An Account of Those who Suffered in the Fourth Century

[This sorrowful time began with the Tenth General Persecution, set on foot by Diocletian and carried on by Maximian, his associate; which brought about a very severe and distressing state of affairs, both in the violence of the persecution and in its long duration.

In order to proceed in an orderly way, we have set out each year separately with its own martyrs. In the first year of this persecution Anthimus and many others at Nicomedia; Phileas, Cassianus; Eulalia and Eucratis, aged virgins, laid down their lives for the evangelical truth.

In the second year, Euplius, Pancratius, a youth of fourteen years; Justus; Felix of Thibaris; the two brothers, Primus and Felicianus, suffered martyrdom.

In the third year: Apphianus, Ulpianus, Aedesius, Agathopius and Theodulus; Julitta of Iconia; forty youths, laid down their lives.

In the fourth year Sylvanus, Januarius, Sosius, Proculus, Pelagia, Theonas, Cyrenia, and Juliana, were martyred.

In the fifth year Theodosia, a virgin of Tyre, Pamphilius, a friend of Eusebius, at Caesarea, were put to death.

In the sixth year Ennathas, a virgin from the city of Scythopolis; Catharina, of Alexandria, suffered death.

In the seventh year Ares, Promus, and Elias, at Askalon; Peter Abselamus; the three sisters, Biblis, Aquilina, and Fortunata, poured out their blood.

In the eighth year two sisters from Antioch; Irene, with her two sisters, Peter Nilus and P. Mythius; forty who were beheaded; Martionilla, Euphratesia, seven brothers and others were forced to die.

In the ninth year Lucian, elder at Antioch, Peter, Faustus, Didius, and Ammonius, Anysia, a girl of Thessalonica, and Demetrius, suffered death.

In the tenth year Eugenius Auxentius, Maodatius, and many others were put to death.

Then follow two other persecutions, one under Lucinius, the other under Julian, which are called the eleventh and the twelfth persecutions.

Under Lucinius, Basileus and Ammon suffered; also the two brothers, Donatian and Rogatian, of whom the one was baptized and the other was not.

Under Julian, John and Paul, who opposed war, were put to death; and some were killed under the Emperor Valens.

After these details we conclude the account of this century.]

In the year 301. "At this time," writes P. J. Twisck, "the persecution was very severe; for when the Emperor, namely Diocletian, would amuse himself in the theater, the whole multitude of the people called out to him ten times that the Christians should not be tolerated, and twelve times that they should be exterminated." Chron., 4th book, page 85, column 1, from Merul., folio 237. Leonh., book 1. [n238-1]

In the preceding century, in the year 284, in connection with the beginning of the reign of Diocletian, we mentioned the first bloody edict issued by this Emperor against the pious and steadfast Christians, upon which followed the death of some of them, as may be seen in the cases of Claudius, Asterius, Neon, Zenobius, and the pious Christian women, Nuina, Theonilla, Zenobia, sister of the previously mentioned Zenobius, and so on, most of whom died at Tarsus, in Cilicia, the birthplace of the apostle Paul, for the testimony of Jesus, their Savior. This continued from that same year until the close of that century, as we have related in the proper place.

But in the same place we also mentioned a second edict by the same Emperor, which, about nineteen years afterward, was followed by the most violent persecution of the Christians. We promised to speak of this more fully, and now intend to do so, having come to the very time in which began this, the severest and most grievous persecution, which is called the tenth.