In an unprecedented archaeological discovery, a small silver amulet measuring just 3.5 centimeters has revolutionized historical understanding of Christianity north of the Alps. This find, known as the Frankfurt Silver Inscription, contains a delicate rolled sheet with 18 engraved lines in Latin, whose interpretation is reshaping established paradigms about the spread of Christianity during the later Roman Empire. Discovered in 2018 in the ancient Roman city of Nida, the predecessor to modern Frankfurt, this artifact is redefining the chronology of Christianity in Central Europe.
The amulet was found in a Roman tomb dated between 230 and 270 CE, making it the oldest testimony to a purely Christian faith north of the Alps. Until now, traces of Christianity in this region were at least 50 years later, primarily from the 4th century CE. Although historical texts mention Christian communities in regions such as Gaul or the province of Upper Germania as early as the late 2nd century, there was no tangible archaeological evidence of such an early Christian presence. This discovery, therefore, rewinds the clock of history and positions Frankfurt as the epicenter of the first Christian testimony in the area.
The analysis of the inscription, deciphered using advanced technologies like computed tomography, reveals that the amulet’s wearer was a devout Christian. The Latin words include direct references to Jesus Christ, mentioning the “Trisagion” — a liturgical hymn of praise that gained prominence centuries later — and an excerpt from the Christological Hymn of St. Paul (Philippians 2:10-11). This not only confirms the Christian faith of the deceased but also demonstrates an advanced theological knowledge, likely transmitted by well-organized Christian communities.

The text stands out for its exclusively Christian nature, distinguishing it from other contemporary amulets that often combined elements from various religious traditions, such as Judaism or paganism. The absence of references to other beliefs strengthens the hypothesis that Christianity, although a minority and persecuted faith, was already firmly rooted in certain segments of Roman society.
The discovery in Nida highlights the importance of this city as an administrative and cultural center of the Roman Empire. Located in the territory of the Germanic Limes, the empire’s frontier east of the Rhine, Nida was a melting pot of influences from across the Roman world. Its strategic position made it a place of interaction between religious traditions, which may have facilitated the early introduction of Christianity.
In addition to the amulet, the tomb contained other significant objects, such as a censer and a ceramic jug, suggesting rituals of a religious nature. However, the small amulet, found beneath the chin of the deceased, stands out as the most personal and revealing testimony of their faith.
The analysis process reflects advances in archaeological sciences. Due to the fragility of the silver sheet, researchers used high-resolution computed tomography to scan and virtually reconstruct the inscription without physically unrolling it. This method allowed the artifact to be preserved while its content was deciphered.

Interdisciplinary studies between archaeology, theology, and philology have been essential in interpreting the text: (In the name?) of Saint Titus. Holy, holy, holy! In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of God. The lord of the world resists the best he can all captures(?)/setbacks(?). The god(?) grants welfare. Revenue. This rescue device(?) protects the person who surrenders to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for before Jesus Christ all knees bow: those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confesses (to Jesus Christ).
Prof. Dr. Marcus Gwechenberger, Head of the Department of Planning and Housing and responsible for the Office of Monuments, commented that in the 3rd century CE, when Christianity was still subject to reprisals but was a growing cult, identifying as Christian was a great risk. However, for this man from Frankfurt, his faith was apparently so important that he carried it with him to the grave. To what extent he could practice and profess his faith, or whether the amulet’s contents remained a secret, remains to be seen. In any case, the text makes it clear that Nida was by no means a peripheral region at the time but shared cultural influences from across the empire, being close to the provincial capital of Mogontiacum/Mainz, especially as its population came from various parts of the empire.
The find was preserved and restored at the Archaeological Museum of Frankfurt. During the excavation, it was already known that the amulet contained a fine silver sheet with an inscription. Microscopic and X-ray examinations in 2019 confirmed this, but it would take years before the text could be confidently deciphered. The silver sheet itself is too fragile and brittle to unroll due to the time spent in the ground. It would disintegrate if an attempt were made to unroll it. The breakthrough finally came in May 2024 when it was examined with a state-of-the-art computed tomograph at the Leibniz Center for Archaeology in Mainz (LEIZA).
The evaluation of the find’s significance by experts in early Christianity and theologians is just beginning. Some of the formulations in the text are undocumented until many decades later. For instance, the beginning of the Frankfurt Silver Inscription references Saint Titus, a disciple and confidant of the Apostle Paul, as well as the invocation “Holy, holy, holy!” which was unknown in Christian liturgy until the 4th century CE (Trisagion). At the end, the text also contains a near-literal quote from Paul’s Christological Hymn in his letter to the Philippians (Phil. 2:10-11).
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