Mysterious Roman Bones

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In the city of Ashkelon, Israel, archaeologists were digging through one of the city’s sewers from the Roman Empire, around 300 AD. As they were digging, they stumbled upon hundreds of tiny bones. At first, they thought these were bones of small animals.
 
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But upon closer inspection, they turned out to human, infant bones. What they discovered were the remains of 97 babies. When the remains were studied, they found that none of the babies had lived more than a week. They had no signs of disabilities or illness. So why were they dumped there? Historians found that these sewers were near a Roman bathhouse, so some believe that when some of the workers had unwanted children, they would just leave them.

Twelve Tables

Early Roman law: “A dreadfully deformed child shall be killed”
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During the days of the Roman Empire, it was common for infants to be killed a way of birth control. If an infant was ill or unwanted, it was common to abandon it in a practice known as “exposure.” This was a common practice, to leave the infant on a dump or dung hill. A family would be justified in leaving their child if it was a female infant or a deformed male infant. Why care for a child that was unwanted or likely to die?
In the Roman Law of Twelve Tables written in 450 BC, in Table 4, there is a law giving fathers the right to expose or kill their infants. "A dreadfully deformed child shall be killed." Here, we see the practice of exposure written in law.
 

Not Just Rome

Hilarion to his sister Alis, many greetings, also to my lady Berous and Apollonarion. Know that I am still in Alexandria; and do not worry if they wholly set out, I am staying in Alexandria. I ask you and entreat you, take care of the child, and if I receive my pay soon, I will send it up to you. Above all, if you bear a child and it is male, let it be; if it is female, cast it out. You have told Aphrodisias, "Do not forget me." But how can I forget you? Thus I'm asking you not to worry. The 29th year of Caesar, Pauni 23. (verso) Hilarion to Alis, deliver.
*Letter in Greek 1 BC
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Jesus’s Response

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But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Jesus Luke 18:16
What Jesus says here is far more than the fact that he liked children and that we should like children. He was saying that these children are precious. Made in the image of God. Even though they were weak, no strength, no power, they had worth and value in the eyes of God.
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