Take a look at the blog One coin at a time. Brett Telford is the owner of a fine collection of coins with The Twelve Caesars.

The entry “DOMITIAN!!!!!” displays two very fine photographs of a coin with Domitian.

Ethelbert Stauffer was a German Protestant theologian who held that gematria, the numerology of the Hebrew language and alphabet, could be used to explain the Biblical number 666. Stauffer computed this “Number of the Beast” using the short form of Domitian’s names and titles: Imperator Caesar Domitianus Augustus Germanicus…

How? Don’t hesitate to visit this entry and Mr. Telford’s collection.

Bauckham, Richard: The Climax of Prophecy. Studies on the Book of Revelation. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1993. xviii + 550 pp.

This book is closely connected with Bauckham’s Theology and sometimes provides the arguments or more detailed arguments to the views in The Theology, sometimes extends or develops arguments in depth. Bauckham knows other ancient sources as well as contemporary research very well.

No short review can do justice to this book. Bauckham’s essays are important, regardless of whether you agree or disagree.

After a short introduction, Bauckham analyses the structure and composition of Revelation (ch. 1, pp. 1-37). Bauckham argues that Revelation is designed for reading, which means that the structural markers must be aurally (cf. Barr, Apocalypse as Oral Enactment). Among the most important aurally structural markers are the numbers. In my opinion, this is a very important insight.

In chs. 2 and 3, Bauckham examines the use of apocalyptic traditions (pp. 38-91) and the relationship between the synoptic parousia parables and Revelation (pp. 92-117).

In ch. 4 and 5, Bauckham discusses the worship of Jesus (pp. 118-149) and the role of the Spirit (pp. 150-173).

Ch. 6 is devoted to a study of the Lion, the Lamb and the Dragon (pp. 174-198).

Ch. 7 focuses on one of the important minor themes: the eschatological earthquake (pp. 199-209).

Ch. 8 deals with Revelation as a Christ War Scroll (pp. 210-237).

Ch. 9 is the longest chapter, 99 pages. It studies the Conversion of the Nations (pp. 238-337). The chapter is critiqued in Herms, Apocalypse.

Ch. 10 argues that Revelation 18 is an economic critique of Rome (pp. 338-383).

Ch. 11 studies the theme: Nero and the Beast (pp. 384-452). To my knowledge, it is the longest and, in any case, the most erudite and comprehensive argument for the view that John makes use of the legends of Nero’s return, and that the number and name of the beast is Nero.

The back matter includes a list of abbreviations (pp. 453-462), a 29 page bibliography (pp. 463-492) and indices of passages cited, ancient persons and places, and modern authors (pp. 493-550).

Bauckham’s Climax is already a classic work and will remain so for a long time.

Witulski, Thomas. Die Johannesoffenbarung und Kaiser Hadrian: Studien zur Datierung der neutestamentlichen Apokalpyse. Forschung zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments, vol. 221. Göttingen: Vandehoeck und Ruprecht, 2007. 415 pp. €84.00

This volume – part of his Habilitationsschrift! – argues that Revelation was written very late, around 132 AD.

Witulski argues that Rev 2:12-17.18-27; 13:1-18; 17:9-14 and 21:1-8 not only allows this very late dating, but substantiates it.

According to Witulski, the two beasts of Revelation 13 are the Emperor Hadrian and the Sophist Antonius Polemon, a friend and political advisor of the Emperor. The “throne of Satan” (Rev 2:13) can just as easily be identified with Traian’s temple in Pergamum.

The volume includes bibliographical references, sources, and index (p. 367-415). More here.

Sordi, Marta. The Christians and the Roman Empire. London; London: University of Oklahoma Press, 1986.

Sordi has treated the topic of relationship between the Roman Empire and the Christians earlier (Il christianesimo e Roma (1965) and this is her second book on this theme. Her view has not changed, but this book treats the questions raised since 1965 including misunderstandings which have arisen as the result of her proposition. Sordi proposed (and still do) that “the conflict between Rome and Christianity was ethical and religious, ideological and emotional, but was not, at least not on its deepest level, a political conflict at all” (p. 4).

In order to tidy up all the issues (although she admits that some ambiguities and difficulties remain) she analyses the relationship between the Christians and the Roman Empire throughout the first three centuries in two parts. One: The Christians and the Political Power and Two: The Christians and the Roman World.

Despite its age, I recommend this book to anyone working with NT and Revelation in particular. Sordi claims that Christians were persecuted and that a great many people lost their lives, but that the conflict almost never was a political one. The Christians continued to “profess their loyalty to the Roman state and to call themselves good Roman citizens even during periods of persecution” (p. 4). Of course, Sordi’s proposition is dependent on her definitions, but do read the book to verify the qualities of her work.

Scherrer, Steven Joseph. Revelation 13 as an Historical Source for the Imperial Cult under Domitian. Diss. Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., 1979.

See the remarks on Scherrer, Signs and Wonders.