A 3rd-century silver amulet bearing an early Christian inscription, discovered in Frankfurt, is reshaping our understanding of early Christianity’s spread in Northern Europe. Researchers say it pushes back the known history of Christianity in the region by 50 to 100 years.
The amulet, unearthed in 2018 during a Roman cemetery excavation, was revealed to the public by city officials during a press conference on Wednesday, December 11. Measuring just three and a half centimeters long, the small artifact bears a rare Latin inscription.
Burial details reveal personal faith
The burial site, dated between 230 and 270 CE, belonged to a man aged 35 to 45. He was buried with personal items, including a clay jug and an incense censer. The presence of a Christian inscription on his grave shows that he likely identified openly as a Christian.
Decoding the earliest Christian inscription of Northern Europe
Inside the amulet, researchers found a thin piece of silver foil inscribed with 18 lines of text. Due to the fragility of the foil, experts at the Leibniz Center for Archaeology in Mainz used a CT scanner to virtually “unroll” the sheet and create a 3D model of the inscription. Markus Scholz, an ancient historian from Goethe University Frankfurt, led the effort.
The inscription, written entirely in Latin, contains prayers invoking Jesus Christ. Scholz noted this was unusual for the time, as similar amulets typically featured inscriptions in Greek or Hebrew. The text begins with a mention of Saint Titus, a follower of the Apostle Paul, and includes a plea for protection from “Jesus Christ, Son of God.”
The prayer also references the Trisagion, a “Holy, Holy, Holy” chant that later became part of 4th-century Christian liturgy. The message concludes with a phrase resembling the Christ hymn from Paul’s letter to the Philippians (Philippians 2:10-11).
A silver amulet with a Christian inscription dating back to Roman times(Roman Times ended long before Christian times began) was excavated in Frankfurt am Main. The history of Christianity in the region therefore began earlier than previously thought. pic.twitter.com/LPc7AwQ71G
— vijay banga (@lekh27) December 11, 2024
Nida: A hub of Roman influence
This discovery shows that Nida, the Roman city that preceded modern Frankfurt, was not a remote border town. It had cultural influences across the Roman Empire, reflecting its diverse population.
Nida was an important centre for administration, trade, and religion, known as the main town of the Roman region, Civitas Taunensium. The amulet’s inscription challenges previous beliefs that Christianity only took root north of the Alps in the 4th century CE.
Implications for multiple fields of study
The discovery has broad implications for multiple fields, including archaeology, religious studies, and anthropology. Frankfurt’s Cultural and Science Department Head, Dr. Ina Hartwig, described the find as “extraordinary.”
Frankfurt’s Planning Department Head, Marcus Gwechenberger, highlighted the significance for the city, “The first Christian north of the Alps was a Frankfurter.”
Researchers are now analyzing the bones from the grave to determine the man’s origins. Isotope tests are underway to clarify whether he was a resident of Nida or came from elsewhere in the Roman Empire.