__NOTOC__ Marcus Minucius Felix (died c. 250 AD in Rome) was one of the earliest of the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

apologists for

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

. Nothing is known of his personal history, and even the date at which he wrote can be only approximately ascertained as between AD 150 and 270.

Jerome Jerome (; ; ; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome. He is best known ...

's '' De Viris Illustribus'' No. 58 speaks of him as "''Romae insignis causidicus''" ne of Rome's notable solicitors but in that he is probably only improving on the expression of

Lactantius Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius () was an early Christian author who became an advisor to Roman emperor Constantine I, guiding his Christian religious policy in its initial stages of emergence, and a tutor to his son Crispus. His most impo ...

who speaks of him as "''non ignobilis inter causidicos loci''" ot unknown among solicitors of the place

Octavius

He is now exclusively known by his '' Octavius'', a

dialogue Dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog in American and British English spelling differences, American English) is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a literature, literary and theatrical form that depicts suc ...

on Christianity between the

pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

Caecilius Natalis and the Christian Octavius Januarius. Written for educated non-Christians, the arguments are borrowed chiefly from

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises tha ...

, especially his ''

De natura deorum ''De Natura Deorum'' (''On the Nature of the Gods'') is a philosophical dialogue by Roman Academic Skeptic philosopher Cicero written in 45 BC. It is laid out in three books that discuss the theological views of the Hellenistic philosophies of ...

'' ("Concerning the Nature of the Gods"), and Christian material, mainly from the Greek Apologists. The ''Octavius'' is admittedly earlier than

Cyprian Cyprian (; ; to 14 September 258 AD''The Liturgy of the Hours according to the Roman Rite: Vol. IV.'' New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1975. p. 1406.) was a bishop of Carthage and an early Christian writer of Berbers, Berber descent, ...

's ''Quod idola dei non-sint'', which borrows from it; how much earlier can be determined only by settling the relation in which it stands to

Tertullian Tertullian (; ; 155 – 220 AD) was a prolific Early Christianity, early Christian author from Roman Carthage, Carthage in the Africa (Roman province), Roman province of Africa. He was the first Christian author to produce an extensive co ...

's ''Apologeticum''. The name Caecilius Natalis contains the nomen Caecilius and cognomen Natalis, which may refer to the gens Caecilia, a plebeian family at Rome. The name Octavius Januarius contains the nomen Octavius and cognomen Januarius, which may refer to the gens Octavia – the family name of Emperor Augustus.

Minucia Gens

The name of Marcus Minucius Felix indicates his association with the gens Minucia.

Stoic Influence

Stoic Stoic may refer to: * An adherent of Stoicism Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy that flourished in ancient Greece and Rome. The Stoics believed that the universe operated according to reason, ''i.e.'' by a God which is immersed i ...

influences can also be seen in his work.

Notes

References

External links

*
Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes
*

- at the Tertullian Project. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Minucius Felix, Marcus 250 deaths 2nd-century writers in Latin 2nd-century Romans 3rd-century writers in Latin 3rd-century Romans Ancient Roman writers Christian apologists Christians in the Roman Empire Felix, Marcus Post–Silver Age Latin writers Year of birth unknown