ABSTRACT
“Working through the familiar” was a technique, Cameron argued, that helped Christian discourse attain recognition in the Roman world. While the reign of Julian has mainly been studied in the context of Christian-pagan interactions, H. A. Drake’s insights, together with the important contributions of other scholars, also point to the connections between intolerance, religious violence, and the role of Roman bishops during Julian’s reign. Brent Shaw has recently argued that the Neronian persecution of 64 CE, the first of the traditional persecutions of Christians by the Roman government, was a myth that “should be excised from histories of the early Church.” The author of the passio ascribed to the Devil the emperor’s order that “Donatist” church buildings be seized and transferred to what councils of bishops decided was the Catholic faction in Africa. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
