The first part of this book will show some modern archaeological discoveries that have caused amazement among scholars who study the history of early Judaism and Christianity. Indeed, the word "shock" would better describe the reaction of many historians, particularly those who are Jewish scholars. What has caused this "shock"? The historical research in this book will explain the reason. It will show what those surprising archaeological remains are and how their modern discovery actually reveals the existence of a people (presently unrecognized by scholars) who have mysteriously disappeared from the records of history about fourteen hundred years ago. In this book those people are re-discovered.
The second part of the book reveals other archaeological finds that impinge upon the interpretation of the discoveries mentioned in my first paragraph. They also affect the understanding of the early history of the Roman Empire, and consequently that of Judaism and early Christianity. This second group of discoveries involves the research of scholars in the first part of the 20th century who analyzed the remains of over 13,900 Latin inscriptions found primarily in Italy. The result of that survey profoundly altered the past understanding of the racial history of the period from before the time of Jesus to that of Constantine in the 4th century. But strangely, most historians today are not discussing the significance of this survey regarding those inscriptions (or they give no heed to the evidence) and consequently the general public knows little or nothing about the importance of these discoveries. But these archaeological remains are as significant in understanding early Judaism and Christianity, or more so, than even the Dead Sea Scrolls.
What this book does is to assemble together for the first time these important discoveries into a coherent narrative that will make sense to any interested reader. In a word, this book is designed to bring these amazing discoveries to the attention of the general public. For that reason I have not written in an academic style, but in a manner that the intelligent person from any walk of life can grasp. But the research is not exclusively for the general public. It is also designed to satisfy both professional historians and theologians in their quest to understand important historical events of the past. I believe the material in this book is essential for people to know if one hopes to realize some prime factors in the history of religion that have influenced the development of western civilization. The subject of this book is of utmost importance and these archaeological discoveries need to be made known to the public at large. This information can give scholars and all people a better comprehension of the history of early Judaism and Christianity, and a better understanding of the Roman Empire. Its central theme involves the rediscovery of The People That History Forgot.