optatus.html

Optatus: The Donatist Controversy

Dates

305. African bishops hold a synod at Citrta
306 Constantius dies at York: Constantine proclaimed
311 Galerius issues decree of tolerance and dies

Mensurius dies; Caecilianus elected Bishop of Carthage; deposed, and replaced by Majorinus
Maxentius and Maximin (Galerius' nephew) become allies
Licinius and Constantine become allies
312 Battle of Milvian Bridge ; Constantine captures Rome
313 Constantine meets Licinius in Milan, and Licinius marries Constantine's sister, Constantia
Edict of Milan
Majorinus dies; Donatus elected Bishop of Carthage. Both sides appeal to Rome.
Council of Rome decides against the Donatists
Revolt of Maximin - defeated by Licinius
314
Synod of Arles
316 preliminary clash between Constantine and Licinius
Donatists appeal to Constantine n Milan; appeal rejected
317 Crispus and Constantine II (Constantine's sons) and Licinius II (Licinius' son) become caesars
324 Constantine defeats Licinius

Sources

Donatist Martyr Stories: The Church in Conflict in Roman North Africa, translated by Maureen A. Tilley (Liverpool University Press, 1997)

Optatus, Against the donatists. Trans. and ed. Mark Edwards, TTH 27 ( Liverpool University Press, 1997)

1917 translation online

Discussions

The Donatist Church: A Movement of Protest in Roman North Africa, W. H. C. Frend (Oxford University Press, 1952)
The Bible in Christian North Africa: The Donatist World, Maureen A. Tilley (Fortress Press, 1997)

Noel Lenski ed. The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine (Cambridge, 2006)

Back to introduction

Page created April 30, 2008