Lactantius facts for kids
Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius (around 250 – around 325 AD) was an early Christian writer. He became an important advisor to the Roman emperor Constantine I. Lactantius helped guide Constantine's ideas about Christianity as it became more accepted. He also taught Constantine's son, Crispus.
Lactantius is famous for his book Institutiones Divinae ("The Divine Institutes"). This book was written to explain why Christianity made sense and was true, especially to people who followed pagan religions. Many people during the Renaissance (a period of great learning and art) read his works. They even called him the "Christian Cicero" because his writing style was so good, like the famous Roman speaker Cicero. He is also often thought to have written a poem called The Phoenix. This poem is about the mythical bird, the phoenix, which rises from its own ashes.
Contents
Who Was Lactantius?
Lactantius was born in North Africa into a family that followed pagan religions. He was a student of Arnobius, who taught public speaking in a city called Sicca Veneria (now El Kef in Tunisia). Early in his life, Lactantius taught public speaking in his hometown.
Lactantius had a good career at first. The Roman emperor Diocletian asked him to become a professor of public speaking in Nicomedia. This city was an important center at the time. While there, he met important people in the emperor's court, including Constantine. Lactantius later became a Christian. Because of this, he left his teaching job before Diocletian began persecuting Christians.
After leaving his job, Lactantius lived in poverty for a while. He made a living by writing. Then, Constantine I became his supporter. Around 309-310 AD, Emperor Constantine appointed Lactantius to teach Latin to his son, Crispus. Crispus was probably about 10 to 15 years old then. Lactantius moved with Crispus to Trier in 317 AD. Crispus was later ordered to death by his father, Constantine, in 326 AD. We do not know exactly when or how Lactantius died.
Lactantius's Writings
Lactantius wrote in a style similar to famous classical Roman writers. Saint Jerome, another important early Christian writer, praised Lactantius's writing style. He said Lactantius wrote as well as Cicero. Early humanists also called him the "Christian Cicero" (Cicero Christianus). People admired his clear and elegant way of writing.
Explaining Christian Beliefs
Lactantius wrote books to explain Christianity to educated people who still followed the traditional Roman religions. He defended Christian ideas against criticisms from Greek philosophers. His book Divinae Institutiones ("Divine Institutes") was one of the first times Christian thought was presented in a clear, organized way.
- De opificio Dei ("The Works of God"): This book was written around 303 or 304 AD, during Diocletian's persecution of Christians. It explained the basic ideas of Christianity.
- Institutiones Divinae ("The Divine Institutes"): Written between 303 and 311 AD, this is Lactantius's most important work. It was one of the very first books ever printed in Italy. The book aimed to show that pagan beliefs were pointless and that Christianity was reasonable and true. It was also the first major attempt to explain Christian theology (the study of religious faith) in Latin.
- De mortibus persecutorum ("On the Deaths of the Persecutors"): This book describes the deaths of emperors who persecuted Christians, like Nero and Diocletian. Lactantius was present at the courts of Diocletian and Constantine, so his account is a valuable historical source. In this book, Lactantius shares the famous story of Constantine's vision of the Chi Rho symbol before he became a Christian.
Other Writings
- De ira Dei ("On the Wrath of God"): This book argued against the ideas of some ancient philosophers who believed God did not get angry.
- The Phoenix (de Ave Phoenice): This poem tells the story of the mythical phoenix bird, which dies and is reborn from its own ashes. Many believe Lactantius wrote it, even though it doesn't clearly mention Christian ideas.
Lactantius's Legacy
After his death, for some unknown reasons, Lactantius's works were sometimes seen as not fully correct by some church leaders. However, during the Renaissance, scholars became very interested in him again. They admired his beautiful Latin writing style more than his religious ideas.
His books were copied by hand many times in the 1400s. The first printed edition of his works came out in 1465 in Italy. This was one of the very first books ever printed in Italy and the first to have a printing date. A copy of this first edition was sold for over $1 million in 2000.
See also
In Spanish: Lactancio para niños
