Quadratus addresses an apology to Hadrian
About this date: 125 is an approximate navigation anchor. Eusebius associates the apology with Hadrian but does not establish its exact delivery year.
Eusebius preserves a short fragment of Quadratus's defense of Christianity addressed to Hadrian. It appeals to the continuing memory of people healed by Jesus.
Historical context
Apologists sought an imperial audience for explaining Christian claims. A surviving quotation gives access to part of a lost work, not its complete argument.
Key points
- Eusebius says he had access to the apology.
- The fragment claims that some beneficiaries of Jesus's ministry survived into Quadratus's time.
- The identity of this Quadratus and the circumstances of delivery require caution.
People
- Quadratus
- Hadrian
Sources and further reading
- Church History IV.3.1–2
Fragment and editorial discussion of the uncertain date and identification.