Theopatéras

Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera - 22 BC – AD 40 - was a Roman soldier whose tombstone was found in Bingerbrück, Germany, in 1859. A historical connection from this soldier to Jesus has long been hypothesized by numerous scholars, based on the claim of the ancient Greek philosopher Celsus, who was the author of a work entitled The True Word - Logos Al?th?s -.

In Celsus's account of it, Jesus was depicted as the result of an affair between his mother Mary and a Roman soldier. He said she was "convicted of adultery and had a child by a certain soldier named Pantera". Tiberius Pantera could have been serving in the region at the time of Jesus's conception. Both the ancient Talmud and medieval Jewish writings and sayings reinforced this notion, referring to "Yeshu ben Pantera", which translates as "Jesus, son of Pantera".

Using the "Criterion of Embarrassment" - in which an account likely to be embarrassing to its author is presumed to be true as the author would have no reason to invent an account which might embarrass him - remembering that Celsus already lived in a period where almost all anti-Christian literature was being suppresed, so it's logical to say that "Celsus wouldn't write information that would compromise his prestige on society if it wasn't true -.-, the statement that "Jesus's father was a roman soldier named "Pantera", could be considered true.

The "Criterion of Multiple Attestation" - in which scholars use multiple attestations to help determine whether certain actions, sayings or records are true. Simply put, the more independent witnesses or objects that report an event or saying, the better. -, of which we have 4:

Celsus's account;
The ancient Talmud;
The tombstone of Pantera;
An inscription about Pantera found in Judea;

The inscription:

[i]"Tib(erius) Iul(ius) Abdes Pantera
Sidonia ann(orum) LXII
stipen(diorum) XXXX miles exs(ignifer)
coh(orte) I sagittariorum"[/i]

Translation:

[i]"Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera
from Sidon, aged 62 years
served 40 years, former standard bearer
of the first cohort of archers"[/i]

The name Pantera is Greek, although it appears in Latin in the inscription. It was perhaps his last name, and means panther. The names Tiberius Julius are acquired names and were probably given to him in recognition of serving in the Roman army as he obtained Roman citizenship. The name "Abdes" means "servant" or “slave” - Latinate form of Aramaic "Abad" - and suggests that Pantera had a generally Semitic or specifically Jewish background. Pantera was from Sidonia, which is identified with Sidon in Phoenicia.

"Pantera" is not an unusual name, and its use goes back at least to the 2nd century. Prior to the end of the 19th century, at various times in history scholars had hypothesized that the name Pantera was an uncommon or even a fabricated name, but in 1891 French archaeologist C. S. Clermont-Ganneau showed that it was a name that was in use in Iudaea by common people, and it was normally adopted by soldiers.

At that time, Roman army enlistments were for 25 years and Pantera served 40 years in the army until his death at 62. The reign of emperor Tiberius was between 14 and 37 and the Cohors I Sagittariorum was stationed in Judaea and then in Bingen.

Did we found the father of "God", or as I rather put it, "Theopatéras"?