The unique silver amulet found in an ancient burial in Germany has become one of the oldest testimonies of Christianity in the north of the Alps. This find, dated to the III century AD, attracted the attention of scientists in their unusual text in Latin, which can change the idea of the spread and practice of Christianity in the Roman Empire.
The amulet, only 3.5 cm long, was found in a grave in Frankfurt. He belonged to a person who lived between 230 and 270 AD. Inside the amulet was a thin scroll of silver foil, which contained the text of Latin. Researchers from the Center for Archeology named after Leibniz in Mainz have spent six years on the restoration and analysis of the artifact, and now shared their conclusions. Such amulets, known as filacteria, were usually used to protect against disease, demons or healing. They are most often found in the Eastern Mediterranean, but very rarely in the western regions of the Roman Empire. The presence of this amulet in Germany shows that in the III century Christianity penetrated the outskirts of the empire.
According to scientists, the text of the amulet is exclusively Christian and does not mix different beliefs, which has been widespread practice in other such artifacts. In it, the owner appeals to Jesus Christ for help, protection and well -being, trusting his fate of "the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God." The unusual find is that the text is written in Latin, while most such amulets contain Greek or Jewish inscriptions. The amulet is also important, because it demonstrates the earliest example of the use of certain Christian phrases, which became common only in the IV century AD. Given that in the Roman Empire, Christianity was banned, the finding of this amulet in burial is an important evidence that faith was of extreme importance to the owner, despite the risks of persecution.
This discovery provides a new context for understanding the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire and confirms that faith has evolved and adapted even on the outskirts of the empire, emphasizing its importance for early followers.
