DONATISM, The Circumcellions, c. 350, St. Augustine !A"t the s#me time, #mong the Don#tists!

!," her$s o% #&#n$one$ men 'ere $istur&ing the (e#ce o% the innocent %or one re#son or #nother in the s(irit o% the most rec)less m#$ness. *h#t m#ster '#s there 'ho '#s not com(elle$ to li+e in $re#$ o% his o'n ser+#nt, i% he !the ser+#nt" h#$ (ut himsel% un$er the gu#r$i#nshi( o% the Don#tists, *ho !'h#t m#ster" $#re$ e+en !to" thre#ten!," one !ser+#nt" 'ho sought his ruin!," 'ith !the thre#t o%" (unishment, *ho $#re$ to e-#ct (#.ment o% # $e&t %rom one 'ho consume$ his stores, or %rom #n. $e&tor 'h#tsoe+er, !i%" th#t !m#n" sought their !the" #ssist#nce or (rotection !o% the Don#tists", /n$er the thre#t o% &e#ting, #n$ &urning, #n$ imme$i#te $e#th, #ll $ocuments com(romising the 'orst o% sl#+es 'ere $estro.e$, in th#t the. !the 'orst o% sl#+es" might $e(#rt in %ree$om. Notes o% h#n$ th#t h#$ &een e-tr#cte$ !&. cre$itors" %rom $e&tors 'ere returne$ !&. the cre$itors" to them !the $e&tors". An. one 'ho h#$ sho'n # contem(t %or their !the" h#r$ 'or$s !o% the Don#tists" 'ere com(elle$ &. h#r$er &lo's to $o 'h#t the. !the Don#tists" $esire$. The houses o% innocent (ersons 'ho h#$ o%%en$e$ them !the Don#tists" 'ere either r#0e$ to the groun$ or &urne$. Cert#in he#$s o% %#milies o% honour#&le (#rent#ge, #n$ &rought u( 'ith # goo$ e$uc#tion, 'ere c#rrie$ #'#. h#l% $e#$ #%ter their !the" $ee$s o% +iolence !o% the Don#tists", or &oun$ to the mill, #n$ com(elle$ &. &lo's to turn it roun$, #%ter the %#shion o% the me#nest &e#sts o% &ur$en !#%ter the %#shion o% sl#+es". 1or 'h#t #ssist#nce %rom the l#'s ren$ere$ &. the ci+il (o'ers !ci+il ser+ice" '#s e+er o% #n. #+#il #g#inst them !the Don#tists", *h#t !(u&lic" o%%ici#l e+er +enture$ so much #s to &re#the in their (resence, *h#t #gents e+er e-#cte$ (#.ment o% # $e&t 'hich the. h#$ &een un'illing to $isch#rge, *ho e+er en$e#+oure$ to #+enge those 'ho 'ere (ut to $e#th in their !the" m#ss#cres !o% the Don#tists", 2-ce(t, in$ee$, th#t their o'n m#$ness too) re+enge on them, 'hen some, &. (ro+o)ing #g#inst themsel+es the s'or$s o% men !th#t 'ere not Don#tists, such #s the sol$iers o% the em(ire,", 'hom the. o&lige$ to )ill them un$er %e#r o% inst#nt $e#th !in legitim#te $e%ence", others &. thro'ing themsel+es o+er sun$r. (reci(ices, others &. '#ter, others &. %ire, g#+e themsel+es o+er on the se+er#l occ#sions !o% im(eri#l (ersecution," to # +olunt#r. $e#th, #n$ g#+e u( their li+es #s o%%erings to the $e#$ &. (unishments in%licte$ 'ith their o'n h#n$s u(on themsel+es.3 ii DONATISM The Don#tist heres. #rose in !#"&out 344 AD #n$ 560 A%ric#n &isho(s su((orte$ Don#tism. The heres. '#s con$emne$ in the s.no$ o% C#rth#ge in 744 AD un$er the in%luence o% Augustine. T'o .e#rs l#ter !in 743 AD" the C#rth#gini#n !Don#tist" sect#ries e+en +enture$ u(on # (olitic#l re&ellion un$er the le#$ershi( o% 8er#clinus, 'ho '#s (rocl#ime$ em(eror !o% the 9om#n em(ire" #n$ in+#$e$ It#l., le#+ing his son:in:l#' S#&inus in comm#n$ o% the (ro+inces o% northern A%ric# in C#rth#ge. 8er#clinus '#s $e%e#te$ in It#l. #n$ %le$ to C#rth#ge, 'here he '#s (ut to $e#th in AD 743. ;el#gi#nism %ollo'e$ Don#tism #n$ these religious trou&les 'ere not settle$ 'hen the <#n$#ls s#ile$ %rom S(#in to M#uret#ni# on the #((e#l o% the go+ernour o% A%ric#, =oni%#ce #n$ in+#$e$ M#uret#ni#. =ut 9om#n C#rth#ge '#s not %orti%ie$ until !#" &#r&#ri#n in+#sion thre#tene$ in AD 755, 'hen '#lls 'ere &uilt &. Theo$osius II. The <#n$#ls un$er >#iseric #((e#re$ &e%ore the '#lls o% C#rth#ge in 73? #n$ entere$ #lmost 'ithout # &lo' #n$ g#+e o+er the cit. to (lun$er.

The %leet o% the e#stern em(ire un$er =#siliscus #ttem(te$ the in+#sion o% C#rth#ge #n$ #((e#re$ in the =#. o% C#rth#ge in AD 760 &ut >#iseric succee$e$ in setting %ire to the #tt#c)ing shi(s #n$ %rom the =.rs# '#tche$ their entire #nnihil#tion. iii

Augustine, 2(. Cl---+. !c. 746" @ 45 AO(. ii. B7?C ;.Dl ---iii. 6??E., F. 9. Ging, Anti:Don#tist 'ritings o% St Augustine, 7?4:3, cite$ in Documents illustrative of the history of the church , +ol. II, 343:7B4 AD, 2$ite$ &. =. F. Gi$$, D.D., Societ. %or (romoting Christi#n )no'le$ge, Don$on. The M#cMilli#n Com(#n.H Ne' Ior) 4?35, 537. ii Augustine, 2(. Cl---+. !c. 746" @ 45 AO(. ii. B7?C ;.Dl ---iii. 6??E., F. 9. Ging, Anti:Don#tist 'ritings o% St Augustine, 7?4:3, cite$ in Documents illustrative of the history of the church, +ol. II, 343:7B4 AD, 2$ite$ &. =. F. Gi$$, D.D., Societ. %or (romoting Christi#n )no'le$ge, Don$on. The M#cMilli#n Com(#n.H Ne' Ior) 4?35, 537:5. iii *m.C., C#rth#ge, 2nc.clo(e$i# =rit#nnic#, 2$ition o% 4?B?, ?6?.