> Empire in which Christians were put to death under the law. Yet the number

of martyrs before the general persecution of Decius in the middle of the

century was relatively small. The position of Christians was not

materially affected by the constitution of Caracalla conferring Roman

citizenship on all free inhabitants of the Empire, and the constitution

seems to have been merely a fiscal measure which laid additional burdens

upon the provincials.





Additional source material: Eusebius, Hist. Ec., VI, 1-12.





(a) Tertullian, Ad Scapulam, 4. (MSL, 1:781.)





The account of Tertullian is generally accepted as substantially

correct. Scapula was chief magistrate of Carthage and, under the

circumstances, the author would not have indulged his tendency to

rhetorical embellishment. Furthermore, the book is written with

what was for Tertullian great moderation.





How many rulers, men more resolute and more cruel than you, have contrived

to get quit of such causes--as Cincius Severus, who himself suggested the

remedy at Thysdris, pointing out how Christians should answer that they

might be acquitted; as Vespronius Candidus, who acquitted a Christian on

the ground that to satisfy his fellow-citizens would create a riot; as

Asper, who, in the case of a man who under slight torture had fallen, did

not compel him to offer sacrifice, having owned among the advocates and

assessors of the court that he was annoyed at having to meddle with such a

case! Prudens, too, at once dismissed a Christian brought before him,

perceiving from the indictment that it was a case of vexatious accusation;

tearing the document in pieces, he refused, according to the imperial

command, to hear him without the presence of his accuser. All this might

be officially brought under your notice, and by the very advocates, who

themselves are under obligations to Christians, although they cry out

against us as it suits them. The clerk of one who was liable to be thrown

down by an evil spirit was set free; as was also a relative of another,

and the little boy of a third. How many men of rank (not to mention common

people) have been cured of devils and of diseases! Even Severus himself,

the father of Antonine, was mindful of the Christians; for he sought out

the Christian Proclus, surnamed Torpacion, the steward of Euhodias, who

once had cured him by means of oil, and whom he kept in his palace till

his death. Antonine [Caracalla], too, was brought up on Christian

milk,(55) was intimately acquainted with this man. But Severus, knowing

both men and women of the highest rank to be of this sect, not only did

not injure them, but distinguished them with his testimony and restored

them to us openly from the raging populace.(56)





(b) Laws Relating to Forbidden Societies.





1. Justinian, Digest, XLVII. 23:1.





The following is a passage taken from the Institutes of Marcian,

Bk. III.





By princely commands it was prescribed to the governors of provinces that

they should not permit social clubs and that soldiers should not have

societies in the camp. But it is permitted to the poor to collect a

monthly contribution, so long as they gather together only once in a

month, lest under a pretext of this sort an unlawful society meet. And

that this should be allowed not only in the city, but also in Italy and

the provinces, the divine Severus ordered. But for the sake of religion

they are not forbidden to come together so long as they do nothing

contrary to the Senatus-consultum, by which unlawful societies are

restrained. It is furthermore not lawful to belong to more than one lawful

society, as this was determined by the divine brothers [Caracalla and

Geta]; and if any one is in two, it is ordered that it be necessary for

him to choose in which he prefers to be, and he shall receive from the

society from which he resigns that which belongs to him proportionately of

what there is of a common fund.





2. Justinian, Digest, I, 12:14.





From Ulpian's treatise, De officio Praefecti Urbi.





The divine Severus ordered that those who were accused of meeting in

forbidden societies should be accused before the prefect of the city.





(c) Persecutions under Severus.





1. Eusebius, Hist. Ec., VI, 1. (MSG, 20:522.)





The following extract is important not only as a witness to the

fact of the execution of the laws against Christians in

Alexandria, but also to the extension of Christianity in the more

southern provinces of Egypt.





When Severus began to persecute the churches, glorious testimonies were

given everywhere by the athletes of religion. Especially numerous were

they in Alexandria, for thither, as to a more prominent theatre, athletes

of God were sent from Egypt and all Thebais, according to their merit, and

they won crowns from God through their great patience under many tortures

and every mode of death. Among these was Leonidas, said to be the father

of Origen, who was beheaded while his son was still young.





2. Spartianus, Vita Severi, XVII. 1. (Scriptores Historiae Augustae. Ed.

Peter, 1884; Preuschen, Analecta, I, 32.)





