Rulers and nobles
Domitian
Roman emperor recalled by Statius as a persecutor of Christians, in a passage of the Purgatorio that also alludes to his sister Plautilla and to the martyr Domitilla.
Profile
In the Purgatorio, in the discourse in which Statius recalls his own conversion, the name of Domitian appears linked to the persecution of the Christians: Statius in fact states that he wept for and aided the faithful while he lived on earth and "when Domitian persecuted them." An authorized note on the same canto refers to the Life of Saint Domitilla, in which it is recounted that Plautilla, sister of Domitian and mother of the martyr, assisted the imprisoned Christians with works of charity and secret visits. The note also explains that in the time of Domitian many baptized Christians remained "hidden Christians," that is, they did not publicly profess their faith for fear of persecutions. Domitian is therefore presented as the historical cause of the persecution that induced Statius to keep secret his own adherence to Christianity.
In the text
Linked verses
1 verses| Cantica | Canto | Verso | Testo | Open verse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purgatory | Canto XXII | 83 | che, quando Domizian li perseguette, | Open verse |