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Arnobius the Elder
(269 words)

[German Version]

(of Sicca, Numidia Proconsularis), a teacher of rhetoric (one of whose students was Lactantius), converted to Christianity late in life. Between c. 303 and 310, in defense of Christianity he wrote the apology Adversus nationes in seven books, the last left incomplete. In it he attacks a variety of opponents of the Christians, especially the adherents of pagan religion; the work is dominated by elaborate rhetorical polemic designed to “fling back” (retorsio) the charge of impiety leveled by the enemies of Christianity, but it does not contain a system…

Cite this page
Pollmann, Karla, “Arnobius the Elder”, in: Religion Past and Present. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1877-5888_rpp_SIM_01098>
First published online: 2011
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004146662, 2006-2013



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