The date of the following is A. D. 202.





He forbade, under heavy penalties, any to become Jews. He made the same

regulation in regard to Christians.





(d) Tertullian. Apol., 39. (MSL, 1:534.)





In the following, Christian assemblies, or churches, are

represented as being a sort of friendly society, similar but

superior to those existing all over the Empire, common and

tolerated among the poorer members of society. The date of the

Apology is 197.





Though we have our treasure-chest, it is not made up of purchase money, as

if our religion had its price. On the regular day in the month, or when

one prefers, each one makes a small donation; but only if it be his

pleasure, and only if he be able; for no one is compelled, but gives

voluntarily. These gifts are, as it were, piety's deposit fund. For they

are taken thence and spent, not on feasts and drinking-bouts, and

thankless eating-houses, but to support and bury poor people, to supply

the wants of boys and girls destitute of means and parents, and of old

persons confined to the house, likewise the shipwrecked, and if there

happen to be any in the mines, or banished to the islands, or shut up in

the prisons for nothing but their fidelity to the cause of God's Church,

they become the nurslings of their confession. But it is mainly for such

work of love that many place a brand upon us. See, they say, how they love

one another!





(e) The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas. (MSL, 3:51.) (Cf. Knopf,

pp. 44-57.)





The date of this martyrdom is A. D. 203. The Passio SS. Perpetuae

et Felicitatis has been attributed to Tertullian. It betrays

clear evidence of Montanist sympathies. It has even been thought

by some that the martyrs themselves were Montanists. At that date

probably not a few who sympathized with Montanism were still in

good standing in certain parts of the Church. At any rate, the day

of their commemoration has been from the middle of the fourth

century at Rome March 7. See Kirch, p. 323.





The day of their victory dawned, and they proceeded from the prison into

the amphitheatre, as if to happiness, joyous and of brilliant

countenances; if, perchance, shrinking, it was with joy and not with fear.

Perpetua followed with placid look, and with step and gait as a matron of

Christ, beloved of God, casting down the lustre of her eyes from the gaze

of all. Likewise Felicitas came, rejoicing that she had safely brought

forth, so that she might fight with the beasts. And when they were

brought to the gate, and were constrained to put on the clothing--the men

that of the priests of Saturn, and the women that of those who were

consecrated to Ceres--that noble-minded woman resisted even to the end with

constancy. For she said: "We have come thus far of our own accord, that

our liberty might not be restrained. For this reason we have yielded our

minds, that we might not do any such thing as this; we have agreed on this

with you." Injustice acknowledged the justice; the tribune permitted that

they be brought in simply as they were. Perpetua sang psalms, already

treading under foot the head of the Egyptian [seen in a vision; see

preceding chapters]; Revocatus and Saturninus and Saturus uttered

threatenings against the gazing people about this martyrdom. When they

came within sight of Hilarianus, by gesture and nod they began to say to

Hilarianus: "Thou judgest us, but God will judge thee." At this the

exasperated people demanded that they should be tormented with scourges as

they passed along the rank of the venatores. And they, indeed, rejoiced

that they should have incurred any one of their Lord's passions.



But He who had said, "Ask and ye shall receive," gave to them, when they

asked, that death which each one had desired. For when they had been

discoursing among themselves about their wish as to their martyrdom,

Saturninus, indeed, had professed that he wished that he might be thrown

to all the beasts; doubtless that he might wear a more glorious crown.

Therefore, in the beginning of the exhibition he and Revocatus made trial

of the leopard, and, moreover, upon the scaffold they were harassed by the

bear. Saturus, however, held nothing in greater horror than a bear; but he

thought he would be finished by one bite of a leopard. Therefore, when a

wild boar was supplied, it was the huntsman who had supplied that boar,

and not Saturus, who was gored by that same beast and who died the day

after the shows. Saturus only was drawn out; and when he had been bound on

the floor near to a bear, the bear would not come forth from his den. And

so Saturus for the second time was recalled, unhurt.



