His Apology was addressed to the magistrates of the Roman Empire, particularly the proconsul of Carthage. On subject of the persecution of the Christians, he argued that a Christian was not a criminal and that, apart from being a Christian, he had committed no criminal offence. Tertullian skillfully ridiculed the way magistrates tried to persecute Christians. He argued that a magistrate would judge a common criminal and a Christian differently when both denied the charges brought against them, keeping an open mind for the former but allowing his bias to convince him of the latter's guilt.