Simply put, the article you link is wrong. 2.5 million number should have been a big red flag, actual estimates for the population of Jerusalem in those times are 20 to 30 thousand, swelling to 100,000 or more during the passover festival but still an order of magnitude lower than that article is claiming.

[–] LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins@hexbear.net 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I picked one link that wasn't a reddit thread because I assumed the BBC is an actual source, i don't care enough to go through all this shit but my point was "there was no one there to stop him" is false whether it's 2.5 million or 100k. I also see tons of nerds arguing over the estimate of the actual strength of his army, I see one nerd claim he'd only have an auxiliary cohort of 600 "but could call on herod's army of around 3000 if necessary but that would have been politically awkward

There is no set of numbers im seeing here where "the romans can just do whatever the fuck they want and pontius pilate should have absolutely 0 concern over unrest" is guaranteed

[–] RedDawn@hexbear.net 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

A few thousand troops seems like plenty to maintain order at a festival in a city with 100,000 men women and children, many of whom probably didn’t have strong feelings one way or the other about Jesus or might have sided with him over the religious establishment. More soldiers could be called up from nearby if really necessary. All we know for sure is Pilate was the one with the legal authority to carry out execution and he chose to do it in the particularly Roman style of crucifixion.

[–] LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins@hexbear.net 1 points 1 month ago

A few thousand troops seems like plenty to maintain order at a festival in a city

It's a whole region though