Moreover, for the young women the devil, rivalling their sex also in that

of the beasts, prepared a very fierce cow, provided especially for that

purpose contrary to custom. And so, stripped and clothed with nets, they

were led forth. The populace shuddered as they saw one young woman of

delicate frame, and another with breasts still dropping from her recent

childbirth. So, being recalled, they were unbound. Perpetua was first led

in. She was tossed and fell on her loins; and when she saw her tunic torn

from her side, she drew it over her as a veil for her thighs, mindful of

her modesty rather than of her suffering. Then she was called for again,

and bound up her dishevelled hair; for it was not becoming for a martyr to

suffer with dishevelled hair, lest she should appear to be mourning in her

glory. She rose up, and when she saw Felicitas crushed she approached and

gave her her hand and lifted her up. And both of them stood together; and

the brutality of the populace being appeased, they were recalled to the

Sanavivarian gate. Then Perpetua was received by a certain one who was

still a catechumen, Rusticus by name, who kept close to her; and she, as

if roused from sleep, so deeply had she been in the Spirit and in an

ecstasy, began to look around her and to say to the amazement of all: "I

do not know when we are to be led out to that cow." Thus she said, and

when she had heard what had already happened, she did not believe it until

she had perceived certain signs of injury in her own body and in her

dress, and had recognized the catechumen. Afterward, causing that

catechumen and the brother to approach, she addressed them, saying: "Stand

fast in the faith, and love one another, all of you, and be not offended

at our sufferings."



The same Saturus at the other entrance exhorted the soldier Prudens,

saying: "Assuredly here I am, as I have promised and foretold, for up to

this moment I have felt no beast. And now believe with your whole heart.

Lo, I am going forth to the leopard, and I shall be destroyed with one

bite." And immediately on the conclusion of the exhibition he was thrown

to the leopard; and with one bite by it he was bathed with such a quantity

of blood that the people shouted out to him, as he was returning, the

testimony of his second baptism: "Saved and washed, saved and washed."

Manifestly he was assuredly saved who had been glorified in such a

spectacle. Then to the soldier Prudens he said: "Farewell, and be mindful

of my faith; and let not these things disturb, but confirm you." And at

the same time he asked for a little ring from his finger, and returned it

to him bathed in his wound, leaving to him an inherited token and memory

of his blood. And then lifeless he was cast down with the rest, to be

slaughtered in the usual place. And when the populace called for them into

the midst, that as the sword penetrated into their body they might make

their eyes partners in the murder, they rose up of their own accord, and

transferred themselves whither the people wished; but they first kissed

one another, that they might consummate their martyrdom with the rites of

peace. The rest, indeed, immovable and in silence, received the sword; and

so did Saturus, who had also first ascended the ladder, and first gave up

his spirit, for he was waiting for Perpetua. But Perpetua, that she might

taste some pain, being pierced between the ribs, cried out loudly and she

herself placed the wavering right hand of the youthful gladiator to her

throat. Possibly such a woman could not have been slain unless she herself

had willed it, because she was feared by the impure spirit.



O most brave and blessed martyrs! O truly called and chosen unto the glory

of our Lord Jesus Christ! Whoever magnifies, and honors, and adores Him,

assuredly ought to read these examples for the edification of the Church,

not less than the ancient ones, so that new virtues also may testify that

one and the same Holy Spirit is always operating even until now, and God

the Father Omnipotent, and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, whose is glory

and infinite power forever and ever. Amen.





(f) Origen, Contra Celsum, III, 8. (MSG, 11:930.)





Origen is writing just before the first general persecution under

Decius about the middle of the century. He points out the

relatively small number of those suffering persecution.





With regard to Christians, because they were taught not to avenge

themselves upon their enemies, and have thus observed laws of a mild and

philanthropic character; and because, although they were able, yet they

would not have made war even if they had received authority to do so; for

this cause they have obtained this from God: that He has always warred on

their behalf, and at times has restrained those who rose up against them

and who wished to destroy them. For in order to remind others, that seeing

a few engaged in a struggle in behalf of religion, they might also be

better fitted to despise death, a few, at various times, and these easily

numbered, have endured death for the sake of the Christian religion; God

not permitting the whole nation [i.e., the Christians] to be

exterminated, but desiring that it should continue, and that the whole

world should be filled with this salvation and the doctrines of religion.





(g) Justinian, Digest, I, 5:17.





The edict of Caracalla (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus) conferring

Roman citizenship upon all free inhabitants of the Empire has not

been preserved. It is known only from a brief extract from the

twenty-second book of Ulpian's work on the Praetorian Edict,

contained in the Digest of Justinian.





Those who were in the Roman world were made Roman citizens by the

constitution of the Emperor Antoninus.