List of Christians killed during the reign of Diocletian
The reign of 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 traditional religious practices. Modern historians estimate that during this period, known as the Diocletianic or Great Persecution, as many as 3,000−3,500 Christians were killed by the Roman Empire.[1] Diocletian's successor, Constantine the Great formally ended the Empire's persecution of Christians in 313 with his Edict of Milan, which created religious toleration throughout the Empire.
This is a list of Christian martyrs who were killed during the during the reign of Diocletian and as a result of the Diocletianic Persecution, along with the likely date and place of their martyrdom:
- Saints Chrysanthus and Daria (October 25, 283, Rome)
- Nicasius, Quirinus, Scubiculus, and Pientia (October 11, 285, Gaul)
- Castulus (March 26, 286, Rome) and his wife Irene of Rome (288, Rome)
- Mark and Marcellian (June 18, 286, Rome)
- Saints Tiburtius and Susanna (August 11, 286, Rome)
- Saint Sebastian (January 20, 288, Rome)
- Victor of Marseilles (July 21, 290, Rome)
- Pope Caius (April 22, 296, Rome)
- Saint Gabinus (May 30, 300, Porto Torres)
- Sabinus of Spoleto (December 7, 300, Spoleto)
- Anthony of Antioch, Celsus and Marcionilla (January 9, 302)
- Eulalia of Barcelona (February 12, 303, Barcelona)
- Quirinus of Tegernsee (March 25, 303)
- Cessianus (303)
- Engratia (April 16, 303, Zaragoza)
- Saint George (April 23, 303, Nicomedia )
- Victor Maurus (May 8, 303, Milan)
- Agathius (May 8, 303, Byzantium)
- Erasmus of Formiae (June 2, 303, Rome)
- Vitus (June 15, 303, Lucania)
- Cyriacus (August 8, 303, Rome)
- Alexander of Bergamo (August 26, 303, Rome)
- Anastasius of Antioch, Julian and Basilissa (January 9, 304, Antioch)
- Agnes of Rome (January 21, 304, Rome)
- Vincent of Saragossa (January 22, 304, Valentia)
- Victoria of Albitina (February 11, 304)
- Gorgonius (March 12, 304, Nicomidia)
- Agape, Chionia, and Irene (April 3, 304, Macedonia)
- Margaret the Virgin (July 20, 304)
- Proculus of Pozzuoli and Januarius (October 18, 304, Solfatara)
- Fidelis of Como (October 28, 304, north side of Lake Como)
- Acisclus (November 17, 304, Córdoba)
- Leocadia of Toledo (thought to be December 9, 304, Toledo, Spain) [2]
- Eulalia of Mérida (December 10, 304, Emerita Augusta)
- Vincent, Orontius, and Victor (January 22, 305, Puigcerda)
- Aphian (April 2, 305,Caesarea Maritima)
- Quiricus and Julietta (July 15, 305, Tarsus)
- Catherine of Alexandria (November 25, 305, Alexandria)
- Agapius (November 20, 306, Caesarea Maritima)
- Pamphilus of Caesarea (February 16, 309, Caesarea Maritima)
- Quirinus of Sescia (June 4, 309, Sescia)
- Pope Peter of Alexandria (November 25, 311, Alexandria)
- Saint Chrysogonus (November 24, year unknown, Aquileia)
- Saint Acacius (November 27, year unknown, Sebaste)
- Anastasia of Sirmium (December 22, year unknown, Sirmium)
- Saint Leontius of Perga
- Saint Attius of Perga
- Saint Alexander of Perga
- Saint Apodemus of Saragossa
- Maura and Britta (Tours)
Citations
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