Christian Apologists and the Antonine Emperors

Abstract

The Antonine period from Hadrian on­wards sees the beginning of a Christian lit­erature of “apology,” more precisely of de­fense and justification of the new religion. These defenses sometimes take the form of attacks on “pagan” cults or on Judaism. The Christians begin to represent their religion as a philosophy, worthy of consideration beside the traditional philosophies of the Graeco-Roman world. At the same time Christians are still persecuted, and impe­rial policy towards them, as expressed in the form of imperial edicts or implicitly by the practice of governors, continues, even if unevenly. There is a sharp upturn of per­secution in the reign of Marcus Aurelius, perhaps exacerbated by the internal and external setbacks of the reign.