List of Christians martyred during the reign of Diocletian
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The reign of the emperor Diocletian (284−305) marked the final widespread persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. The most intense period of violence came after Diocletian issued an edict in 303 more strictly enforcing adherence to the traditional religious practices of Rome in conjunction with Imperial cult. Modern historians estimate that during this period, known as the Diocletianic or Great Persecution and extending several years beyond the reign of Diocletian, as many as 3,000−3,500 Christians were executed under the authority of Imperial edicts.[1]
The church historian Eusebius, a Bishop of Caesarea who lived through both the "Little Peace" of the Church and the Great Persecution, is a major source for identifying Christian martyrs in this period. Martyr narratives flourished later as a genre of Christian literature, but are not contemporary with the persecutions and are often of dubious historicity. This article lists both historical and legendary figures traditionally identified as martyrs during the reign of Diocletian.
Martyrs of Palestine
The names of the following martyrs are recorded by Eusebius in his work The Martyrs of Palestine:
- Procopius of Scythopolis, 7 July, 303
- Timolaus and Companions, 303
- Alphaeus and Zacchaeus, 303 or 304
- Romanus of Caesarea, 303 or 304
- Aphian 2 April, 305
Martyrs of Nicomedia
In his Church History, Eusebius discusses the martyrdoms at Nicomedia, naming two:
- Gorgonius of Nicomedia, 304
- Anthimus of Nicomedia, 304
Attested in early sources
- Saint Sebastian, c.288, first attested by Ambrose, bishop of Milan 374–397
- Euphemia, 303, attested in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum and the Fasti vindobonenses
- Felix and Adauctus, c.303, attested in the works of Pope Gregory I (late 6th century) and in a miraculous martyrology by Ado in the 9th century that may have drawn on a 4th-century record by Pope Damasus I
- Agnes of Rome, c.304, recorded by Ambrose
- Marcellinus and Peter, 304, first recorded by Damasus
Largely or wholly legendary
- Saints Chrysanthus and Daria
- Nicasius, Quirinus, Scubiculus, and Pientia
- Castulus and his wife Irene of Rome
- Mark and Marcellian
- Saints Tiburtius and Susanna
- Victor of Marseilles
- Pope Caius
- Saint Gabinus, died c.300, according to tradition
- Sabinus of Spoleto, c.300, according to tradition
- Anthony of Antioch, Celsus and Marcionilla
- Eulalia of Barcelona February 12, 303, according to tradition
- Quirinus of Tegernsee
- Engratia 303, according to tradition
- Saint George April 23, 303, according to tradition
- Victor Maurus c.303, according to tradition
- Agathius May 8, 303, according to tradition
- Erasmus of Formiae c.303, according to tradition
- Vitus
- Cyriacus
- Alexander of Bergamo
- Anastasius of Antioch, Julian and Basilissa
- Vincent of Saragossa c. 304, according to tradition
- Victoria of Albitina c.304, according to tradition
- Agape, Chionia, and Irene 304, according to tradition
- Fidelis of Como c.304, according to tradition
- Acisclus of Córdoba 304, according to tradition
- Leocadia of Toledo c. 304, according to tradition
- Quiricus and Julietta 304, according to tradition
- Eulalia of Mérida
- Proculus of Pozzuoli and Januarius c.305, according to tradition
- Vincent, Orontius, and Victor 305, according to tradition
- Saint Chrysogonus
- Saint Acacius, according to tradition
- Anastasia of Sirmium, according to tradition
- Saint Philomena, according to tradition
- Pancras of Rome
Citations
- ↑ Frend, Martyrdom and Persecution, 393–94; Liebeschuetz, 251–52.
References
- Frend, William H.C. Martyrdom and persecution in the early church: a study of a conflict from the Maccabees to Donatus. New York University Press, 1967. Reissued in 2008 by James Clarke Company, U.K. ISBN 0-227-17229-9
- Liebeschuetz, J. H. W. G. Continuity and Change in Roman Religion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979. ISBN 0-19-814822-4