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The '''''Exorcism of Legion''''' is a story from the [[Gospel of Mark]]. It was later modified and retold in the [[Gospel of Matthew]] and the [[Gospel of Luke]]. In the story, [[Jesus]] confronts a man (or men) possessed by demons, and the demons fear Jesus and ask to be allowed to possess pigs, which Jesus allows. The pigs then drown themselves.
 
The '''''Exorcism of Legion''''' is a story from the [[Gospel of Mark]]. It was later modified and retold in the [[Gospel of Matthew]] and the [[Gospel of Luke]]. In the story, [[Jesus]] confronts a man (or men) possessed by demons, and the demons fear Jesus and ask to be allowed to possess pigs, which Jesus allows. The pigs then drown themselves.
 +
 +
==Personal==
 +
This story came up many times while I was in church and it was always told to demonstrate how powerful Jesus was with his mastery over demons. However, once I looked at it critically, I discovered the story has several plot holes and actually shows a limited Jesus.
  
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
Line 6: Line 9:
  
 
===Gospel of Mark (66-70 CE)===
 
===Gospel of Mark (66-70 CE)===
[[Gospel of Mark]] 5:1-20, NIV.
+
[[Gospel of Mark]] 5:1-20, NRSV.
  
 
{{Quote|  
 
{{Quote|  
<p>They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"</p>
+
<p>They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones.</p>
<p>Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"</p>
+
<p>When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me."</p>
<p>"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.</p>
+
<p>For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"</p>
<p>A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis a how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.</p>
+
<p>He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many." He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; and the unclean spirits begged him, "Send us into the swine; let us enter them."</p>
 +
<p>So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.</p>
 +
<p>The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.</p>
 +
<p>As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you."</p>
 +
<p>And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.</p>
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
===Gospel of Matthew (80-90 CE)===
 
===Gospel of Matthew (80-90 CE)===
[[Gospel of Matthew]] 8:28-34, NIV.
+
[[Gospel of Matthew]] 8:28-34, 9:1, NRSV.
  
 
{{Quote|  
 
{{Quote|  
<p>When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"</p>
+
<p>When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way.</p>
<p>Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."</p>
+
<p>Suddenly they shouted, "What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"</p>
<p>He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.</p>
+
<p>Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. 31 The demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine."</p>
 +
<p>And he said to them, "Go!"</p>
 +
<p>So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water.</p>
 +
<p>The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs. Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood. And after getting into a boat he crossed the sea and came to his own town.</p>
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
===Gospel of Luke (80-100 CE)===
 
===Gospel of Luke (80-100 CE)===
[[Gospel of Luke]] 8:26-39, NIV.
+
[[Gospel of Luke]] 8:26-39, NRSV.
  
 
{{Quote|
 
{{Quote|
<p>They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, a which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.</p>
+
<p>Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs.</p>
<p>Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"</p>
+
<p>When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me" — for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.)</p>
<p>"Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.</p>
+
<p>Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?"</p>
<p>A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.</p>
+
<p>He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.</p>
<p>When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.</p>
+
<p>Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.</p>
<p>The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.</p>
+
<p>When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.</p>
 
}}
 
}}
  
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There are several differences between the original and the two re-tellings and between the retellings with each other. This indicates that the authors of Matthew and Luke either didn't have a manuscript of Mark with which to copy (and relied on a faulty oral account), or they purposely altered it in different ways. The most striking discrepancy is that the author of Matthew added a second demon-possessed man and does not have Jesus asking the demon's name, so "Legion" isn't mentioned at all. Those who believe biblical inerrancy are forced to say there were two men, but the authors of Mark and Luke, for some reason, didn't bother to acknowledge the second man.
 
There are several differences between the original and the two re-tellings and between the retellings with each other. This indicates that the authors of Matthew and Luke either didn't have a manuscript of Mark with which to copy (and relied on a faulty oral account), or they purposely altered it in different ways. The most striking discrepancy is that the author of Matthew added a second demon-possessed man and does not have Jesus asking the demon's name, so "Legion" isn't mentioned at all. Those who believe biblical inerrancy are forced to say there were two men, but the authors of Mark and Luke, for some reason, didn't bother to acknowledge the second man.
  
