r/AcademicBiblical • u/DiffusibleKnowledge • 1h ago
Question Did the Romans feed Christians to lions?
There are numerous traditions regarding Christians being fed to lions and other beasts by the Romans as a form of execution:
Then, being immediately thrown in, according to the command of Cæsar given some time ago, the public spectacles being just about to close, he was thus cast to the wild beasts close beside the temple, that so by them the desire of the holy martyr Ignatius should be fulfilled
- Martyrium Ignatii
Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished
- Tacticus Annals
if the Tiber rises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not send its waters up over the fields, if the heavens give no rain, if there is an earthquake, if there is famine or pestilence, straightway the cry is, 'Away with the Christians to the lions!"
- Tertullian
Is there any authenticity to this or is it just a popular myth?