History is fascinating.

[Captain n00by]

They used to tell tales of King Arthur, it was a sort of myth in Britain and Northern Europe, even we as kids, used to think he was some sort of British noble man, but infact it was a Roman legionary who set foot on British isles.

Next we will learn that Jesus actually wasn't walking on water and doing healing magic spells, but was basically a Jewish Rabbi whom the then Hebrew authorities didn't like much due to his "revolutionary" (humanistic) thoughts, and self-appointment.

[Jaynoble55]

No one knows who Arthur was. It MAY have been a Roman soldier. MOST historians place him as a Celtic tribal leader who fought back Saxon invaders. But its most likely he did not exist at all.

Jesus was not a Rabbi. He was jewish however. And leaving any of his tales of Divinity to the bible and faith, he did exist and die.

You see the problem with history is that there is a sorts of disinformation and popular myths that distort or obfuscate it. But I get your point. And you are correct. History is cool.

[Fynox]

I don't think you can flat out state Jesus (the man portrayed in the bible) was a historical figure. Possibly a conglomeration of several different figures, entirely fabricated, or partially based on actual person (regardless of any paranormal aspects). I think its one of those three but which one isn't really certain. The very same problems you note with history about disinformation and popular myths applies to him just as much as it does King Arthur. It'd be different if there was multiple contemporaneous sources describing him and his deeds like with Muhammad who I think everyone admits was a real person. As for him being a prophet, player's choice on that I guess but their is clear difference in the level of evidence for existence between certain historical figures.

Either way, playing Romans in this game is gonna be awesome.

[oddball]

There’s a surprising amount of non Biblical and non Christian textual evidence for the existence of Jesus from or very near the period in which he lived

https://www.history.com/news/was-jesus-real-historical-evidence

He’s actually one of the better attested “average joes” of classical antiquity. Some of the text mentioning him may have been made more favorable to him by later monastic transcribers (as this surprisingly good article — from the History Channel of all places — mentions) but no historian believes that those sections were fabricated wholesale.

[oddball]

I do want to be clear that Tacitus, Josephus and the rest say nothing about Jesus being a wizard with the power to summon 🍞 just that he existed in Judea during the time period the Bible said he did

The wizard part you have to make up your own mind about

[Herodotus]

There is also the Roman history of a tribal leader called, Arthur Uther Pendragon, The name Arthur itself is derived from Artorius, a Roman family name, and is found on a number of 2nd and 3rd century inscriptions in Britain and other provinces.

Mordred was the illegitimate son of King Arthur and his half-sister Morgause (pronounced mor-GAWZ). Mordred is best remembered for his betrayal of Arthur and for launching the battle that led to Arthur's demise. He appears in even the earliest versions of Arthurian legend, though the specifics of his life vary widely.

There is also mention of the mad monk/prophet Myrddin Wyllt, who in Latin was named Merde, which derisively meant "faeces", and still does in French (he was no doubt Merlin). That Artorius knew Merde is beyond question, but some historians of that period claimed they fought one another. It is all very unclear still, but Merlin as we know him, outlived Artorius by many decades and died in the mountains where he dwelt.

That there was a pagan king, if not in name but in essence is beyond question, though like ole Jack the Ripper, you could spend your life studying him, and many have, with no definitive answer.

[Kalenath]

King Arthur has been the subject of so many different myths and legends in so many different languages and countries that finding any gram of truth in the mess is often ludicrously difficult.

Then you add Hollywood and... well.. facepalm!

The oldest tales such as 'Le Morte d'Arthur' by Malory are good stories though for the most part. Love, honor and betrayal, all the good human stuff.