Religious Intolerance in the Later Roman Empire - Bad request ...

However, Caecilian’s apparent disapprobation of the esteem which the martyrs
enjoyed was not an indictable offence, but was probably the most significant
underlying factor leading to the enmity of many, especially Numidian bishops, and
hence to the actual beginning of the schism. Officially however, his opponents
focused on the involvement of an alleged traditor, Felix of Apthungi, in Caecilian’s
enthronement. Such an involvement would, of course, on the precedents set under
Cyprian, render Caecilian’s position invalid. Caecilian was accepted by all the
important sees without objection, except Secundus of Tigisis in Numidia who went to
Carthage with seventy Numidian bishops and held a council, to which Caecilian was
invited, in order to investigate the allegations. Caecilian naively offered to be re-
enthroned if the Numidians could prove that Felix was a traditor. This apparent
admission of guilt hardened the Numidians’ resolve and the council condemned
Caecilian and declared that traditores could only be readmitted after rigorous penance.
Caecilian was replaced as bishop by Majorinus (a servant of the humiliated Lucilla) and
the Numidians returned home. Majorinus died soon afterwards and was replaced by
Donatus. 18 As it happens, Felix was declared innocent of traditio by an imperial
investigation in 314 or 315, but that mattered little to the infant Donatist Church. 19
Optatus’ statement that the schism “was brought forth by the anger of a humiliated
woman [Lucilla], nourished by ambition, strengthened by avarice [of Botrus and
Celestius]” 20 may be partially correct, but at best it ignores any underlying tensions
within the African church that expressed themselves through Caecilian’s encounter
with Lucilla and, as part of that, the considerable veneration that many North African
Christians felt for the martyrs, (whose provenance they, more than the Church
decided) which was equally opposed by other North African Christians.
The government became involved in the dispute almost immediately after
Constantine had secured the west and (in practice) by default. In the winter of 312/13
18 Opt. 1.19-20; Frend (1952) 18-20
19 Opt App 2 in Maier (1987) 175-87; Frend (1952) 22
20 Opt. 1.19 Scism a igitur illo tem pore confusae m ulieris iracun dia peperit, am bitus nutriuit, av arita roboruit
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