Prof. K. Dickson

Romans on Christians

1. Tacitus (55-117), Annals 15,44

But neither human resources, nor imperial munificence, nor appeasement of the gods eliminated sinister suspicions that the fire [in Rome in 64] had been instigated [by Nero]. To suppress this rumor, Nero fabricated scapegoats — and punished with every refinement the notoriously depraved Christians (as they were popularly called). Their originator, Christ, had been executed in Tiberius’ reign by the governor of Judaea, Pontius Pilatus. But in spite of this temporary setback the deadly cult (superstitio) had broken out afresh, not only in Judaea (where the mischief had started) but even in Rome. All degraded and shameful practices collect and flourish in the capital.

First, Nero had self-acknowledged Christians arrested. Then, on their information, large numbers of others were condemned — not so much for incendiarism as for their anti-social tendencies [lit.: because of their hatred of mankind]. Their deaths were made farcical. Dressed in wild animals’ skins, they were torn to pieces by dogs, or crucified, or made into torches to be ignited after dark as substitutes for daylight. Nero provided his Gardens for the spectacle and exhibited displays in the Circus, at which he mingled with the crowd — or stood in a chariot, dressed as a charioteer. Despite their guilt as Christians and the ruthless punishment it deserved, the victims were pitied. For it was felt that they were being sacrificed to one man’s brutality rather than to the national interest.





2. Pliny (61-113), Letters 10,96-97

Pliny [governor of Bithynia, 111-13] to the Emperor Trajan:

It is my custom to refer all my difficulties to you, sir, for no one is better able to resolve my doubts and inform my ignorance.

I have never been present at an examination (cognitio) of Christians. Consequently, I do not know the nature or the extent of the punishments usually meted out to them, nor the grounds for starting an investigation and how far it should be pressed. Nor am I at all sure whether any distinction should be made between them on the grounds of age, or if young people and adults should be treated alike; whether a pardon ought to be granted to anyone retracting his beliefs, or if he has once professed Christianity, he shall gain nothing by renouncing it; and whether it is the mere name of Christian which is punishable, even if innocent of crime, or rather the crimes associated with the name.

For the moment this is the line I have taken with all persons brought before me on the charge of being Christians. I have asked them in person if they are Christians, and if they admit it, I repeat the question a second and a third time, with a warning of the punishment awaiting them. If they persist, I order them to be led away for execution; for whatever the nature of their admission, I am convinced that their stubbornness and unshakable obstinacy ought not to go unpunished...

Now that I have begun to deal with this problem, as so often happens, the charges are becoming more widespread and increasing in variety. An anonymous pamphlet has been circulated which contains the names of a number of accused persons. Among these I felt that I should dismiss any who denied that they were or ever had been Christians when they had repeated after me a formula of invocation to the gods and had made offerings of wine and incense to your statue (which I had ordered to be brought into court for this purpose along with the images of the gods), and furthermore had reviled the name of Christ—none of which things, I understand, any genuine Christian can be induced to do.

Others, whose names were given to me by an informer, first admitted the charge and then denied it; they said that they had ceased to be Christians two or more years previously, and some of them even twenty years ago. They all did reverence to your statue and the images of the gods in the same way as the others, and reviled the name of Christ. They also declared that the sum total of their guilt or error amounted to no more than this: they had met regularly before dawn on a fixed day to chant verses alternately among themselves in honor of Christ as if to a god, and also to bind themselves by oath, not for any criminal purpose, but to abstain from theft, robbery and adultery, to commit no breach of trust and not to deny a deposit when called on to restore it. After this ceremony it had been their custom to disperse and reassemble later to take food of an ordinary, harmless kind; but they had in fact given up this practice since my edict, issued on your instructions, which banned all political societies (hetaeriae). This made me decide that it was all the more necessary to extract the truth by torture from two slave-women, whom they call deaconesses. I found nothing but a degenerate sort of cult (superstitio) carried to extravagant lengths.

I have therefore postponed any further examination and hastened to consult you. The question seems to me worthy of your consideration, especially in view of the number of persons endangered; for a great many individuals of every age and class, both men and women, are being brought to trial, and this is likely to continue. It is not only the towns, but villages and rural districts too which are infected through contact with this wretched cult (superstitio). I think though that it is still possible for it to be checked and directed to better ends, for there is no doubt that people have begun to throng the [pagan] temples which had been almost entirely deserted for a long time; the sacred rites which had been allowed to lapse are being performed again, and flesh of sacrificial victims is on sale everywhere, though up till recently scarcely anyone could be found to buy it. It is easy to infer from this that a great many people could be reformed if they were given an opportunity to repent.

