Example 1: Trial of Socrates (399 BC) Primary sources for information are Plato and Xenophon ---both Plato and Xenophon are disciples of Socrates ---both want to portray Socrates in a favorable light ---both want to use trial to score philosophical points ---no record of prosecution speeches (3 hrs), only defense speech (apologia) Example 2: Trial of Jesus (30 AD) Primary sources for information are Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Peter ---all are early Christians who want to present Jesus as the resurrected savior ---Gospel writers didn't know Jesus personally and were not present at "trial" ---Gospels were written from 20 (Peter) to 30 (Mark) to nearly 70 years (John) after execution ---Gospels each written for distinct audiences (e.g., Mark for Rome, Matthew for Christian community in Egypt, Luke for community in Greece. The geographic origin of Peter is less clear--most likely it was written in western Syria) |