This is by far the most important thing I have ever been involved with. The bottom line is that what WE IDENTIFY as 'Christianity' only dates to the end of the second century. It represents an Imperial sanctioned form of the religion. It is not the original Christianity, just as the texts of the canon are not the original texts of the religion. The question is what lies beyond Commodus and his inner circle. I think it is St. Mark and Alexandria. However let's stick with what Kenney writes today:
I know the historical but I have no background in theology or Biblical. I think that your speculation with Marcia, Egypt, and Christianity makes perfect sense and is fact - The following info. may or may not be of assistance with this, but first, in my opinion verification with any questions with the throne in St. Mark's Bassilica is on the throne itself, I have little doubt that it has miniature art that gives exact info!
The info. on the ring shows that Christianity in the mid 2nd C. was power based in Egypt. One of the keys with this is on the shield on the Commodus Sector on the ring's bezel, when seen from the side it shows an open scroll, when moved slightly downward it will roll into a closed scroll, and the same in reverse. Among other things there is a large scene that appears to be Egyptian, this is connected to what appears to be Marcia and the poisoning of Commodus, but I could not figure it out, there is also what appears to be an inscription, but it is not in Roman or Greek letters. When I get a chance in the next couple of weeks I will study that area a bit more and see if I can figure out the letters, or if they are symbols!
My info. shows that both Marcia and Commodus were involved in mystery cults (that is the sects of Christianity being perceived by the Romans as a mystery cult) that were actively operational with conspiracies:
Marcia: The theme on the ring shows that Marcia was a leader and, or an image projection in a conspiracy that attempted to make a Christian sect the religion of the Roman State. From info. on other 2nd C. Christian artifacts I know that the Christians had various other sects, any of those may or may not have been part of a "Marcia Christian conspiracy". It could be speculated that Marcia and company had convinced Commodus that they were in support of his mystery cult!
Commodus: Info. with other artifacts show that Commodus was part of a mystery cult in the tradition of at least some Roman emperors. It was of a metal smith cult that Julius Caesar brought back from Anatolia and then connected it to the Julia gens purported Trojan origins, I have solid evidence for this but for the time being it is private. The beliefs of this like all cults is complex but it has to do with: legends myths and superstitions of magnetic north, Hercules as the lodestone, and achieving a demi-god status. From info. on two artifacts it appears that Commodus tied this into the Mithraic cult (although there are suggestions that it was already there), gladiators, and his own cult of Hercules. The artifacts show without a doubt that he was acting this theme out in the arena and that he had plans to actually lead a naval expedition to the north to become deified - Now here is the kicker, it seems that Commodus was going to bring a group of initiated gladiators with him. There is little doubt that would have been perceived as utterly bizarre behavior, that is even for Commodus and his inner circle, so it can be expected that there were rumors of this and at least some Romans must have been on edge - Anyhow, it appears that due to this that Marcia and company may have had plans to move on Commodus, but that Commodus had been made aware of this and planned to have Marcia dressed as an Amazon and he as a Secutor for a match (her execution) in the arena at the Colosseum (it is a whole other subject but my findings show that Amazonian figures are in fact connected to the ancient magnetic north legends) - But yet the scene on the ring is of Marcia as a "Christian Amazonian force" defeating Commodus as the second Nero and turning the event into a grand Christian conversion. With this Marcia is seen emasculating and killing Commodus, but she is also emasculating "Nero's Colosseum", that is even though the Colosseum had not yet been built in Nero's time. What may explain such inaccuracy, is that besides Nero's renown persecution of the Christians, he was also the first of a hand full of Roman emperors that allowed or directed the somewhat rare event of female gladiator contests. So much of what is on the ring may have also been part of a plot to ban the gladiator games by shaming the Roman people!
Something that may not seem of importance are the two legions inscribed on the ring, it appears that there was some very direct support there for Marcia and company!
You are very welcome, thank you, and looking forward!
All My Best!
Dave
