Two Notes on the Great Persecution Norman H. Baynes The Classical Quarterly, Vol. 18, No. 3/4. (Jul. - Oct., 1924), pp. 189-194. Stable URL hitp:/flinks.jstor-org/sicisici=0009-8388% 28 192407%2F 10%291%3A 18%3 A3%2F4%3C189%3ATNOTGPS3E CO%3B2-0 ‘The Classical Quarterly is currently published by The Classical Association Your use of the ISTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at hup:/www,jstororglabout/terms.hml. ISTOR’s Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at hupulwww.jstor.orgijournals/classieal html ch copy of any part of'a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the sereen or printed page of such transmission, ISTOR is an independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of scholarly journals. For more information regarding JSTOR, please contact support @ jstor.org. hupulwww jstor.org/ Thu May 25 16:07:46 2006TWO NOTES ON THE GREAT PERSECUTION. 1. Te Fours Eoier.—A Svocestion. ‘Wn was the author of the Fourth Edict nthe grest persecution of Dieletin's rlga we do not know. Its precise terms ate not recorded of the date of its sue ‘wevarenot informed, Its true that Mr. Kidd has receatly written" “On April 30, 5o4, Maximian pot out the Fourth Edict in the name of himself and his co. Augustus but he disereetlyforbaars to give the reader any hat of the source on which be bases that statement. It may be doubted whether he has any beter futhorty in mind than the ambiguous Passio S, Sabin which, as even Me. Mason Admitted many years ago, "is notin the highest class of the historical relics of is ‘age’ If indeed, this supposition doesnot do Mr. Kidd an injustic, it would have ben well to have given some rezoned defence ofthe document, Dufoureq” regards the Perio S. Sabin’ ne a product of the Ostogothic period, and contends tht ite picturesque exordium does not depend upoo any ealier source. Until his detailed Exits of the Pasnon ie sswered, we can hardly ase it fr the reconstruction ofthe bistory of the fourth century. ‘As is well known, the two realy distinctive phases of the persecution are respectively marked by the isrue of the First and Fourls Edie, That distinction is preserved in the records of the African Chutch by the two terms dit traditions ed dies thurfetioni—the asrrender of Christan writings and of church foriture, and the compulsion to sctfice. Lactantius i will be remembered, doesnot distinguish leary im his account between the diferent edict, and combines the dies traditions land the dir ther fesionis; Ensebivs alter a date cause, which marks that the eocond Year of the persecution has begun (ce. Easter, 3) relates the arial of Urbans As governor of Palestine: after this the imperil edict ordering geal stcrfce and [Mhation is published, and the narrative then proceeds to recouat the contemporaneous deaths of Timotheos in Gaza, and of Agapics, Thea, and si others in Caesarea on March 24-—i.e in the year 395 1s there any earlier daie than this for the application of the Fourth Edict inthe provinces immediately subject to Diceletian? 1 do not profess to be able to find ‘ay way in the maze of Egyptian martyrologies* but, so far as I know, the caly Felevast document for out present purpose isthe Aula Philae t Phono, The martyrdom of Phileas and Philoromus took place under the prasfect Culcianus ‘The dates ofthe prafects of Egypt a the time of the great persecation have been hotly dsputed* Eusebise names Culcianus (H.£. IX. rr 4) and Hierocles (Mart 3, long recension; Aw. Boll. XVL, p. 1373 ed. Schwart,p. 919). Culeianus appear as prasoct in a document of the year 303 (Pap. Or. L.,p £32; ef. Cantrell, 1A oy of the Clark te a. 8, Ly 4CL H, Delage, Ls Mery Fe Am Bal, Xe wo 81590384 Tl Saptoar ds Ry Prcaig of Sty of Ri “paseo, De Mort Pat lt ad Unrctagon enh Hae TV Pest sot sre of he precae meaning of the words pp apah’ M. Deine, dx: Bal, Xi (9 Sent ran baer eta,199 NORMAN H. BAYNES Mencrc. XIV. . 328). Hiatocles atthe beginning ofthe persecution was consulatis of Dithynia (Lact De Mort Por, XVI. 4), and. most therefore have succeeded Caleiands. Bpiphanius (Hacy. LXVIIL; Migne, P.G.XLIL, pp. 184-5) must be in terror in stating that Caleanus was governor of the Thebaid while Hieocles was prasfect of Alexandria. ‘The doubtful point is therelore the date at which Hierocles Entered on bis ofice. P. Delehaye has recently argued that Hlieroles must have become pracfect of Egypt ia the year 305. I balieve that this conteaton canzot be supported. Hierocles was praefert of Bgypt at the time of the martyrdom of Aedesis, who was executed shortly after (ouupiv ng. xpiny Sorgon, Schwarts, -919) the martyrdom of is brother Aphianus, who sufeted on April 3. OF what yer? P, Delebaye supposes