"Alexamenos, worships [his] god"
Did Jesus exist, and if so, was he a carpenter, who turned a rebel as well as what for more than 2000 years has been believed to be "The son of God", or was he a mere imposter, a deluded lunatic? To look at this age-old, Roman graffiti, which depicts a young man worshiping another man who sports the head of a donkey, hanging on a cross, one gets the impression that for someone - in this case "Alexamenos" - he was real enough to be mocked. What most likely was meant as an insult of the Christian belief and community has become a sort of backwards, but not conclusive, proof of the Crucifixion of Jesus.
Being an insult of Christianity, the graffiti was removed from the wall where it was scratched into the plaster of a room. Now it is located in the Palatine Museum where it may be seen, and, most likely, discussed by people who somehow relate to religion: WHO made it, and why? Was it to mock this "Alexamenos" or only his god? And WHEN was it made? Apparently it wasn't made right after the Crucifixion, but c. 200 years later: As so often with this kind of finds it has not been possible to estimate the time of the making of the graffiti 100%, so it will be give or take as one finds likely. However, it is considered to be the earliest depiction of the Crucifixion of Jesus which makes it intersting.
Donkey-headed deity, IAŌ, surrounded by the names Uriel, Suriel, Gabriel, and Michael
However, the image of a donkey-headed man is very confusing, as it also may represent the presumed father of Jesus, Yahweh. It's not my impression that this imagery has been studied as scientifically, as it should, which I hope shall be done in the future: The History of Religion is a most fruitful object for many scientific branches, history being one of them.
https://www.encounterchurchfw.org/blog/why-did-jesus-ride-a-donkey
Wikipedia
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