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TRAJAN
TRAJAN
Pliny the Younger (Roman orator, letter writer, and public official, c. 61-113 AD), in his letter to Trajan (Roman Emperor 98-117 AD), Epistles (Epistulae) / Letters, Book 10, Chapter 96, c. 111 AD
http://www.christianchronicler.com/history1/potentates_and_pressures.html, POTENTATES AND PRESSURES, I. Trajan (A.D. 98-117):
Letters written from Pliny the Younger to Trajan best illustrate Roman attitudes towards Christians during this period. Pliny, a Roman official, was stationed in Pontus. We date his most famous letter at ca. A.D. 112. Evidently friction existed between Christians and non-Christians in his region. Peter indicates such friction existed as early as A.D. 67 (see 1 Peter 2:12). Pliny, knowing Rome found it essential to deal with troublesome religious groups, heard that Christians "were accused of clandestine rites involving promiscuous intercourse and ritual meals in which human flesh was eaten." Some libertine and Gnostic groups during the period possibly engaged in exactly such bizarre acts. Upon investigation all Pliny found was superstition.
http://books.google.com/books?id=3ei_UTereO0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22first+Two+Thousand%22+edwards&sig=VBHs7FE29UyhhvU05CeBRz0SZkg#PPA48,M1, Christianity: first Two Thousand Years Google Books Result, by David L. Edwards, 2001, pp. 48-49, Early Christians (Pliny):
For Latin:
http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/pliny.ep10.html http://books.google.com/books?id=6WKOAM1g5-sC&pg=PP1&dq=%22Christianity:+A+Global+History&sig=O3KqbW6f867SLZGU1pdAYEQ7LHw#PPA44,M1, Christianity: A Global History Google Books Result, by David Chidester, 2000, p. 44, Ancient Origins | Christians:
http://books.google.com/books? hl=en&id=m4ue2zYLJqoC&dq=%22do+this+in+remembrance+of+me%22&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=_HRvY9bCFz&sig=yCGfTZwIvhC7eozSRlXSaigQ7nU#PPA151,M1, Do This in Remembrance of Me: The Disputed Works in the Lukan INstitution Narrative (Luke 22.19b20): An Historico-Exegetical, Theological and Sociological Analysis Google Book Result, by Bradly S. Billings, pp. 151-152, Thyestean Banquets and Oedipodean Intercourse | Accusations against the Christian Community:
P. 153:
P. 154:
http://books.google.com/books? id=HtVjZpFF_c4C&pg=PA216&lpg=PA216&dq=intitle:%22Ignatius+of+antioch%22+incest+OR+orgy+OR+orgies+OR+orgiastic+OR+licentious+OR+licentiousness+OR+promiscuous&source= Ignatius of Antioch and the Second Sophistic Google Books Result, 2006, pp. 215-216, Sacred Images and Mystery Processions | Cult Foundation and the Apotropaic Functions of :
Translated from Latin: (flagitia shameful/dissolute cohaerentia touching nomini family name) Saint Ignatius of Antioch was martyred c. 107 AD.
http://frterry.org/History/Chapter_2/Chap.2%20Handout_30.htm (Father Terry's Verbal Conscience), Handout #30: Letter from Pliny to the Emperor Trajan (c.111-112 A.D.): Pliny the Younger (61-114 A.D.), nephew and adopted son of the encyclopaedist, Pliny the Elder, was an advocate, orator, and politician. Trajan appointed him legate for Bithynia. An honest and educated man, Pliny published his correspondence; this includes his letter to Trajan on the subject of Christians and the emperor's reply.
Meantime, this is the course I have taken with those who were accused before me as Christians. I asked them whether they were Christians, and if they confessed, I asked them a second and third time with threats of punishment. If they kept to it, I ordered them for execution; for I held no question that whatever it was that they admitted, in any case obstinacy and unbending perversity deserve to be punished. There were others of like insanity: but as these were Roman citizens, I noted them down to be sent to Rome... Several distinct cases arose. CONTINUE TO NEXT PHASE
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