ths to be April, 305. But the succession of events in Busebias, Mart. Pal, is: Second year ofthe persecution begin cx. Haste, 304)— Fourth Edict poblished; March 24, 305, martyrdom of Timotheos and others— atbicaton of Diocletian; in the couse of the Hird year of persecution Maximin fends out leters ordering universal sacrifice; on Apil2 Aphianus suffers martyrdom, dnd ‘a litle Inter" Aedesius appears before Hierocles. The year must be 3052 Hieroles ned not, therefory have entered upon his office until some time after April 2, 306. The martyrdom of Phileas and Philoromas on Febreary 2 a¢ the bands of Calcanus may fal inthe spring of 305 "For our present parpote we cannot male use of the Acta of Claudins, Astrivs, and Neon. For the two Latin reensions of these Acta ef (.) Surius (1573) 1V. pp. 873-875: (ik) Ruinart (1855), pp- 505-3115 and cl. Speaaniam ec Constantine Polity col 278 Merslgium of Basi pots [1727} For a discusion of these Acta i, Franchi de! Cavaliers, Note egigrafice, Fase. 5 (= Studie Test 97, Roms, 1913), pp. 107-118, n whose view, untl earlier texts ate found itis impossible“ precisare fon sicaezza il valore orca” of the Acts. The memory of the martyrs was preserved at various dates—-August 23, October 30, and Jansaty 27 “Te martyrdom of 5. Theodotus of Ancyra presents great dificulties. The txt has hess, published ty Franchi de’ Cavalier in Studie Tes VIL, Roma, 190!, pp. 6-87 its historical value be has defended at lengt, sid, pp. 957. But out present tent ofthe Mariyram can scarcely have been composed belore the reign of Julia (cL sporrdrye edv Tehshacay); the account is full of miraculous elements, while the date of the martyrdom is uncertain. Hunziker would place it in the persecution of Maximia between 303 and 3t1, Zur Regine and Criserelgung es Koiwrs Diohltian, p. 233, 04, and with this Harnack agrees (Geschichte der ltnitichen Literatur II. 4 . 480) 08 account of the order (c,7 of the Martyiem) {ocontaminate the bread and wine with slothua (ef Eusebius, Bart. Pa. and Franchi de’ Cavalier’ exitciam, op, pp. 31-32) Franchi de’ Cavaieti himself would date it to the spring of 30) (pp. 28 59) but it would appear that since the {overnor orders Theodotie~-an inkeeper—to sacrifice (p. 75-14), the martyrdom, if [torical mast be placed after the publication of the Fourth Edict. The whole story, however, cootains wildly improbable details, Can it be conceived eg. {hat to a provincial innkeeper a Roman judge should promise that if he sacrificed ‘ie eins np) rir Groans ues ntl tv adie 8 arhin fey hoe Srvc nal ynpuiran dfuebog no! ainav rnje vo weyirye Gone wai pie adroe dre Trading (75. 15 sa), We are surely in the world of the Arabian Night, Following P. Deiehaye, I cannot bat regard the Mardi asa pious romance, even ‘hough, with Harnack, we admit that it may preserve ‘einen. Kern alter Uber. vi.n gute to my mind conclosoes Toes The Ace ar pit in Reine (oi ove of Basar Uple 16 navy tronn) sph pSTWO NOTES ON THE GREAT PERSECUTION 191 lieerang (Geschichte dor altbvistichen Literatur UL, 2, po 4813 of. HL Delahaye, Maximise sone camgat terserat ‘niece armoram iii Inca? T would soggest that in this pantage i mirored the exgia of the Fourth Edict Diocletian falls il on leaving Rome in December, 3033 Galerive takes bis ‘opportunity, and in the provinces directly subject to hiosll issues the Fourth Edict (February, 304). Maximian, always loyal to Diccietian and Diocletian's policy, efures to acknowledge the edict; but, owing to Diocletian's ines, he an fo longer ely on the support of the senior Augostis. Holding the Danubian fecrting grounds, Galerus threatens Maximian with civil war; to this threat Maximian ‘is forced to yield, At the end of july the Fourth Edict bas reached [Aftieay in August it bogins to be enforced in Sil Early in 305 Galeras goes to the court of Diocletian and faces the shattered emperor with fa) axompli Diccletan eee that iis too late to resist his Carear's fatal policy in March, 305, the Fourth Edict is being enforced in the easter province. Hut that enforcement ‘should be left to ts author. In May Diocletian abdicates, and Galerius is master of the East, 1, Tax Cunonowoce oF THE Nuven Boo oF tue Hisronu Becvsstesrica o ‘Eusrees Professor Lawlor bas devoted a chapter in his Ewsebina} to this subject, and since it would appear dificult to accept his conclusions i may be worth wile very Driely to reconsider the data. Professor Lawlor walortunately bauer his recon “ttuction ofthe chronology none of the most doubtful sections of the aint book of the Historia Exesiatia. in H.