Marcus Minucius Felix

Marcus Minucius Felix (died c. 250 AD in Rome)<ref name="Brit">Template:Cite web</ref> was one of the earliest of the Latin apologists for Christianity.

Nothing is known of his personal history, and even the date at which he wrote can be only approximately ascertained as between AD 150 and 270. Jerome's De Viris Illustribus No. 58 speaks of him as "Romae insignis causidicus" [one of Rome's notable solicitors], but in that he is probably only improving on the expression of Lactantius<ref>Institutionum divinarum v. 1.</ref> who speaks of him as "non ignobilis inter causidicos loci" [not unknown among solicitors of the place].

Octavius

He is now known only for his Octavius, a dialogue on Christianity between the pagan Caecilius Natalis and the Christian Octavius Januarius. Written for educated non-Christians, the arguments are borrowed chiefly from Cicero, especially his De natura deorum ("Concerning the Nature of the Gods"), and Christian material, mainly from the Greek Apologists.<ref name="Brit" />

The Octavius is admittedly earlier than Cyprian's Quod idola dei non-sint, which borrows from it; how much earlier can be determined only by settling the relation in which it stands to Tertullian's Apologeticum.Template:Citation needed

The name Caecilius Natalis contains the nomen Caecilius and cognomen Natalis, which may refer to the gens Caecilia, a plebeian family at Rome. The name Octavius Januarius, on the other hand, contains the nomen Octavius and cognomen Januarius, which may refer to the gens Octavia – the family name of Emperor Augustus.

Minucia Gens

The name of Marcus Minucius Felix indicates his association with the gens Minucia.

Stoic Influence

Stoic influences can also be seen in his work.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

References

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External links

• Template:Cite IEP
• Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes
• Template:Cite CE1913
• Did Tertullian use Minucius Felix' Octavius? - at the Tertullian Project.
• Template:Librivox author