Jesus

In this timeline, the figure known as Jesus (Greek: Iesous, Latin: Iesus) was a spiritual teacher and philosopher who lived in the 1st century CE in the Roman province of Britannia, rather than the Judea of our own history. His life and teachings departed significantly from the Jesus Christ depicted in the traditional Gospels and the subsequent development of Christianity.

Birth and Early Life

The exact details of Jesus' birth are uncertain, but according to available historical records, he was likely born around 6 CE in the town of Calleva Atrebatum (modern-day Silchester, England) to a working-class family. His parents' names are given as Joseph and Mary, though these may be symbolic rather than literal.

As a youth, Jesus received a typical Greco-Roman education, including training in philosophy, rhetoric, and the regional variant of the Celtic pagan religions prevalent in Roman Britannia at the time. However, he also displayed a strong interest in the emerging mystical and esoteric traditions, including elements of Gnosticism and Neoplatonism.

Ministry and Teachings

Around the age of 30, Jesus began traveling throughout the province, preaching a unique spiritual philosophy that blended aspects of local Celtic paganism, Gnosticism, and his own original insights. His teachings focused on:

• The pursuit of direct spiritual enlightenment and union with the divine through ascetic practices and meditation
• Rejection of material wealth, power, and worldly attachments as impediments to spiritual growth
• Criticism of the Roman imperial system and traditional religious authorities as corrupt and spiritually bankrupt
• Advocacy for a simple, communal lifestyle centered on mutual aid and rejection of hierarchies

Jesus gathered a small but devoted following of disciples, who spread his message throughout Britannia. However, his unorthodox views and criticism of Roman rule soon brought him into conflict with the provincial authorities.

Execution and Aftermath

In 33 CE, Jesus was arrested by the Roman governor of Britannia on charges of sedition and heresy. After a brief trial, he was sentenced to crucifixion, a common punishment for political rebels under Roman law.

Though deeply grieved by their teacher's death, Jesus' followers did not deify him or establish the type of Christianity that emerged in our timeline. Instead, they continued spreading his spiritual teachings through informal networks, eventually influencing the development of various Gnostic, Neoplatonist, and other esoteric religious movements centuries later.

Legacy

While Jesus did not achieve the global influence of his counterpart in our reality, his life and philosophy have had a lasting impact on alternative spiritual traditions. Aspects of his teachings can be seen in diverse movements like Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, and certain New Age belief systems.

Scholars also continue to debate the historical accuracy of the existing accounts of Jesus' life, given their obvious divergences from the mainstream Christian narratives. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of small Jesus-inspired communities existing in Britannia long after his death. And his words and parables, preserved in fragmentary texts, remain objects of fascination and reinterpretation.

Ultimately, the story of this enigmatic figure who preached a unique spiritual vision in the Roman provinces continues to captivate the imagination, even in an alternate timeline vastly different from our own.