• DOI:10.1177/004056395201300101
• Corpus ID: 56017225

The Rejection of Military Service by the Early Christians

@article{Ryan1952TheRO,
  title={The Rejection of Military Service by the Early Christians},
  author={Edward A. Ryan},
  journal={Theological Studies},
  year={1952},
  volume={13},
  pages={1 - 32}
}

• E. Ryan
• Published 1 February 1952
• History
• Theological Studies

Late in the winter of 295 a veteran of the legions named Fabius Victor appeared before Dion, proconsul at Theveste, North Africa. He came, according to his obligation, to present his twenty-one-yearold son, Maximilianus, for military service. In the course of the physical examination the young draftee astonished Dion by a vigorous refusal to serve: "Mihi non licet militare quia Christianus sum." For the moment the remark was ignored; they went ahead measuring him. He was tall enough: five ten. But when an attempt was made to apply the hot brand which would have marked him as a soldier he struggled so strongly that the proconsul was forced to attend. He pointed out to the recusant that there were plenty of Christians already in the army and a protest on religious grounds was unjustified. Men of that sort could look to themselves, Maximilianus replied; for his part he rejected such evil. When he could in no wise be moved the irritated official condemned him to the sword, "as an example to others." Maximilianus was in high spirits, hilan vultu, and as he was led away he asked that the executioner be given the new clothes Fabius Victor had prepared for his son's army life. Now the proconsul could well have been puzzled. Not only were there Christians in the ranks but Christian apologists had not hesitated to emphasize their presence. "Nos vobiscum militamus," Tertullian had intoned, "castra ipsa implevimus." But Maximilianus might have replied that with even greater force the same Tertullian later taught that no Christian ought to be in the army, no follower of the