Nerva--Character of Trajan--Story of correspondence here referred to--Pliny’s Letters--Reply of Trajan, which contained the famous Rescript--Tertullian’s criticism of Rescript--Pliny’s Letters--They were no ordinary letters, but were intended for public reading--Pliny’s character--The vogue of writing letters as literary pieces for public reading--Pliny’s Letters briefly examined--The letter here under special consideration--Its great importance in early Christian history 48 II VOGUE OF EPISTOLARY FORM OF LITERATURE Letters of public men considered as pieces of literature--After Trajan there were very few Latin writings until the close of the fourth century--In that period some celebrated letters again appear (written by Symmachus and by Sidonius Apollinaris a few years later)--These letters were evidently written as pieces of literature intended for public circulation 63 III THE NEW TESTAMENT EPISTLES, AND LETTERS OF APOSTOLIC FATHERS Adoption of favourite letter-form as literary pieces--in Epistles of the New Testament, and in letters of Apostolic Fathers 69 PART IV I (_a_) HADRIAN--HIS POLICY TOWARDS CHRISTIANITY _Hadrian_--His life of travel--His character--Early policy towards Christians--He insults Christianity in his building of Aelia Capitolina on site of Jerusalem--The great Jewish war--Its two results--(_a_) Complete change in the spirit of the Jews--(_b_) A new conception of the Christian sect on part of Roman Government--It was now recognized that the Christian was no mere Jewish dissenter, but a member of a distinct sect, dangerous to Roman policy 75 II (_b_) HADRIAN--HIS ENMITY TOWARDS CHRISTIANITY GRADUALLY INCREASED Last years of Hadrian--Persecution of Christians more pronounced--Undoubted authorities for this graver position of Christians throughout the Empire--Table showing succession of Antonines to the Empire 81 III ANTONINUS PIUS AND MARCUS ANTONINUS--THEIR IDEALS Character of Antoninus Pius--His intense love for Rome--His determination to restore the old simple life to which Rome owed her greatness--His devotion to ancient Roman traditions, and to the old Roman religion--Antoninus Pius and his successor Marcus lived themselves the simple austere life they taught to their court and subjects 84