Temple of Serapis
While in Egypt, consolidating his rule, Vespasian had a few recorded adventures. Although J was supposed to be with him in Alexandria he mentions none of these. Perhaps it is J’s reticence about giving credit to any other oracle but his own? Both T and S give a report on Vespasian’s doings in Egypt. The visit to the temple of Serapis is the most important incident.
Both T and S record the oracle at the temple of Serapis; although somewhat differently. This episode gives us a very good insight into the workings of the Flavian propaganda machine. The account of the oracle given by both is taken from the life of Alexander the Great. Alexander, before setting out on his great campaign to the East, consulted the Egyptian oracle of Ammon at Siwa. There he was greeted by the priest as the ‘Ammon’s Son’, which Alexander took to mean that he was a son of the god and therefore a god himself.
Not having the time or inclination for the hazardous journey to Siwa, Vespasian was satisfied with the temple of Serapis and with being called ‘Basilides’ = ‘King’s Son’ or Prince. After all he was aspiring to the Principate rather than to the ill-omened Roman kingship. The Romans detested kings, so their supreme ruler was the principal man amongst men. Julius Caesar was assassinated because the Romans merely suspected that he wished to be declared King!
Although both T and S were writing about the same event, and for the same purpose, their stories differ in details. Like Alexander, Vespasian enters the temple alone, they both agree upon that. But, they do not agree on who or what Basilides was. In T’s account he was a ‘leading Egyptian’, while S has him as Vespasian’s freedman? The Basilides in T is merely described as ‘ill’, whereas in S he is specifically diagnosed as having rheumatism. T says that Basilides was ‘eighty miles away’, and S that he was ‘far away’. How is it that T is exact on the distance where S is vague: and as to Basilides’ illness it is the reverse: S is exact and T is vague(?) Remember that T also names the priest at Carmel ‘Basilides’. Is it the same man, or just a fortuitous coincidence?
It seems, since neither were eye-witnesses to the Egyptian events, (S was born in the year this was supposed to have taken place, 69,) that they must have been following a common source. If so, why are their stories so different? The details in S missing from T centre around political and military events. The battle at Cremona and Vitellus’ death are mentioned, as they were the vital turning point in the struggle for the rule of Rome.
But, S does not tell us that Vespasian must, at the same time, have heard of the death of his own brother, Sabinus, in the final victorious fighting. He would have also heard that his other son, Domitian, had survived the battle in which Sabinus had died. All fortune is mixed, the good with the bad, and vice versa.
http://carrington-arts.com/cliff/FlavSyn.htm
) shows that "Serapis Christus" appeared in a German work of the 19th century: