Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-20T16:23:14.308Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Myth of the Neronian Persecution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 August 2015

Brent D. Shaw
Brent D. Shaw*
Affiliation:
Department of Classics, Princeton University
*
bshaw@princeton.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A conventional certainty is that the first state-driven persecution of Christians happened in the reign of Nero and that it involved the deaths of Peter and Paul, and the mass execution of Christians in the aftermath of the great fire of July 64 c.e. The argument here contests all of these facts, especially the general execution personally ordered by Nero. The only source for this event is a brief passage in the historian Tacitus. Although the passage is probably genuine Tacitus, it reflects ideas and connections prevalent at the time the historian was writing and not the realities of the 60s.

Keywords

NeroChristianspersecutionmartyrs(St) Peter(St) PaulTacitusPliny the YoungerGreat Fire of 64 c.e.
Type
Articles
Information
The Journal of Roman Studies , Volume 105 , November 2015 , pp. 73 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015. Published by The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aune, D. E. 1997–98: Revelation (3 vols), World Biblical Commentary vol. 52A-C, DallasGoogle Scholar
Barclay, J. M. G. 2014: ‘Jews and Christians in the eyes of Roman authors c. 100 CE’, in Tomson, P. J. and Schwartz, J. (eds), Jews and Christians in the First and Second Centuries: How to Write Their History, Leiden-Boston, ch. 11Google Scholar
Barnes, T. D. 1985: Tertullian: A Historical and Literary Study (2nd edn), OxfordGoogle Scholar
Barnes, T. D. 2010: Early Christian Hagiography and Roman History, TübingenGoogle Scholar
Bauckham, R. 1992: ‘The martyrdom of Peter in early Christian literature’, Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt 2.26.1, 539–95Google Scholar
Baus, K. 1965: From the Apostolic Community to Constantine, LondonGoogle Scholar
Berry, P. 1995: The Christian Inscription at Pompeii, Lewiston, NYGoogle Scholar
Bickerman, E. 1949: ‘The name of Christians’, Harvard Theological Review 42, 109–24 = Bickerman 2007 in Tropper, A. D. (ed.), Studies in Jewish and Christian History, vol. 3, Leiden-Boston, 794–808CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Birley, A. R. 2000: ‘The life and death of Cornelius Tacitus’, Historia 49, 230–47Google Scholar
Boman, J. 2011: ‘Inpulsore Cherestro? Suetonius’ Divus Claudius 25.4 in sources and manuscripts’, Studi Biblici Francisciani Liber Annuus, 355–76CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Botermann, H. 1996: Das Judenedikt des Kaisers Claudius: Römischer Staat und Christiani im I. Jahrhundert, StuttgartGoogle Scholar
Bradley, K. R. 1972: ‘Suetonius, Nero 16.2: afflicti suppliciis Christiani’, Classical Review 22, 9–10CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brock, R. 2013: Greek Political Imagery: From Homer to Aristotle, LondonGoogle Scholar
Carrier, R. 2014: ‘The prospect of a Christian interpolation in Tacitus, Annals 15.44’, Vigiliae Christianae 68, 264–83CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Champlin, E. 2003: Nero, Cambridge, MAGoogle Scholar
Cook, J. G. 2010: Roman Attitudes Towards the Christians, TübingenGoogle Scholar
Cook, J. G. 2014: Crucifixion in the Mediterranean World, TübingenCrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Blois, L. 1991: ‘Tacitus, Suetonius en Cassius Dio over Nero's laatste jaren (62 na Chr.)’, Lampas 24, 359–74Google Scholar