Trajan to Pliny:

You have followed the right course of procedure, my dear Pliny...for it is impossible to lay down a general rule to a fixed formula. These people must not be hunted out; if they are brought before you and the charge against them is proved, they must be punished, but in the case of anyone who denies that he is a Christian, and makes it clear that he is not by offering prayers to our gods, he is to be pardoned as a result of his repentance however suspect his past conduct may be. But pamphlets circulated anonymously must play no part in any accusation. They create the worst sort of precedent and are quite out of keeping with the spirit of our age.





3. Minucius Felix (2nd-3rd cent.), Octavius 9,5-6 (based on M. Cornelius Fronto [100-166]):

I am told that, moved by some foolish urge, they consecrate and worship the head of a donkey, that most abject of all animals. This is a cult worthy of the customs from which it sprang! Others say that they reverence the genitals of the presiding priest himself, and adore them as though they were their father's...



Is it not deplorable that a faction (factio)...of abandoned, hopeless outlaws makes attacks against the gods? They gather together ignorant people from the lowest dregs, and credulous women, easily deceived as their sex is, and organize a rabble of unholy conspirators, leagued together in nocturnal associations and by ritual fasts and barbarous foods, not for the purpose of some sacred rite but for the sake of sacrilege — a secret tribe that shuns the light, silent in public but talkative in secret places? They despise the temples...they spit upon the gods, they ridicule our sacred rites...they despise offices and official robes. What amazing folly! What incredible arrogance!

...As for the initiation of new members, the details are as disgusting as they are well known. A young baby is covered over with flour, the object being to deceive the unwary. It is then served before the person being admitted into the rites. The recruit is urged to inflict blows onto it—they appear to be harmless because of the covering of flour. Thus the baby is killed with wounds that remain unseen and concealed. It is the blood of this infant — I shudder to mention it — it is this blood that they lick with thirsty lips; these are the limbs they distribute eagerly; this is the victim by which they seal their covenant, and the fact that they all share knowledge of the crime pledges them all to silence.

It is well known, too, what happens at their feasts... On a special day they gather in a feast with all their children, sisters, mothers — all sexes and all ages. There, flushed with the banquet after such feasting and drinking, they begin to burn with incestuous passions. They provoke a dog tied to the lamp stand to leap and bound towards a scrap of food which they have tossed outside the reach of his chain. By this means the light is overturned and extinguished, and with it common knowledge of their actions; in the shameless dark with unspeakable lust they copulate in random unions, all equally being guilty of incest, some by deed, but everyone by complicity, for everything that is performed bby one of them corresponds to the wishes of them all...



Precisely the secrecy of this evil religion proves that all these things, or practically all, are true.

Furthermore, they threaten the whole world and the universe itself and its stars with fire, and work for its destruction.... Not content with this insane notion, they add to and weave old wives’ tales: they say that they are reborn after death from the cinders and ashes, and with unaccountable confidence believe in one another’s lies...

But you Christians meanwhile...abstain from wholesome pleasures: you do not attend the shows, you do not take part in the processions; you fight shy of public banquets; you abhor the sacred games, meats from the sacrificial victims, drinks poured in libation over the altars.





4. An account of an interrogation of Christians at Carthage in 180 AD, from a Christian source based on official records. [C=Christian, P=Proconsul]

In the consulship of Praesens and Claudianus, on July 17, [six people] were put on trial in the council chamber at Carthage, the proconsul Saturninus said, "You can secure the indulgence of our lord the emperor if you return to your senses."

C: We have never done any wrong; we have lent ourselves to no injustice; we have never spoken ill of anyone; but when we have been ill-treated, we have given thanks, because we honor the emperor.

P: We also are religious, and our religion is simple; and we swear by the genius of our lord the emperor, and pray for his welfare, and you ought to also.

C: If you grant me your undivided attention, I will tell you the mystery of simplicity.

P: I shall not grant you a hearing, if you begin to speak evil about our sacred rites; but swear rather by the genius of our lord the emperor.

C: The empire of this world I do not recognize; but rather I serve that God whom no man has seen nor can see with human eyes. I have not committed theft; if I buy anything, I pay the tax, because I recognize my Lord, the King of kings and Emperor of all peoples.

P: Give up this persuasion.

C: Honor to Caesar as to Caesar, but fear to God.

C: I am a Christian

C: What I am, that I wish to be.

P: Do you persist in being a Christian?

C: I am a Christian.

[They all concur.]

The proconsul Saturninus read out the decree from the tablet: "Since [these people] and the rest who have confessed that they live according to the rite of the Christians have obstinately persevered when an opportunity was offered them to return to the practice of the Romans, it is my decision that they be punished with the sword."