E01755: According to a polemical treatise by Optatus, Donatist circumcelliones killed by the Roman army in the mid-fourth century were commemorated by altars and buried in Donatist basilicas. The latter practice, however, raised some doubts among Donatist clergy. Against Parmenianus by Optatus, bishop of Milevis (Latin North Africa), writing in Latin, in Africa, c. 364/384.

Optatus of Milevis, Against Parmenianus 3.4.6-7

Optatus explains circumstances in which a number of Donatists were killed by the Roman army in the 340s or 350s, trying to convince the readers that the massacre was provoked by those who finally fell its victim.

Tunc Taurinus ad eorum litteras ire militem iussit armatum per nundinas ubi circumcellionum furor uagari consueuerat. In loco Octauensi occisi sunt plurimi et detruncati sunt multi quorum corpora usque in hodiernum per dealbatas aras aut mensas potuerunt numerari. Ex quorum numero cum aliqui in basilicis sepeliri coepissent, Clarus presbyter in loco Subbullensi ab episcopo suo coactus est ut insepultam faceret sepulturam. Vnde proditum est mandatum fuisse fieri quod factum est quando nec sepultura in domo Dei exhiberi concessa est. Eorum postea conualuerat multitudo.

'Then Taurinus, in response to their letters, ordered an armed military force to proceed through all the market-towns, where the madness of the circumcellions was wont to rove. In the locus Octaviensis hosts were killed and many decapitated, whose bodies could be numbered up to this day among the whitewashed altars and tables. When the burial of some of this number had commenced, Clarus the presbyter in the locus Subbulensis was compelled by his bishop to undo the burial.'

Text: Labrousse 1995, 40. Translation: Edwards 1997, 69 (slightly adapted). Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.