Dangerous Secret Societies?

The heroic efforts of the firemen in San Diego county are much appreciated by local residents. They have done an extraordinary job–and continue to do it–operating in dangerous, windy conditions with little sleep and often only the food and water they can carry on them.

Yet not everyone in history has held such a high opinion of fire departments. I was put in mind of the instructions that the second century emperor Trajan gave to Pliny the Younger about having fire departments.

From the correspondence of Pliny and Trajan:

Pliny to Trajan:

A desolating fire broke out in Nicomedia, and destroyed a number of private houses, and two public buildings — the almshouse and the temple of Isis — although a road ran between them. The fire was allowed to spread farther than it need, first owing to the violent wind; second, to the laziness of the citizens, it being generally agreed they stood idly by without moving, and simply watched the conflagration. Besides there was not a single public fire engine or bucket in the place, and not one solitary appliance for mastering a fire. However, these will be provided upon orders I have already given. But, Sire, I would have you consider whether you think a fire company of about 150 men ought not to be formed? I will take care that no one not a genuine fireman shall be admitted, and that the guild should not misapply the charter granted it. Again there would be no trouble in keeping an eye on so small a body.

Trajan to Pliny:

You have formed the idea of a possible fire company at Nicomedia on the model of various others already existing; but remember that the province of Bithynia, and especially city-states like Nicomedia, are the prey of factions. Give them the name we may, and however good be the reasons for organization, such associations will soon degenerate into dangerous secret societies. It is better policy to provide fire apparatus, and to encourage property holders to make use of them, and if need comes, press the crowd which collects into the same service.

SOURCE.

No fire departments? Having untrained people fighting a fire?

Sheesh!

Thank God we’ve got fire departments today!

Three cheers for the San Diego firefighters!

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

14 thoughts on “Dangerous Secret Societies?”

  1. As a fireman, I do find this humorous.
    However, I’m wondering where they found fire “engines” in 151 AD? Hand pumps, perhaps?:)

  2. The Romans used hand pumps, similar to those used here in the 19th century. I think that our firefighting system is superior to the old days: I recall reading about rival firefighting companies getting into brawls over who would get to put out a fire!
    In my neighborhood, the fire station is next door to a Masonic Hall. Coincidence?

  3. “Secret societies” perhaps isn’t the best translation, but it’s close enough. I still remember the hilarity when we first read those letters back in school.
    One of the best bits is the way–not included in your linked translations for obvious reasons–Pliny begins his correspondence (on this and to other disasters under his purview, like a city wasting buckets of cash on several uncompleted aqueducts) by making it clear that he was in another part of the province doing important things at the time of the fire, and the catastrophe is therefore totally in no way his fault.
    Heck of a job, Pliny.

  4. May God bless and protect fire fighters.
    Not have an organized, publicly-funded fire fighting service seems like madness to us today. But it was not always so.
    I saw this history of fire fighting in London since Roman times. Apart from the technology, the biggest difference which struck me was that after the 1666 Great Fire of London

    Insurance companies were granted charters to provide fire assurances and they realised it was in their own interests to hire men to put out fires in buildings under their cover. They introduced new fire engines, some of them designed on the continent, and firefighters were recruited from the watermen who plied the Thames.

    Every policy holder was issued with a metal badge or fire mark which was fixed to the outside of a building. When a fire broke out it was not unusual for more than one company’s ‘brigade’ to arrive at the scene. If the fire mark was not their own, they would leave the building, quite often to burn.

  7. Go back about 200 years before Trajan and read upn Marcus Licinius Crassus (Julius Caesar’s triumvirate partner along with Pompey). Crassus was a Roman real estate mogul who also happened to own a private fire fighting company. Funny thing is that whenever there was a piece of property that Crassus wanted to buy it would “mysteriously” catch fire. Crassus fire company would show up, but you had to pay for the service. Shortly thereafter Crassus would show up and make an offer to the owner for the wreckage.

  11. I remember an even shadier version of the story: Crassus’s firefighters would show up at every fire that broke out in the city, but they would do absolutely nothing. An agent of Crassus’s would offer to buy the still-burning building – an offer the owner couldn’t refuse, since the alternative was zilch.
    Then the firefighters would douse the fire.

  12. nope, I’m me and bill912 is someone else. I meant that I accidentally posted anonymously about Crassus’ fire department scheme.

  13. Hmm..how do we know that current day fire fighters have not been plotting to take over the world?

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