The Ante-Nicene Church · AD 180–313
Crispina of Thagara
d. 5 December 304 · Noblewoman · Martyr of Africa · Numidia
The Ante-Nicene Church
Who Crispina of Thagara was
A wealthy married noblewoman of Numidia beheaded at Theveste under Diocletian for refusing to sacrifice — her authentic proconsular Acts survive, a crisp courtroom exchange with the proconsul Anullinus. Augustine, who cites her repeatedly, ranked her with Perpetua and Felicity as one of Africa’s great women martyrs: “Who in Africa does not know of the most blessed Crispina?” Her insistence — “I will gladly lose my hair, my head, if only I may not deny my God” — made her, for the African church, the aristocratic counterpart to the slave and matron of a century before.
Also listed in martyrs, women and the great persecution.
Common questions
When did Crispina die?
Crispina of Thagara is dated d. 5 December 304 in the archive, which places Crispina in the Ante-Nicene Church (AD 180–313).
Which early sources mention Crispina?
Crispina of Thagara is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from The African court record and Augustine of Hippo. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Crispina from?
The archive associates Crispina of Thagara with Numidia.
Who were Crispina’s contemporaries?
The archive links Crispina of Thagara to 3 other figures, including Vibia Perpetua, Emperor Diocletian and Anullinus, Proconsul of Africa. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (2)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
The Acts of Crispina (the proconsular record)
c. AD 304Enarrations on the Psalms 120, 137
c. AD 410Who does not know the most blessed Crispina, whom all Africa knows, for she was of the most noble birth, most wealthy?… yet she was crowned because she conquered.Augustine of Hippo · source text
Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 235 · Maximinus Thrax targets the clergy, AD 235
- AD 250 · The Decian persecution, AD 250
- AD 251 · The Novatianist schism, AD 251
- AD 257 · The Valerian persecution, AD 257
- AD 260 · Gallienus’ edict of toleration, AD 260
- AD 268 · Antioch deposes Paul of Samosata, AD 268
- AD 272 · Aurelian awards the Antioch church, AD 272
- AD 301 · Hripsime and her company, AD 301
- AD 303 · The Great Persecution begins, AD 303
- AD 303 · The search of the church at Cirta, AD 303
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Crispina.
- 1Numidiaprovince only