Christenen in Bithynia-Pontus

Lampas, vol. 54, pp. 330–350

Abstract

The famous letters by Pliny the Younger and emperor Trajan about the Christian community of Bithynia-Pontus have traditionally been highly significant in the study of early Christianity. However, the letters have often been read in isolation. The rest of the correspondence between emperor and governor contained in the tenth book of Pliny’s Epistulae, meanwhile, has rarely been taken into account in a systematic way. This contribution will demonstrate that our understanding of the Christian letters is significantly enhanced by taking into account the underlying principles that shaped Roman provincial administration, and by placing Pliny’s interactions with the Christian community within the wider context of his duties as a Roman governor.

Authors 1

1. K P S Janssen corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Universiteit Leiden