Arnobius’ Adversus Gentes Book One
Little is known with great specificity about Arnobius’ life. Jerome relates that he taught rhetoric at Sicca, in Africa and, following revelation by vision, converted to Christianity. Because of his former attacks on the faith the Bishop in his area was unwilling to let Arnobius join the Church. According to Jerome, Arnobius composed books against his former pagan beliefs to prove the truth of his conversion. Arnobius follows in the North African tradition of Tertullian and Cyprian and, through his disciple Lactantius, likely influenced Augustine as well. Given his rhetorical skill and arguments against Paganism it is entirely possible he was martyred in one of the last waves of persecution before the Edict of Milan. Together, this all suggests he wrote some time between AD 297 and 303.
This episode contains book one of Arnobius’ great surviving work, Adversus Gentes, a series of seven books which together comprise one extended argument against the Roman, pagan cult.
Throughout the work Arnobius displays his skill as a rhetorician and his broad learning, referencing a great number of secular writings, religious practices, and fables. Indeed, Arnobius likely had first-hand exposure to many of the practices he describes as Sicca Veneria, which was south-west of Carthage on the border of Numidia, was steeped in the worship of the goddess of lust.
The general thrust of Arnobius’ argument has been traced out before in Justin Martyr and Clement of Alexandria, but Arnobius is much more comprehensive in his treatment and critique of pagan literature. Not content to simply demonstrate the supremacy of Christianity over the pantheon of false, Roman gods, Arnobius attacks pagan worship with vigor, drawing upon inconsistencies, fallacies, and moral failings of the supposed deities to demonstrate the incoherence and immorality of this popular, state-mandated, religion.
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