Marcus Minucius Felix

He is known for his Octavius, a dialogue on Christianity between the pagan Caecilius Natalis and the Christian Octavius Januarius. Written for educated non-Christians, the arguments are borrowed chiefly from Cicero, especially his De natura deorum ("Concerning the Nature of the Gods"), and Christian material, mainly from the Greek Apologists. The Octavius is earlier than Cyprian's Quod idola dei non-sint, which borrows from it; how much earlier can be determined only by settling its relation to Tertullian's Apologeticum. The name Caecilius Natalis contains the nomen Caecilius and cognomen Natalis, which may refer to the gens Caecilia, a plebeian family at Rome. The name Octavius Januarius, on the other hand, contains the nomen Octavius and cognomen Januarius, which may refer to the gens Octavia – the family name of Emperor Augustus.

The causidici used rhetoric influenced by Stoicism.[3] Both Stoicism and his work as cusidici influenced him to adopt a more legal language. Minucius Felix represents a specific shift in early Christianity. While earlier writers were often hostile to pagan culture, Minucius used the Sophistic method to make Christianity "respectable" to the Roman elite. The aim was to convince the opponents that Christianity was not a "superstition" but a "true philosophy". He treated the accusations against Christians (incest, cannibalism) not as theological errors, but as libelous evidence that must be debunked through cross-examination and logical refutation in a trial format. His education would have focused on rhetorics and performance of the Second Sophists and become a rhetor (a practitioner of rhetoric in the Forum, as opposed to lower status grammaticus, teacher of rhetorics). The causidicis followed Cicero’s model, which prioritized humanitas (broad culture) and eloquentia (eloquence). He would not have studied Roman Law directly, but hired a pragmaticus to look it up. All this is evident in Octavia. The text is a masterpiece of rhetorical strategy. He uses argumentatio and refutatio — tools specifically taught by the rhetor — to dismantle pagan objections. As Rhetor he would have functioned as a "professor", with pupils and followers (sectatores) who listened to his lectures and followed him to the Forum.