Re: The 600 soldiers in John's gospel?
Nichael Cramer (nichael@sover.net)
Thu, 31 Oct 1996 11:18:49 -0500 (EST)
> his disciples abandon him and flee (14:50-52). In John it is the full
> 600 soldiers of Jerusalem's
> auxiliary cohort who are prostrate on the ground (18:4-6),. . . .
>
> Crossan's statement is interesting becuase when I read it in the GNT,
> the word for 'cohort' denotoes a small band or amry even, but my
> question is how does Crossan know that the 'cohort' consists of 600? I
> did not find an entry in Liddel-Scott-Jones that mentions '600.'
I believe this was the "standard" size for a full-strength Roman legion
(although desertions, etc, tended to keep the real number somewhat less).
Anyway, this was number I remember being tossed about back in high school
when we were studying the _Gallic Wars_ with dear old Mrs Shumway (who
was reputed to have her own autographed copy).
N