Suetonius's Nero 16 Reference
Context
Suetonius was a Roman historian known for authoring Lives of the Twelve Caesars, a biographical account of Roman emperors. His works are credible as they draw from historical records of the time, offering detailed insights into Roman history.
What Was Written
Suetonius was a Roman historian who wrote about the lives of Roman emperors. In his work Lives of the Twelve Caesars, he mentions that punishments were inflicted on Christians during Nero's reign. He describes Christians as a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition, providing a secular historical record of early Christian persecution.
The Text Itself
During his reign many abuses were severely punished and put down, and no fewer new laws were made: a limit was set to expenditures; the public banquets were confined to a distribution of food; the sale of any kind of cooked viands in the taverns was forbidden, with the exception of pulse and vegetables, whereas before every sort of dainty was exposed for sale. Punishment was inflicted on the Christians, a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition. He put an end to the diversions of the chariot drivers, who from immunity of long standing claimed the right of ranging at large and amusing themselves by cheating and robbing the people. The pantomimic actors and their partisans were banished from the city.— Lives of the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius, as referenced in Wikipedia
Why This Matters
This reference provides a secular historical record of the persecution of Christians under Nero's reign.
Acceptance Assessment
Widely Accepted
What Scholars Debate
Scholars debate whether the mention of 'Chrestus' refers to Jesus.