Talk:Dorothea

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[edit] Source

What is the source of those death years estimations? Dorothea of Caesarea could not have been executed by Diocletian in 311. He was in retirement since 305. Dorothea of Alexandrea could not have been executed by Maximinus in 320. He was already deceased in 313. User:Dimadick

Sigh. This is the fault of my source, then. You know, Father Alban Butler ought to have known, what with his Classical education. Omelbert was the other source, and, again, he should have known. I'll see if I can find more. Geogre 17:39, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, the fault is mine. Butler knew his emperors: her parents were killed by Diocletian, and she died under the Diocletian persecution, which continued, but she was a victim of the marriage laws, apparently. Quite a few medieval virgin martyrs have stories that emphasize that brief law (fear over declining native Roman population led to several commands from different emperors demanding that noble women marry and produce children). The story was popular because of how well it worked as a cautionary tale for nuns, and that's one reason for the popularity of this saint. My error on the second saint is my source's fault. It was the Cambridge Guide, which has demonstrated to me enough errors in other matters that I plan to use it less and less. Geogre 17:47, 7 March 2006 (UTC)