.
That’s my attempt at ancient Imperial Aramaic, the script most likely to have been used at the time. Feel free to tell me everything I got wrong!
Constitutional Law
Part 2: “What Were They Thinking?”
Digression: “A History of Government in 6 Revolutions: From the Paleolithic to Philadelphia”
118. Inventing God and Law: A New Identity
TITLE: Part L: A New Identity
Panel 1: Two young Yehudan men. One has a fez and a big foam #1 hand, which he’s raising excitedly. The other, perplexed, is gesturing offscreen. He’s wearing a turban.
NARRATION:
All peoples—even those of minor imperial outposts—need to feel special. We all have to have some reason to feel that our team is the best.
FEZ GUY:
We’re number one!
TURBAN GUY:
How? You just got your asses handed to you by one empire…
-=-
Panel 2: Turban Guy lifts his arms to a map of the Persian Empire, which stretches from India to the Balkans, from Turkey to Libya.
TURBAN GUY:
…and now you’re engulfed by an even greater one.
FEZ GUY:
True, we may not be the mightiest people on Earth.
-=-
Panel 3: Fez Guy is still exuberant, and Turban Guy is shrugging irritatedly.
FEZ GUY:
But our god is the mightiest god in the heavens!
TURBAN GUY:
So?
-=-
Panel 4: Fez Guy proudly points his thumb at his chest.
FEZ GUY:
So we are the only people he protects.
We’re his chosen people!
-=-
Panel 5: Turban Guy spreads his arms, Fez Guy crosses his.
TURBAN GUY:
So where was your god when Babylon came knocking?
FEZ GUY:
Shush.
-=-
Panel 6: Fez guy excitedly raises his #1 foam hand again, while Turban Guy leans in and looks off to the side.
FEZ GUY:
Who’s better than us! We’re number one!
TURBAN GUY:
Back up…
-=-
Panel 7: With a POKE!, Turban Guy jabs Fez Guy hard in the chest with his finger.
TURBAN GUY:
Why you?
How come he doesn’t protect anyone else?
FEZ GUY:
Because of our covenant!
TURBAN GUY:
Your cov- what?
FEZ GUY:
We have a contract with God!
-=-
Panel 8: Fez Guy gestures to a large scroll with the terms of a contract written on it in ancient Imperial Aramaic, complete with a foil seal and signature lines.
FEZ GUY:
In exchange for us all worshipping only Yahweh, he protects only us.
TURBAN GUY:
But isn’t your king the one who keeps your god happy? You know, on everyone’s behalf?
FEZ GUY:
Ah.
About that…
Can’t wait for the next comic! It has been quite a conundrum for me why a king would outsource the one thing that gives him legitimacy as a ruler.
That is an excellent way of putting it, Jordy.
Of course, that’s presuming he had any say in it…
Book of Judges and skepticism of kings incoming?