Council of Rome (AD 313)
Key Facts:
Date | October 2, 313 (Optatus, Against the Donatists, 1.22-24) |
Location | Rome |
Summoned by | Constantine |
Chaired by | Miltiades, bishop of Rome |
Number of Participants | 18 or 19 (Optatus) |
Key Participants | Miltiades, Donatus, Caecilian |
Purpose | To address the split between Donatus and Caecilian |
Key Events | The council cleared Caecilian of charges brought against him by the Donatists and confirmed his ordination |
Primary Source Descriptions | Eusebius, Church History, 10.5.18-20, Optatus, Against the Donatists 1.22-24, Augustine’s letters 43.5 and 88.2 |
Surviving Documents:
Letter of the Donatist Bishops to Constantine
Constantine’s Summons to the Council
Constantine’s Answer to the Donatist Bishops (and details of the council’s date and participants)
Bibliography
U. Dionisi, “Rome” in The Encyclopedia of the Early Church (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992).
JCB and PSAM
Last updated: 3-29-2011
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