Eder, M. 2008: Kirchengeschichte, DüsseldorfGoogle Scholar
Elliott, J. K. 1993: The Apocryphal New Testament. A Collection of Apocryphal Christian Literature in English Translation, OxfordCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finley, M. I. 1986: Ancient History: Evidence and Models, LondonGoogle Scholar
Frend, W. H. C. 1965: Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church: A Study of a Conflict from the Maccabees to Donatus, OxfordGoogle Scholar
Frend, W. H. C. 1984: The Rise of Christianity, PhiladelphiaGoogle Scholar
Frend, W. H. C. 2000: ‘Martyrdom and political oppression’, in Esler, P. F. (ed.), The Early Christian World, 2 vols, London-New York, ch. 31, 820–1Google Scholar
Frend, W. H. C. 2006: ‘Persecutions: Genesis and legacy’, in Mitchell, M. M. and Young, F. M. (eds), The Cambridge History of Christianity, 1: Origins to Constantine, Cambridge, ch. 28, 503–23Google Scholar
Fuchs, H. 1950: ‘Tacitus über die Christen’, Vigiliae Christianae 4, 65–93Google Scholar
Garnsey, P. D. A. 1966: ‘The Lex Iulia and appeal under the Empire’, Journal of Roman Studies 56, 167–89CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Getty, R. J. 1966: ‘Nero's indictment of the Christians in A.D. 64: Tacitus, Annals 15.44.204’, in Wallach, L. (ed.), The Classical Tradition: Literary and Historical Essays in Honor of Harry Caplan, Ithaca, NY, 285–92Google Scholar
Gibson, R., and Morello, R. (eds) 2012: Reading the Letters of Pliny the Younger: An Introduction, CambridgeCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goulder, M. D. 2004: ‘Did Peter ever go to Rome?’, Scottish Journal of Theology 57, 377–96CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heubner, H. (ed.) 1994: P. Cornelii Taciti libri qui supersunt, 1: Ab excessu divi Augusti, StuttgartCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnstone, S. 1992: ‘On the uses of arson in Classical Rome’, in Deroux, C. (ed.), Studies in Latin Literature and Roman History 6, Collection Latomus 217, Brussels, 41–69Google Scholar
Karpp, H. 1954: ‘Christennamen’, Reallexikon für Antike und Christentum 2, 1114–38Google Scholar
Koestermann, E. 1967: ‘Ein folgenschwerer Irrtum des Tacitus (Ann. 15, 44, 2 ff.)?’, Historia 16, 456–69Google Scholar
Kokkinos, N. 1998: ‘Redating the last procurators and the brother of Jesus’, in idem, The Herodian Dynasty: Origins, Role in Society and Eclipse, Sheffield, appendix 8, 385–6Google Scholar
Lampe, P. 2003: From Paul to Valentinus: Christians at Rome in the First Two Centuries (trans. Steinhauser, M.), Minneapolis = Die städtrömischen Christen in den ersten beiden Jahrhunderten: Untersuchungen zur Sozialgeschichte, Tübingen (1989)Google Scholar
Lipsius, R. A. 1891: Acta Apostolorum Apocrypha 1, Leipzig (reprint: Hildesheim-New York, 1990)Google Scholar
Lund, A. A. 2008: ‘Zur Verbrennung der sogenanten Chrestiani (Tac. Ann. 15.44)’, Zeitschrift für Religions- und Geistesgeschichte 60, 253–61CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luomanen, P. 2008: ‘Nazarenes’, in Marjanen, A. and Luomanen, P. (eds), A Companion to Second Century ‘Heretics’, Leiden-Boston, 279–314CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maier, H. O. 2013: ‘Nero in Jewish and Christian tradition from the first century to the Reformation’, in Buckley, E. and Dinter, M. T. (eds), A Companion to the Neronian Age, Oxford, ch. 22, 385–404Google Scholar