Although Christians often view this passage as Jesus showing his authority over evil, I see it as Jesus actually acting a little evil himself. The demons from the story acknowledge that Jesus has the ability to banish them (Mark says "out of the area", Luke says "into the Abyss"), but Jesus does not. To me, not doing away with evil when you have the ability to is immoral, and certainly less than perfect. Next, the demons ask a request from Jesus and Jesus agrees to their request. To me, granting the request of a demon, when you could instead easily banish them, seems evil. By sending the demons into the pigs, who then drown themselves, Jesus has ruined the livelihood of the farmers, as 2,000 pigs would be an enormous investment at the time. There is no mention of Jesus offering reparations to the farmers, he and his disciples just run away. Finally, like in [[Jesus cursing the fig tree]], Jesus shows no regard for the life of non-human things. Classical Christian commentators including Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas both have argued that drowning animals to death isn't immoral, because morality only applies to humans, but I disagree with their interpretations and think that animal abuse is evil, so I see Jesus' actions as immoral.
+
Although Christians often view this passage as Jesus showing his authority over evil, I see it as Jesus actually acting a little evil himself. The demons from the story acknowledge that Jesus has the ability to banish them (Mark says "out of the country", Luke says "into the Abyss"), but Jesus does not. To me, not doing away with evil when you have the ability to is immoral, and certainly less than perfect. Next, the demons ask a request from Jesus and Jesus agrees to their request. To me, granting the request of a demon, when you could instead easily banish them, seems evil. By sending the demons into the pigs, who then drown themselves, Jesus has ruined the livelihood of the farmers, as 2,000 pigs would be an enormous investment at the time. There is no mention of Jesus offering reparations to the farmers, he and his disciples just leave. Finally, like in [[Jesus cursing the fig tree]], Jesus shows no regard for the life of non-human things. Classical Christian commentators including Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas both have argued that drowning animals to death isn't immoral, because morality only applies to humans, but I disagree with their interpretations and think that animal abuse is evil, so I see Jesus' actions as immoral.
 +
 
 +
Another problem is the fate of the demons. They beg Jesus not to send them away but instead be allowed to possess the pigs, and, when they do, they immediately kill the pigs. So what happens to the demons? Do they return to "the Abyss" when their host dies? If so, then they immediately did what they said they didn't want to have happen to them. Perhaps they become roaming demons once more? If so, what will prevent them from possessing someone else in the area, perhaps even the same man? Or, maybe the pigs kill themselves upon realizing they're possessed by demons? But this would mean that the demons are strong enough to control a human, but not a pig. None of the stories give any closure, so we're left with a very unsatisfying ending.
  
One final minor issue: in each gospel, Jesus and his disciples cross a lake assumed by most readers to be the Sea of Galilee because it is the only large body of water in the region. Upon crossing it, they encounter the man, the demons enter the pigs and drown themselves in the lake, witnesses go to the city and bring the townsfolk who ask Jesus to leave, so he gets back into the boat on the lake and leaves. Each version of the story implies that Jesus never leaves the shore, and this makes the named locations problematic because Mark, and later Luke, set the story in Gerasenes (Gerasa, now called Jerash) which is about 35 miles from the Sea of Galilee. If the witnesses on the shore walked all the way to the town and brought the townspeople all the way back (a 70-mile round trip through the desert), it would take an entire day, but the story implies a more immediate event. This may be why the author of Matthew changed the location to Gadarenes (Gadara, now called Umm Qais), since it is more believable at only six miles away. However, I could be reading too much into this, and the author of Matthew simply confused the two locations. Apologists dismiss the location problem saying that neither author is giving an exact location, but just placing it near the city most important to them, though there is no evidence for this assertion.
+
One final minor issue: in each gospel, Jesus and his disciples cross a lake assumed by most readers to be the Sea of Galilee because it is the only large body of water in the region. Upon crossing it, they encounter the man, the demons enter the pigs and drown themselves in the lake, witnesses go to the city and bring the townsfolk who ask Jesus to leave, so he gets back into the boat on the lake and leaves. Each version of the story implies that Jesus never leaves the shore, and this makes the named locations problematic because Mark, and later Luke, set the story in Gerasenes (Gerasa, now called Jerash) which is about 35 miles from the Sea of Galilee. If the witnesses on the shore walked all the way to the town and brought the townspeople all the way back (a 70-mile round trip through the desert), it would take a long time, perhaps a few days, but the story implies a more immediate event. This may be why the author of Matthew changed the location to Gadarenes (Gadara, now called Umm Qais), since it is more believable at only six miles away. However, I could be reading too much into this, and the author of Matthew simply confused the two locations. Apologists dismiss the location problem saying that neither author is giving an exact location, but just placing it near the city most important to them, though there is no evidence for their assertion.
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==

Latest revision as of 16:16, 2 November 2022

The Exorcism of Legion is a story from the Gospel of Mark. It was later modified and retold in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. In the story, Jesus confronts a man (or men) possessed by demons, and the demons fear Jesus and ask to be allowed to possess pigs, which Jesus allows. The pigs then drown themselves.

Personal

This story came up many times while I was in church and it was always told to demonstrate how powerful Jesus was with his mastery over demons. However, once I looked at it critically, I discovered the story has several plot holes and actually shows a limited Jesus.

Sources

Early Epistles (50-66 CE)

There is no mention of this story in any of the early epistles.

Gospel of Mark (66-70 CE)

Gospel of Mark 5:1-20, NRSV.

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me."

For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many." He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; and the unclean spirits begged him, "Send us into the swine; let us enter them."

