Note 1070 — PART III CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

These acta were originally acta proconsularia, i.e. the official record of proceedings at the trials of Christian martyrs. Sometimes the Christians themselves would make notes on the trial, sometimes they would purchase from the clerks copies of the official report. Having obtained an account in either of these ways they usually embroidered the facts with mystic and visionary embellishments. For two examples of the original official protocols see Hardy, Studies in Roman History, p. 151.