The Circumcellions or Agonistici (as called by

Donatists Donatism was a Christian sect leading to a schism in the Church, in the region of the Church of Carthage, from the fourth to the sixth centuries. Donatists argued that Christian clergy must be faultless for their ministry to be effective and th ...

) were bands of Roman Christian radicals in North Africa in the early to mid-4th century. They were considered heretical by the Catholic Church. They were initially concerned with remedying social grievances, but they became linked with the Donatist sect. They condemned poverty and slavery and advocated canceling debt and freeing slaves. The term "Circumcellions" may have been coined or mocked by critics who referred to them as "circum cellas euntes", ''they go around larders'', because "they roved about among the peasants, living on those they sought to indoctrinate."

Background

The Circumcellions first appeared about 317 and were active primarily in

Numidia Numidia ( Berber: ''Inumiden''; 202–40 BC) was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians located in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up modern-day Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunis ...

and Mauretania Sitifensis. They promoted ideas of social reform along with eschatological hopes. Bishop Optatus of

Milevis Milevum (in Latin even "Milev" or "Mireon"; ''Μιραίον'' in Ancient Greek) was a Roman– Berber city in the Roman province of Numidia. It was located in present-day Mila in eastern Algeria. History In Ptolemy's "Geography" (vol. IV, ...

says that around 340 they started an uprising directed at creditors and slave owners. They regarded as martyrs those among them killed when the disturbance was put down.

Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...

likened them to a rustic mob encouraging violence against landlords. They regarded martyrdom as the true Christian virtue and thus disagreed with the

Episcopal see of Carthage The Archdiocese of Carthage, also known as the Church of Carthage, was a Latin Catholic diocese established in Carthage, Roman Empire, in the 2nd century. Agrippin was the first named bishop, around 230 AD. The temporal importance of the city of ...

on the primacy of chastity, sobriety, humility, and charity. Instead, they focused on bringing about their own martyrdom. On occasion, members assaulted Roman legionaries or armed travelers with simple wooden clubs to provoke them into attacking and martyring them. Others interrupted courts of law and verbally provoked the judge so that he would order their immediate execution (a normal punishment at the time for

contempt of court Contempt of court, often referred to simply as "contempt", is the crime of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and its officers in the form of behavior that opposes or defies the authority, justice, and dignity of the cour ...

Views

Because it is written in the Gospel of John that Jesus had told Peter to put down his sword at Gethsemane (), the Circumcellions avoided bladed weapons and used clubs, which they called "Israelites". Using their "Israelites", the Circumcellions would attack random travelers on the road while shouting ''"Laudate Deum!"'' ("Praise God!" in Latin). The motive behind these random beatings was to provoke the victims into killing them so they would die a martyr's death. They preferred to be known as ''agonistici'' ("fighters" for Christ).

In popular culture

In Umberto Eco's '' Baudolino'' (2000), the law of the Deacon of Pndapetzim is enforced by Circumcellion Nubian ( Nubians) guards.

References

External links

* * . {{Authority control Christian denominations established in the 4th century Donatism 4th century in Roman Africa