influenced by the Greeks when Alexander the Great conquered India. Even Menader I, a Indo-Greek king converted to Buddhism in the 2nd century BC. More direct to Roman times is a sramana, a wondering monk, set himself on fire in Athens to prove his faith while on a diplomatic mission from India to Rome. Also Buddhist monks living in Alexandria, Eqypt during the time of Christ.

Does anyone know if any of this is true, or have proof of Buddhism with in the Roman sphere of control?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Rings a bell....

[Robert Vermaat]

I just HOPE nobody will raise the 'so-called' yin-yang shield design from the Notitia Dignitatum here... That one has really been discussed to death.

Oops. Was I talking out loud? :wink:

[Nathan Ross]

One that I found most interesting was that the robes worn my Buddhist monks were influenced by the Greeks when Alexander the Great conquered India.

That sounds a bit fishy! Where did you hear about it? Buddhism might have influenced Hellenistic Greek philosophy - sceptism, possibly. It was promoted by King Ashoka, founder of the Mauryan empire (mid 3rd C BC), so was very big in India at the time.

More direct to Roman times is a sramana, a wondering monk, set himself on fire in Athens to prove his faith while on a diplomatic mission from India to Rome.

The incident happened in 13BC, and is mentioned by Strabo and Dio Cassius:

One of the Indians, Zarmarus, for some reason wished to die, either because, being of the caste of sages, he was on this account moved by ambition, or, in accordance with the traditional custom of the Indians, because of old age, or because he wished to make a display for the benefit of Augustus and the Athenians (for Augustus had reached Athens) — he was therefore initiated into the mysteries of the two goddesses, which were held out of season on account, they say, of Augustus, who also was an initiate, and he then threw himself alive into the fire.
Dio 54.9

'Zarmarus' might be a rendition of Shramana - a Buddhist or Jain ascetic.

Nicolaus Damascenus... states that at Antioch, near Daphne, he met with ambassadors from the Indians, who were sent to Augustus Caesar... They were accompanied by the person, it is said, who burnt himself to death at Athens. This is the practice with persons in distress, who seek escape from existing calamities, and with others in prosperous circumstances, as was the case with this man. For as everything hitherto had succeeded with him, he thought it necessary to depart, lest some unexpected calamity should happen to him by continuing to live; with a smile, therefore, naked, anointed, and with the girdle round his waist, he leaped upon the pyre. On his tomb was this inscription:

ZARMANOCHEGAS, AN INDIAN, A NATIVE OF BARGOSA, HAVING IMMORTALIZED HIMSELF ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOM OF HIS COUNTRY, HERE LIES.

Strabo, Geography, 15.1.73

'Zarmanochegas' is probably a version of 'shramana-master'.

- Nathan

[jbd_29349]

That sounds a bit fishy! Where did you hear about it? Buddhism might have influenced Hellenistic Greek philosophy - sceptism, possibly. It was promoted by King Ashoka, founder of the Mauryan empire (mid 3rd C BC), so was very big in India at the time.

That was the other part of the story my friend told me why the Romans knew about Buddhism. I agree that it does sound a bit fishy but with the Greeks influencing a number of cultures, from Alexander's Empire, it seemed plausible.

The incident happened in 13BC, and is mentioned by Strabo and Dio Cassius:

Besides extreme demonstrations of there faith is there any evidence of temples, shrines, religious objects or anything of that nature?

[Jona Lendering]

Philostratus describes Apollonius of Tyana's visit to the Ganges valley. Among his sources was an eyewitness account (confirmed by excavations). He describes Buddhists, but consistently calls them Brahmans.

I would not be too optimistic about the possibility of finding an answer to your question. The ancients did not really understand other religions, our sources are bound to be unreliable.

[john roberts]

This sort of topic always reminds me of Gore Vidal's 1982 novel CREATION. In it, a 5th cent. BC character travels widely and meets, face-to-face, Socrates, Buddha, Zoroaster, Lao Tsu and Confucius. Vidal realized that there was a period when, if you were born at the right time,traveled widely and lived long enough, you could have known, personally, all these people.

[jbd_29349]

I would not be too optimistic about the possibility of finding an answer to your question. The ancients did not really understand other religions, our sources are bound to be unreliable.

I agree! With lack of a better term I'm not expecting an answer per say, expecting more of a pointing in the gerenal/right direction. Most of my information is coming from my friends teacher and what little info I can find on the internet which sadly to say is mainly wikipedia. What Buddhist sites I know of that are credible, only talk about the Greek influence on Buddhism. I read on one site of a monastaries in Mesopotamia but can't find it now, but the internet is filled with more miss information than fact.