Stilicho\'s Betrayal

[antiochus]

Dan wrote:
Over 2000 found and burned and he missed one.

The 1200 year prophecy is part of the state religion. I’ve calculated that it was introduced by Tarquinius Superbus.

Dan wrote:
How much of a real effect however do you really think it had?

If you are referring to the prophecy of being protected by the gods for 1200 years and that the Romans were destined to rule the world, it had a major impact on the Romans. It was their driving force. How much do you know about Rome’s four ages of progress, that is Rome’s period of Infancy, Youth, Manhood and Old Age. What other society in history had this type of concept? When Claudian mentions the twelve vultures and that some are predicting Rome’s demise too early what do you think he means?

Dan wrote:
Augustus did just literally burn thousands of prophecies so they clearly had some critics.

It was a purge on astrologers and sorcerers whose predictions were a danger to the state. Augustus had to publish his horoscope to prove that his demise was not imminent. Augustus wasn’t the last one to rightly persecute astrologers. I wish we did it today. I highly recommend “Astrology in Roman Law and Politics” by Federick H. Cramer.

Augustus didn’t destroy the Sibylline books, which according to the Christian predicted the coming of Jesus Christ. So why didn’t he include the Sibylline books? Answer…it was part of the state religion and not the work of astrologers and sorcerers. Who introduced the Sibylline books? It was Tarquinius Superbus. Augustus also reinstated the “old religion.” Augustus believed the abandoning of the old religion was responsible for the civil wars. Do you know what the old religion is?

There is a lot of material in the primary sources that has not been explored.

[Timianus]

So, your idea is that because a pagan prophesized Rome would last only 1200, that’s its fall was inevitable at the end of the 1200 period? --That would seem to be superstition.

Or are you arguing that the Roman patricians “let” the empire fall because they knew it no longer was protected by the gods?—That would assume that the aristocracy had control over foreign policy, which they didn’t. Also assumes that landholders actually cared about and wanted to be Roman citizens, rather than subject to “barbarian law,” which depending on circumstances, was sometimes a better deal for them at the end.

I still fail to see how the story about Stilicho burning the Sibylline books (even if true), somehow hastens the end of Rome. If people believed in the prophesy and/or it was true, then the fact it was written down wouldn’t have mattered.

I fail to see the significance.