Culture/History: Governing the Empire • Policies v. Religion • Literary Evidence re treatment of Christians • Complete a character study of Trajan
Grammar: Relative Clause of Characteristic • Review of All Subjunctive Clauses
Pliny writes to Trajan asking about treatment of Christians and Trajan responds. Pliny had served for several years as imperial legate for the province of Bithynia-Pontus. During this time he wrote over 60 letters to the Emperor. The topics covered a broad range of administrative questions. Pliny published these letters and the responses he received from Trajan in Epistulae. These letters serve as an excellent source for our knowledge of provincial policies. The letters we are about to read are a prime source for understanding the spread of Christianity in Asia Minor and the official Roman policy between the time of Nero (54-68) and Decius. (A.D. 249-251). Nero is acknowledged to have persecuted many Christians after the great fire but systematic and organized persecution did not begin until the time of Decius and reached its peak during the time of Diocletian.
Beginning in the 2nd century, Rome had more than 50 cultural and geographic areas governed either by the Senate or the Emperor. The empire grew so much under Trajan that Rome became dependent on the resources from the provinces. Therefore provincial government became more centralized in the hands of the emperor. This is evident in the appointment by Trajan of Pliny to Bithynia-Pontus where he could specifically address problems that had surfaced there. Pliny points out a problem of language; the people in this region had culture and language of the Greeks. Pliny asked who has jurisdiction, the provincial charter, the provincial governor, the emperor or the local community? Who applied what, when and where was the question.
Pliny's reply illustrates that Rome did try to accommodate local traditions and laws insofar as it was consistent with Roman structure. This reply is an excerpt; the full letter begins with this statement (in translation) " I am not at all certain whether a pardon should be granted to anyone who retracts his beliefs, or if after having professed to be Christian, should he gain anything in renouncing it (are we encouraging hypocrisy perhaps?) ...whether the mere name of Christian is punishable if one is not a believer. Should one be punished because of a name?" I draw a comparison here with World War II, in which anyone with Jewish heritage was condemned by the Nazis, whether they were practicing Jews or not. I do not mean to say that anyone of any religious persuasion should have been persecuted now or ever, but merely draw the analogy of guilt by name so you can reference it to a more recent era.
Prior to Trajan:
Rome had been tolerant of many different religions, especially those that were polytheistic; persecution was rare. If it was felt that a religion might encourage rebellion, worshippers were not accepted and often used as scapegoats for other ills. Christians were therefore a threat not because of religious beliefs but because they were considered a danger to the status quo. Christians were suspect due to: their civil disobedience to imperial officials; their refusal to participate in the state religion was considered treachery; a misunderstanding of the liturgy of the Eucharist. They were a convenient and visible scapegoat.
Misunderstanding the religion, Romans considered Christianity to be a practice of cannibalism, promiscuity and incest. These were all considered crimes, subversive to the public good. The early Christians were also most often the poor, those without hope and sinners. The numbers of the 'elite' who became Christian did not grow until the fourth century. until later years. Several foreign cults which had some of these practices had been banned from he Empire.
Nero A.D. 54-68
He allowed, some say demanded, the persecution of Christians following the Great Fire. They were killed in the Circus Maximus, not in the Colosseum as some attest. The Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater) was not constructed until the reign of Vespasian. It was dedicated in the first year of the reign of Titus.
Tacitus, a history and contemporary of Pliny, wrote that Nero had been justified:
Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against man kind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or doomed to the flames and burned, to serve as a nightly illumination when daylight had expired.
Annales, Tacitus, XV.44, translation by Chester A. Starr
The Apostle Paul wrote that there were those who resented the preaching of Christianity and the fear that they would be 'guilty by association'. Paul had been accused of preaching Christianity in the Synagogue and thus'inciting rebellion'. He appealed to Nero as a Roman citizen in A.D. 60. Romans had the right to a hearing in Rome and were not to be condemned in the provinces. This is similar to diplomatic privilege today. Paul traveled to Rome by ship, putting ashore at Puteoli, modern Pozzuli today, and after preaching to the people there, set off on foot for Rome. Here he was put under house arrest and wrote epistles to sites around Asia Minor. About a year later he was given his hearing and condemned to death. He was moved to the Mamartine Prison which is now located under a church just several steps about the Forum Romanum.
A.D. 249-251 - Decius began a systematic persecution of Christians
A.D. 284-305 - Diocletian is credited with the most vicious persecution both in Rome and the provinces.
A.D. 306-337 - Constantine converted to Christianity in A.D. 313 after the battle for control of the empire on the Milvian Bridge in northern Rome. It is said he had a vision during the battle in which he saw a cross and the words 'in hoc signo vinces'.
A.D. 395 - Christianity became the official state religion of the Roman Empire.
Images:
Catacomb Illustration p. 127: The soil was usually TUFA, a strata of soil of dirt and stone which can be easily dug. Some catacombs have more than 5 levels of chambers. Open spaces are beautifully decorated with frescos. The first 'known' drawing of Mary is in the Priscilla catacomb in Rome itself, a short bus trip from center city.
Visit the various links on the web site for this chapter.
Should you happen to be in Rome and plan a visit to the Catacombs, you will find that the largest and most visiting catacombs are along the Via Appia, just before one arrives at the tomb of Caecilia Metalla. Take care! The guides close the gates for a long lunch at mid-day. One can take a public bus from in front of St. John Lateran to Callisto Catacomb. From there you can walk to the Jewish Catacomb. If you go by bus to the northern part of Rome you can visit a less crowded catacomb called the Priscilla Catacomb. The first known image of Mary is in a fresco on the walls here.
Christian Epitaph p. 128: a drawing of a tombstone . Notice the symbols, the chi-rho, Greek letters for the Ch and R of Christ. The Alpha and Omega are also drawn along with doves, signs of peace.
Coin p. 129:A front view of the Temple of Trajan, surrounded by porticos. The temple was erected by Hadrian.
Note the three sections:confitentes qui negabant, esse se Christianos dixerunt and mox negaverunt. In lines 16-20, Pliny uses as his sources the testimony of those who discontinued the practice of Christianity when he references the Mass, the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharists, the Ten Commandments and the Agape, a fellowship meal with Eucharist. He overreacts to a situation about which he admits to little information.
Passage A
Passage B
J. Jahnige, September 2003
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