Meier, M. 2012: ‘Odium humani generis. Tacitus, Nero und die Christen (Tac. Ann. XV 44, 4)’, Mediterraneo Antico 15, 425–36Google Scholar
Millar, F. G. B. 1964: A Study of Cassius Dio, OxfordGoogle Scholar
Mommsen, T. 1899: Römisches Strafrecht, LeipzigGoogle Scholar
Mommsen, T. 1901: ‘Die Rechtsverhältnisse des Apostels Paulus’, Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 2, 81–96 = ch. 37 in Gesammelte Schriften 3, Berlin (1907), 431–46CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moss, C. 2012: Ancient Christian Martyrdom: Diversity, Practices, Theologies, and Traditions, New Haven-LondonGoogle Scholar
Power, T. 2014: ‘Suetonius’ Tacitus’, Journal of Roman Studies 104, 205–25CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rohrdorf, W. 1982: ‘Die neronische Christenverfolgung im Spiegel der apokryphen Paulusakten’, New Testament Studies 28, 365–74CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rougé, J. 1974: ‘L'incendie de Rome en 64 et l'incendie de Nicomédie en 303’, in Mélanges d'histoire ancienne offerts à William Seston, Paris, 433–41Google Scholar
Schmitt, T. 2011: ‘Die Christenverfolgung unter Nero’, in Heid, S. et al. (eds), Petrus und Paulus in Rom: eine interdisziplinäre Debatte, Freiburg-Basel, 517–37Google Scholar
Schmitt, T. 2012: ‘Des Kaisers Inszenierung: Mythologie und neronische Christenverfolgung’, Zeitschrift für Antikes Christentum 16, 487–515Google Scholar
Schneemelcher, W., and Hennecke, E. (eds) 1992: New Testament Apocrypha, 2: Writings Relating to the Apostles, Apocalypses and Related Subjects, CambridgeGoogle Scholar
Schürer, E.; rev. and ed. Vermes, G., and Millar, F. 1973: The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ (175 B.C.–A.D. 145), 1, EdinburghGoogle Scholar
Schwyzer, E. 1939: Griechische Grammatik, vol. 1, MunichGoogle Scholar
Sherwin-White, A. N. 1963: Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament, OxfordGoogle Scholar
Sherwin-White, A. N. 1966. The Letters of Pliny: A Historical and Social Commentary, OxfordGoogle Scholar
Smallwood, E. M. (ed.) 1967: Documents Illustrating the Principates of Gaius, Claudius and Nero, CambridgeGoogle Scholar
Syme, R. 1967: Tacitus, 2 vols, OxfordGoogle Scholar
Tajra, H. W. 1994: The Martyrdom of St. Paul: Historical and Judicial Context, Traditions, and Legends, TübingenGoogle Scholar
Talbert, R. J. A. 1980: ‘Pliny the Younger as governor of Bithynia-Pontus’, in Deroux, C. (ed.), Studies in Latin Literature and History 2, Brussels, 412–35Google Scholar
Taylor, J. 1994: ‘Why were the disciples first called ‘Christians’ at Antioch? (Acts 11, 26)’, Revue biblique 101, 75–94Google Scholar
Tuplin, C. J. 1989: ‘The false Neros of the first century A.D.’, in Deroux, C. (ed.), Studies in Latin Literature and Roman History 5, Collection Latomus 206, Brussels, 364–404Google Scholar
Wallace-Hadrill, A. 1983: Suetonius, LondonGoogle Scholar
Wellesley, K. (ed.) 1986: Cornelii Taciti Libri qui supersunt: 1.2: Ab excessu Divi Augusti libri XI–XVI, LeipzigGoogle Scholar
Wuilleumier, P. (ed.) 1978: Tacite: Annales, livres XIII–XVI (Budé edition), ParisGoogle Scholar
Zwierlein, O. 2009: Petrus in Rom: Die literarischen Zeugnisse, BerlinGoogle Scholar
Zwierlein, O. 2011: ‘Petrus in Rom? Die literarischen Zeugnisse’, in Heid, S. et al. (eds), Petrus und Paulus in Rom: eine interdisziplinäre Debatte, Freiburg-Basel, 468–91 = O. Zwierlein (ed.), Petrus und Paulus in Jerusalem und Rom: vom Neuen Testament zu den apokryphen Apostelakten, Berlin (2013), 3–29Google Scholar