Tertullian’s Attack on the Valentinians and the Rhetoric of Fake

In the second century AD Carthage was a major metropolis, buzzing with life. Its advantageous location and the presence of the Roman governor made it the capital of the political, economic, and cultural life of the province. In fact, its influence extended beyond the provincial borders: thanks to a steady growth since its refoundation (by Julius Caesar in 44 BC ), it had become one of the most important cities in the Roman empire, second only to Rome in the Western Mediterranean. In this lively metropolis Christianity flourished, and by the end of the second century it had reached the