It is unfortunate that the Massacre of the Innocents didn’t appear on Josephus’s radar, as he would have been a handy reference for pinning down the date. A dozen murdered boys in a tiny village under Herod was likely just not newsworthy at the time.
In my opinion, the exact date is less important than the celebration of Christ’s birth itself. While Constantine did no biblical favors by rearranging the calendar, his decision to align the observance with midwinter absolutely served to place Christ—rather than a pagan deity—at the center of the season. This effectively eliminated the need for midwinter rituals dedicated to false gods.
That shift alone likely prevented many human sacrifices. In that sense, it certainly embodies the purpose of Christ, even if it sacrifices accuracy regarding the precise day of His birth.JS
It is unfortunate that the Massacre of the Innocents didn’t appear on Josephus’s radar, as he would have been a handy reference for pinning down the date. A dozen murdered boys in a tiny village under Herod was likely just not newsworthy at the time. In my opinion, the exact date is less important than the celebration of Christ’s birth itself. While Constantine did no biblical favors by rearranging the calendar, his decision to align the observance with midwinter absolutely served to place Christ—rather than a pagan deity—at the center of the season. This effectively eliminated the need for midwinter rituals dedicated to false gods. That shift alone likely prevented many human sacrifices. In that sense, it certainly embodies the purpose of Christ, even if it sacrifices accuracy regarding the precise day of His birth.JS
There is evidence that Josephus did likely twice refer to the massacre of the innocents, naming the conspirators as Joseph (Herod's cousin), Rufus, and Gratus!
I didn’t know that thank you for pointing out that info now I know to keep digging.