Marculus of Thamugadi

Marculus of Thamugadi or simply Marculus was a prominent bishop and Christian martyr venerated by the 4th-century North African Donatist Church.

Marculus, a bishop of Thamugadi in Numidia, rose to prominence in 347 A.D. during the Macarian campaign, in which Emperor Constans attempted to force church unity in North Africa.

On June 29, 347, a group of Donatist bishops met with personal representatives of the emperor, the imperial notaries Paul and Macarius, at Vegesela. Heading the delegation was Bishop Marculus. The discussion did not go well and the bishops were taken into custody. Marculus was retained while the others were eventually released after torture. He was marched from place to place and finally executed at Nova Petra on November 29, 347.

Evidence of a once-strong Donatist cult dedicated to the martyr Marculus was discovered in a Donatist church near Ksar el Kelb (Tebessa, Algeria). The church featured nine graves belonging to the nine friends of Marculus and a memoria with the inscription “Memoria Domni Marchuli” making him one of the most celebrated Donatist martyrs.

At the Carthage conference in 411, Dativus, the Donatist bishop of Nova Petra, proudly proclaimed: "“I do not have a Caecilianist (Donatist name for Roman Catholics) rival. This place belongs to Lord Marculus, whose blood God will exact on the Day of Judgment.”"This statement serves as a testament to the influence Marculus had on the Donatist church.

Petilianus, the Donatist bishop of Cirta, on his part, assured Augustine in one of the letters they exchanged that there could be no alliance with the 'Macarian Catholics' as Petilianus darkly intoned:"“They are the descendants of that Murderer who slaughtered Bishop Donatus of Bagai in his own see and hurled Bishop Marculus over a Numidian precipice.”"Thamugadi is the place where two Donatist cults were uncovered: one belonging to the strong bishop Optatus, who revolted in 391, while the other belongs to the bishop Saturninus, known for being one of those martyred in Abitinae.

In his monumental work 'The Donatist Church', William Frend explores the parallels between an ancient Berber figure like Marculus and a contemporary Berber, highlighting their shared commitment to the Bible and Quran, with a steadfast rejection of pagan civilization.

Context
Under Donatus Magnus' leadership, the Donatist church gained popularity, prompting Constans, the Emperor, to send imperial notaries Paul and Macarius on a mission in 347 to investigate the religious situation. The mission's purpose is debated, with claims ranging from Donatus seeking recognition to Constans' zeal for orthodoxy.

Openly favoring the Catholic faction, Paul and Macarius faced hostility as they traveled through Aurasium, between Theveste and Thamugadi. The local communities' reaction led to riots and military involvement as Donatus of Bagai rallied the local circumcellion militias. In the aftermath, Donatus of Bagai and his defenders were massacred and a decree proclaiming unity under Gratus caused further unrest and riots in Carthage.

Donatus Magnus was exiled, and subsequently died in exile c. 355. The ascendancy of the Catholics dissolved with the rise of Julian to the emperorship in 361.

Marculus’ Martyrdom
Marculus' method of execution, thrown from a cliff by Roman soldiers, is unique among surviving Donatist martyrologies. The rumor of Donatist self-martyrdom through precipitous acts was circulated by Catholics, who ridiculed Donatism. They claimed that after the cessation of Roman persecutions in 321, frustrated Donatists, unable to attain martyrdom, resorted to committing suicide. Stories circulated of Donatist women dedicated to celibacy who preferred self-precipitation to forced marriage, the most famous of them being the Three virgins of Tuburga.

Later opinion by Augustine of Hippo
While Augustine knew both the Catholic story of Marculus as suicide and the Donatist report of martyrdom, he still made no certain judgment.

The Passio Benedicti Martyris Marculi
Marculus' martyrdom is chronicled in the contemporary Donatist account Passio benedicti martyris Marculi. Similar to other Donatist martyr stories, this narrative is crafted with the purpose of connecting the courage of contemporary martyrs with those who suffered under pagan authorities. Rich in apocalyptic imagery, the Passio Marculi positions emperor Constans as a central figure portrayed as the “dragon” who unleashes “two beasts” against the true church. The extreme antipathy towards Constans, denouncing him as “Antichrist” finds parallels in the writings of Cyprian and Tertullian. The Passio serves as an apocalyptic drama where the Macarian persecution signals the Last Judgment, depicting the traditor church (Catholics) and the tyrannical empire (Romans) as Antichrist's servitors.