ARNOBII / DISPVTATIONVM // ADVERSVS GENTES // LIBRI OCTO // NUNC PRIMUM IN // LUCEM EDITI. // ROMAE. // APVD FRANC. PRISCIANEN. // FLORENTINVM.

Rome / Romae: Francesco Priscianese, , c.1542. Slight browning to some pages; in very good condition . Binding: Contemporary vellum. Spine with five (5) raised bands and ink title on two; trace of old label on spine. All edges speckled red. , Notes: The seven books of Advensus gentes, Edited by Franciscus Priscianensis and Hieronymus Ferrarius. Dedication (to Franois I of France) dated (a2v) “Calen. Septembris 1543.” Colophon ([R7r]) dated 1542. The first edition of a defense of the Christian faith and an attack on paganism, with ample descriptions of idolatrous rites and beliefs. Printed from an imperfect manuscript found in Paris, it required extensive text editing. This is an unusally tall copy, clean and beautifully printed. According to Jerome's chronicle, Arnobius of Sicca (+ c. 330), early Christian apologist of Berber origin during the reign of Diocletian (284–305), was a distinguished Numidian rhetorician prior to his conversion in Sicca Veneria (El Kef, Tunisia), a major Christian center in Proconsular Africa. Jerome stated that, to help the local bishop overcome his doubts as to the earnestness of his Christian belief, he wrote (c. 303, from evidence in IV:36) an apologetic work in seven books called ‘Adversus Gentes’ entitled ‘Adversus Nationes’ in the only (9th-century) manuscript that survived. , Size: Folio (305x208mm) , Provenance: Title and dedication leaves watermarked with an anchor design. , References: Graesse I 225, NUC 22.74-75. Ind. Aur. 108.890; Brunet I: 491; BM STC Italian: 56; Adams A1994. Ascarelli: 12. , Pages: Pp. 107 leaves. , Category: Book Religious Christianity; Book Europe Italy; Book Early Printed 1500;