Donatism was anexclusively African schism and formore thanacentury held the center ofthestage intheChristianlife of thatland. It was born of localpassions andquarrels,and had nosuccess outside ofAfrica. It becamethe churchof the nativepopulationand,raising"altaragainstaltar,"' suc-

inNumidia, the churchof Donatuswasmorenumerous,richer, andmorepowerful than itsCatholicneighbor.Moreover,the Donatistcause cameto shelterunder itsname a truesocial and economicrevolt, which itfound a usefulinstrument attimes, butwhich was never arecognizedpart of itspolicy.Although theDonatistcontroversywas thusa localschism, it hadim-

Thisschism wasborn at themoment whenpeace came to thechurchand,therefore, robbed Africaof its fullshare of the benefits of thenewrelations between church and state. Its immediatecauseslay inthepersecutionofDiocletian,during whichthecivilofficials tried toavoidmakingmartyrs,and insteadsoughtto break themoraleof theChristiansby clos-

[Inthe
followingnotestheEpistulaeof AugustinewillbecitedasEp.];Optatus,
DeSchismateDonatistarum,I.19(CSEL, v.26,p.21).

localtraditions, and their desire tomanage their own affairs. Yet moreimportant than thesein thecentury-long supportof Donatismbythenative masseswas the wide-spreadeconomic

The Romanization of Africa had never been more than a thin andpartial veneer. Theruling class of RomanorItalian stock wasnotnumerous incomparisonwith the nativesof the Punic and Berber races.Thesea-portsanda fewinland towns hadaconsiderablepopulationofRomanofficials,agents,and businessmen, but thebasic elements were stillPunic,and in the rural districtsentirelynon-Roman.Racial friction had neverentirelysubsided, and now intheperiod oftheEmpire's decline itwasstimulatedby theever-growingmountainoflegis- lation withwhich thegovernment afflicted the provinces,and

thatchurch which was in truthnational,andwhichopposed the church of theirLatin-speakingsuperiors.This identifica- tionoftheCatholic church withthe state was further con- firmedin the minds ofthenativepopulationby theincreasing ecclesiasticaljurisdictioninsecularaffairs,particularlythoseof ajudicialnature,astheadministrativestructure oftheEmpire

4Theperiods of imperial persecutionoftheDonatistswere317-321,347-362, andfollowing 411.Throughouttheentireperiodtherewasasteadilyin- creasingmass of legislationagainsttheparty.andit istoodetailedto review

exclusivelynowthat thegrainof Egyptwentto Constantin- ople.Duringthefourth centuryallthose who wereinany wayinvolved in theprocess ofsupplying thecapitals with food-

thetaxes,the curialesdisappearedfrom the towns andthe small farmers from thecountry; the land wasmore and morecon- solidatedintoisolated,independent, and self-sufficient domains. Thedispossessed andpoorsoughttheprotection of the great

wereRomans,andfrequentlynon-residents,until theinvasion ofItalydrove themto Africa.Bythe generosity of those nobles who wereChristians, thechurch,too,becameaproprietor, and theill-feeling of the serf for his masterwasnot often lessenedbythe fact that the master was abishop.Baxterstates: "Ithasbeen oftensuggested that the mostformidableheresies thatconfronted the Church arose in thoseprovinceswhere Hellenistic orRoman culture was leastassimilated,inArian

least the union oforthodoxywith theStatebrought to a head thatnationalfeeling whichwasalreadypartiallyarousedby theheavyburden oftaxation, thecompactanddepressingsys- temofland-holding, and the undoubted increase ofeconomic difficulties.DonatismbeganwithintheChurch; it ended as asocial revolution."5Perhaps it wouldbe morecorrecttosay that thedistressedelement ofthepopulation sawin the Donatist cause aspiritual and moraljustification for itsinsurrection, and Donatism madewilling useofthat revolt which had not been apart ofits original policy.This revolt tooktheform ofCircumcellionism.

terrorists,recruitedathaphazard from thedregs ofthepopu- lation, from the discontentedofeverynative race andprovince, fugitiveslaves,ruined farmers,oppressed colons,outlawed criminals,socialfailures, excommunicatedCatholics,andpure-