A bibliography, in-depth topical notes and supporting scholarship will be added eventually. For now, see the end notes below each Year Book (bottom of each post). In lieu of a specific bibliography for the moment, you can see most of the books I've used for this research at my page on Library Thing.
Naturally, there are certain conclusions that are original to this work. (Listed below.) I probably won't start writing formal arguments in support of those conclusions until the entire reconstruction is complete. This strategy happens to be the reverse of most professional scholarship in the New Testament area of Biblical Studies, which qualifies, clarifies and criticizes itself endlessly, but routinely fails to offer any substantial attempt at comprehensive reconstruction.
If I cannot eventually recruit scholars to defend this work, I will learn how to do so formally in years to come. For now, however, all of my basic logic and historical arguments are implied if not directly stated within the text of the Year Books and their footnotes. If one reads it comprehensively and critically, one can find the core of my logic for each conclusion. Finally, here is the list of conclusions I've made that are original, as far as I have been able to determine.
ORIGINAL CONCLUSIONS:
VOLUME ONE: (9 points, in 23 Year Books)
1) The census ordered by Augustus in late 9 BC took Saturninus over a year to plan and became a logistical nightmare after Saturninus' very odd but independent decision to organize the registration by cities of origin. (This explains the gap between Herod's invasion of Nabatea and Jesus' birth in 7 BC.) It was the nature, size, scope and novelty of the undertaking that demanded such significant preperation time from the Governor.
2) In contrast, the property registration of Quirinius, 12 years later, went much more quickly - partly because it covered half as much territory and focused on the wealthy and the landed classes; but also partly because it utilized the original records (kept since 7 BC) as a roll call for updating. The speed of Quirinius' registration helps to prove it was not the first one.
3) Joseph kept Jesus home from Passover specifically because he feared taking Jesus into Judea while Archelaus was ruling. Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem at age 12, in 7 AD, not because he was suddenly of age, but because it was the first Passover after Archelaus was exiled.
4) Herod's death came near March 22nd, 4 BC, based on the amount of time his advisor Ptolemy needed to get to Antioch & back before April 11th, and the amount of travel distance Joseph & Mary could have put in to hear news of the Passover massacre without being present for it. (Assuming Joseph & Mary left the night of Herod's death.)
5) Joseph & Mary MIGHT have crossed path with the Roman Legion Varus brought down, on its route past Caesarea towards Jerusalem. (I wouldn't have included this, because it seemed so incredible, but I calculate it as the most likely based on the rest of my reconstruction prior to that point.)
6) The betrothal of Antipas to Aretas' daughter was most likely brokered at the time of Gaius' visit in 1 AD.
7) The nationalistic vision of the Southern Bato in 6 AD helps prove that Easterners still considered the western region of Provincia Macedonia to be "Illyricum" - the region around Dyrrachium & Apollonia that had been the ancient Kingdom. Further, Rome's surprise and recognition (in 9 AD) of the Southern Illyrians as the true strength of their own war effort is what led Rome to divide the province at that time into Dalmatia and Pannonia.
8) Legio X Fretensis moved to Syria and Legio IV Scythica moved to Moesia - both before 6 AD, because Macedonia's defense in that year was left to Thracian Auxiliaries.
9) Varus' defeat in Germany in 9 AD may have come while his Legions were at half strength, if they had each sent detachments to the Illyrian front since 6 or 7.
VOLUME TWO:
Stay tuned....
Original Conclusions
