Were Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Undocumented Immigrants?

Every year at Christmas time there are attempts to equate Joseph, Mary, and Jesus’ flight from Bethlehem to Egypt to the plight of illegal immigrants—claiming that they too would have been “undocumented” and therefore turned away at the border. While Read More …

Personal or Politics? Herod the Great’s Game of Thrones

Herod’s father, Antipater II, was assassinated by a political enemy, to which Herod responded in kind. His brother Phasael’s death is shrouded in mystery—did he commit suicide or was he murdered while in Parthian custody? During his career, Herod “executed” Read More …

Better to be Herod’s Pig

Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius, usually known simply as Macrobius, was a commander of the Praetorian guard of Italy circa 430 CE. He was also a grammarian and Neoplatonic philosopher. His most important work was Saturnalia (Saturnalia Libri Septem, “Seven Books of Read More …