Joseph of Arimathea

Nobilis decurio

Writing in 'The Life of St. Mary Magdalene' the archbishop of Mayence, Rabanus Maurus 776 - 856 AD attributes to Joseph of Arimathea the title 'nobilis decurion.'

The following passage has come down to us from Maelgwyn of Llandaff, the uncle of St. David, circa 450 AD

'Joseph ab Arimathea nobilis decurio in insula Avallonia cum xi. Sociis suis somnum cepit perpetuum et jacet in meridiano angulo lineae bifurcate Oratorii Adorandae Virginis. Habit enim secum duovascula argentea alba cruore et sudore magni prophetae Jesu perimpleta.'-

'Joseph of Arimathea, the noble decurion, received his everlasting rest with his eleven associates in the Isle of Avalon. He lies in the southern angle of the bifurcated line of the Oratorium of the Adorable Virgin. He has with him the two white vessels of silver which were filled with the blood and the sweat of the great prophet Jesus.'

'The troop commander was the decurio, the same name given in civil life to a town councillor.' - Webster p.147 

decuriones' .... 'drawn from the wealthier members of the town, including former magistrates.' .... 'were meant to dip in to their own pockets for the public good.' Scullard.

The Latin word 'Decurion' is equated with 'deacon' a word which describes an officer in a Christian church.and in this context also denotes 'a Roman citizen of some standing'.

Laurence Gardner, 'The Bloodline of the Holy Grail', proposes the meaning of 'overseer of mining estates' for Decurio. He goes on to suggest that the term originated from Spain where, as mentioned above, Jewish / Phoenician traders were active and there were many Jewish refugees.

 There is good reason to believe that the Cornish mines were worked by Jewish slaves deported from Judea by the Romans after the various rebellions.

A belief still current in Cornwall to the present day is that the tin mines of Cornwall were  haunted by impish, occasionally malevolant spirits called 'knockers'. 

Their name comes from their habit of lightly tapping or hammering underground and they are reputed to be the ghosts of Jews who were sent to work the mines by the Emperor of Rome in the years after the crucifixion. 

Also in Cornwall the oldest forms of tin smelting furnaces were called 'Jews' Houses.' The metal produced was known as 'Jew's tin.'