Example of an Observations and Questions for the Perpetua document.

Who wrote this document? Can we trust that it is a true account of a historical event? What does it tell us about early Christians' views of their religion? of the family? of the persecution taking place in Rome? of Roman reasons for persecuting Christians?

Most of it is in the first person, but the beginning and ending were clearly not written by Perpetua herself. The ending makes it clear that it was edited by a devout Christian who wanted to use the example of Perpetua as inspiration for other Christians. This raises the question of whether this author edited the original narrative to make it more inspirational, or even made the whole thing up. Does it seem as if the editor was writing close to the events or long after? Was he a witness or relying on a text he had come upon?

Much of the text concerns Perpetua's relationship with her family and her child. She does not follow the traditional doctrine of honoring the parents. Although she loves both her father and child, they are of much less importance to her than her faith. She is happy when he father goes away, and says that he used the arguments of the devil to seduce her. She grieved for her father not because her whole family would suffer because of her, but because he was not happy she was going to die. She looked at martyrdom not merely as something she had to accept but as something to rejoice in. Would she have considered it right for someone to go out and actively try to be a martyr?

Apparently early Christians thought that visions from God would be common for believers, since the brother suggests that Perpetua had the right to ask for one because of her persistence in her belief. What do the visions mean? Do they fit in with well-known religious themes or stories? What does it mean that Perpetua became a man in one vision? What does this say about Roman or Christian beliefs? Why is the devil an Egyptian?

The Romans did not ask that she give up her religion, but only that she should make a sacrifice for the emperor's success. Could she have honorably done this? Did Perpetua and the Romans understand each other's positions correctly? The Romans seem to see it as a question of patriotism not religion. What could have happened to make it possible for the emperor to accept Christianity only 80 years later? What does the Eusebius document suggest about this question