Pliny on the Treatment of Christians

Pliny's Letter to Trajan:

It is a principle, my lord, which I observe, to refer to you all matters on which I am in doubt. For who can better give me guidance or inform me of my ignorance? I have never before had to deal with the trials of Christians. I, therefore, do not know that offenses are to be investigated and punished nor about the scope of such enquiries. Should age be taken into account or is no difference in maturity to be made? May pardon be accorded if they recant their faith, or is it irrelevant whether he has ceased to be a Christian? Is being identified as a Christian itself sufficient to render one subject to punishment irrespective of whether any offence has been committed, or only if an offence has been committed in connection with the name?

Meanwhile, this is what I have done in the cases of those who were denounced to me as Christians: I interrogated them as to whether they profess to be Christians. Those who did, I interrogated a second or third time, threatening them with punishment each time. Those who persisted I ordered executed. Whatever the nature of their belief, I have no doubt that their stubbonness and inflexible obstinacy deserved punishment. There were others just as foolish but since they were Roman citizens, I ordered them transferred to Rome.

As usually happens, however, some accusations have been spread as a result of these proceedings and several untoward incidents occurred. An anonymous document was published listing the names of many [presumably Christian] persons. Those on the list who denied they were or ever had been Christians, evidenced by their readiness to invoke the gods in words I had dictated to them, and to offer prayers with incense and wine to your image—which I had brought in for the purpose, together with the statues of the gods—and to curse Christ, which no Christians, it is said, can be forced to do, I discharged. Others named in the list confessed they were Christians but declared that they had ceased to be so, some as recently as three years ago, others as long ago as twenty-five years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods and cursed Christ. They also asserted that the sum of their fault and err was to have met on a fixed day before dawn and to sing a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves in oath not to commit fraud, theft, adultery, or to betray their trust to one another. When this was over, they would depart and to assemble again to share a meal of plain and ordinary food together.

But, even this, they averred, they had stopped after I had published the edict forbidding political associations as per your instruction. As it was, I felt it necessary to find our more about the matter and had two female slaves—called deaconesses—tortured and interrogated. I found nothing worth considering except depraved and excessive superstition. But because of the number of persons invovled, I feel that the matter warrants consulting you, for large numbers of persons of every walk of life, age, and rank, and of both sexes, are in danger as this superstitious contagion has spread not only in the cities but also to the villages and farms. It is not a problem beyond check and cure.

The temples, which had been almost deserted before, have begun to see greater attendance, and the ancient rites—long neglected—are being resumed. From everywhere sacrifical animals—for which there were few buyers before—are coming in again. Hence it is easy to see what a great multitude can be reclaimed from such superstitions if only an open door for repentence is offerred.

Trajan's Reply to Pliny:

You did right, my dear Pliny, in shifting through the cases of those who were denounced to you as Christians. For it is not possible to lay down any general rule to serve as a standard. Christians are not to be sought out. If they are denounced and proved guilty, they are, of course, to be pubished. Whoever denies that he is a Christian, and proves it by worship our gods—even if he was under suspicion in the past—shall be granted pardon upon his repentence. Anonymous accusations, however, should have no place in any prosecution, for it sets a dangerous precedent. It is also incompatible with the ethos of my reign.

190905lch