-Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus

-senator & Roman lawyer

-literary masterpiece (books of letters)

-he would release from prison anyone who denied that they were or had been Christians as long as they promised to worship pagan gods and the emperor

-he would also let go any person who reviled Christ because he heard thwt a Christian would never do such a thing

-said he would condemned to death any Christian who persisted in their Christian beliefs

-saw Christians as foolish zealots but lived morally

-concerned about the growth of superstitions because it challenged the Roman practice or emperor worship

Pliny the Younger (ca. AD 61-113)