So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.

As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you."

And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

Gospel of Matthew (80-90 CE)

Gospel of Matthew 8:28-34, 9:1, NRSV.

When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way.

Suddenly they shouted, "What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"

Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. 31 The demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine."

And he said to them, "Go!"

So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water.

The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs. Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood. And after getting into a boat he crossed the sea and came to his own town.

Gospel of Luke (80-100 CE)

Gospel of Luke 8:26-39, NRSV.

Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs.

When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me" — for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.)

Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?"

He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

Gospel of John (90–110 CE)

There is no mention of this story in John.

Later Epistles (80+ CE)

There is no mention of this story in any of the later epistles.

Interpretations

Most Christians I've met believe this story should be accepted literally, but I've read of a metaphorical approach where "legion" was meant to be understood as a legion of Roman troops. Like the Romans, they should fear Jesus, and Jesus would deliver his people from those who are no better than swine, and not fit to live. I think this is a reasonable interpretation, although, it doesn't matter to me one way or another whether it was meant to be taken literally.

Historical Evidence

The only historical evidence of this story comes from the Gospel of Mark. Although apologists will cite Matthew and Luke as well, historians generally agree than they are merely modified re-tellings. The other authors of the New Testament either didn't know about the story or didn't feel a showdown between Jesus and thousands of demons was worth repeating. The story describes many witnesses, including the farmers and townsfolk who saw the healed man, but none of them wrote about the event or convinced someone else to write about it. Even the author of Mark didn't write about the event until around 30 years after it supposedly happened.

Criticisms

Since there is only one independent source for this story, and it is extremely far-fetched with no archeological evidence, I do not believe it. There are also several additional problems:

There are several differences between the original and the two re-tellings and between the retellings with each other. This indicates that the authors of Matthew and Luke either didn't have a manuscript of Mark with which to copy (and relied on a faulty oral account), or they purposely altered it in different ways. The most striking discrepancy is that the author of Matthew added a second demon-possessed man and does not have Jesus asking the demon's name, so "Legion" isn't mentioned at all. Those who believe biblical inerrancy are forced to say there were two men, but the authors of Mark and Luke, for some reason, didn't bother to acknowledge the second man.

Although Christians often view this passage as Jesus showing his authority over evil, I see it as Jesus actually acting a little evil himself. The demons from the story acknowledge that Jesus has the ability to banish them (Mark says "out of the country", Luke says "into the Abyss"), but Jesus does not. To me, not doing away with evil when you have the ability to is immoral, and certainly less than perfect. Next, the demons ask a request from Jesus and Jesus agrees to their request. To me, granting the request of a demon, when you could instead easily banish them, seems evil. By sending the demons into the pigs, who then drown themselves, Jesus has ruined the livelihood of the farmers, as 2,000 pigs would be an enormous investment at the time. There is no mention of Jesus offering reparations to the farmers, he and his disciples just leave. Finally, like in Jesus cursing the fig tree, Jesus shows no regard for the life of non-human things. Classical Christian commentators including Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas both have argued that drowning animals to death isn't immoral, because morality only applies to humans, but I disagree with their interpretations and think that animal abuse is evil, so I see Jesus' actions as immoral.

Another problem is the fate of the demons. They beg Jesus not to send them away but instead be allowed to possess the pigs, and, when they do, they immediately kill the pigs. So what happens to the demons? Do they return to "the Abyss" when their host dies? If so, then they immediately did what they said they didn't want to have happen to them. Perhaps they become roaming demons once more? If so, what will prevent them from possessing someone else in the area, perhaps even the same man? Or, maybe the pigs kill themselves upon realizing they're possessed by demons? But this would mean that the demons are strong enough to control a human, but not a pig. None of the stories give any closure, so we're left with a very unsatisfying ending.

One final minor issue: in each gospel, Jesus and his disciples cross a lake assumed by most readers to be the Sea of Galilee because it is the only large body of water in the region. Upon crossing it, they encounter the man, the demons enter the pigs and drown themselves in the lake, witnesses go to the city and bring the townsfolk who ask Jesus to leave, so he gets back into the boat on the lake and leaves. Each version of the story implies that Jesus never leaves the shore, and this makes the named locations problematic because Mark, and later Luke, set the story in Gerasenes (Gerasa, now called Jerash) which is about 35 miles from the Sea of Galilee. If the witnesses on the shore walked all the way to the town and brought the townspeople all the way back (a 70-mile round trip through the desert), it would take a long time, perhaps a few days, but the story implies a more immediate event. This may be why the author of Matthew changed the location to Gadarenes (Gadara, now called Umm Qais), since it is more believable at only six miles away. However, I could be reading too much into this, and the author of Matthew simply confused the two locations. Apologists dismiss the location problem saying that neither author is giving an exact location, but just placing it near the city most important to them, though there is no evidence for their assertion.

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png