£. IX. 9,12 Eusebias states that after Constantine's ‘icory atthe Milian Bridge (October 28, 312) both he and Licinius nig Boo mal |prsny vinr Seip Xpuriaay eheirarar ehypiorera Barvrotvray nal roy rerpaypiour Up eleis fe Gel 8 wopibfa 36 rere aad o8 ropdoven [Les Maneatis] vnye nl rr uo atv Magizioy-- Sariprorras ‘The tenslt of tie communication wae the ispoe by Maximia of his letter to Sabious, which Profassor Lawlor would date to January-February, 31 (pe 219) since be identifies the vnor releireron of Euebivt ‘withthe “Edict of Milan’ Eusebias himself would, tis tue, appear to have made {his dentifeation; but the statement of Eusebius inthis passage is doubless due to ‘confusion of the ‘Edict of Milan’ with the communication seat to Maximia by Constantine now Senior Angustss directly after his victory demanding acesation fof persecution inthe eastern provinces” We cannot, therefor, use this passage ‘rder to date to Febroary, 313 the leter of Maximin to Sabinus Lat us, rather, start From the certain date of the “Palinode" of Galeri, published in ‘Nicomedia on April 30, rt (Lactantus, De Mori. Pes. 35. Btaximin, wherever he was at the Ume—perbaps in Antioch—would receive itis May. On ite receipt his Practoran Pracfect Sabinus wrove to the provincial overnors permitting a cessation of the persecution; this permission was liberally Interpsted™the prisons were emptied, che exiles returned, Meanwhile Maximin * Onl, Clrenon Dress, 998 2 28334 foot in tbe astm of 328 gene FC temas Hl SE Taurmoian Sti Gro ad wat Ze Patt nom anlar forte Cruinton Kim Rents Joann, vos, oF. 5. Deer} Hin Sis" Grou” Dany Berin, si. Joop Whig, Dus Tocris ow Matond Jor nq, The tempt af Valenan Seas jirpp gosgatp 6 Bint aed Sat im reasgcracte fcr, t EL Seat epee Keer nd Pape erty Coeaoeite tis) peve tia Com Ly ps194 TWO NOTES ON THE GREAT PERSECUTION feestlledLicini by his seizure of the dioceses cf Nicomedia received a petition ftom the pagans asking thatthe Christians might be exclodod from the city. This was in 311, a5 is shown by the fac that this Visits ‘elorred to a5 baving taken place last year’ ia a rescipt issued ia the summer of 312 The memorial from the pagans of Nicomedia—possbly (as Professor Lawlor suggests, p. 222) August 311—gave Maximin bis pretext for changing bis xaligioas policy.” The period of peace didnot last six whole months this would take we t9 October-November, 311- And in the month of November, if we may ts the Syriac Martyolgy, Peer, Bishop of Alexandria, was suddealy and without ‘warning martyred in Egypt (November 24,32) ? taboo the same time”* Silvana suffered death at Emesa, while on January 7, 312, Lucian was martyred at Nicomedia. Other cities followed the example of Nicomedia and memorialized ‘Maximin. All there memorials are answered in a reseript of 312! When this reserit was composed the cora was ripe ia the felds;* this would, I suppose, give fs the date ca. Jane 312. In November of 312 Maximin would receive news of ‘Constantine's victory, and as a result he issues the letter to Subiaus, permitting Christan worship, late in g127 Early in 313 he marches against Licinias and is defeated on April 39, 315: he Mees to Nicomedia. Here be was allowed time to callect new foreas. If indeed, arescript of toleration was issued by Constantine and Licinins from Milan towards the end of January, 312 Maximin would doubilss ‘while in Europe have learned of this. To secure the Christian population from deserting tothe side of Licinius he issues hie edict of toleration? Last yeas; he States, "he had decreed by letters sent to the governors of every province that if anyone wished to follow the custom [ofthe Christian] or the obearvance of Ut feligion' be showld be st liberty to do so, but that his commands had been Imisunderstood:" ‘This passage, which obviously refers to the letter to Sabinss, proves that that letter dates ftom the year 312, But the edict of toleration was Itelt penned ‘not a whole year” after the resrip of ca. June, 312: it was dosbtless issued in May, 313. Licnius only published his edict in Nicomedia on June 13, 315." Maximin retreated to Tarsts before the advance of Liciius, and must have did ex. Angus, 315. Provided that we do not identify the message of Constantine of the autumn of 4312 with the ‘Edict of Miso, the chronology of the ainth book of the Historia ‘Ecos is consistent with elf and with out other authorities. ‘Nomuw H. Bens, 1 nei, BLE 9 27 2k ok Por moti, oh sIneat Pe 2 the moot eight the margins mant © Beate th bl arle of Joba . Knog tein sur anyes ae Protenoe Lavon 0), —Dar unis dna BABI. 30 {eit ened tobe inh year the percent ier warm Fong, Zt fir (Soe (hE Vil ge gence Enver Given Amgerhidy XL, pp sus8—T am aot co ee sth anc rns Ina ps sey terptin of Aranda Tha te 8 in'oven von Gablast te Merge Seni, Jd 3 apa, tn, 14. 1 Patan, De Mr Po a8 hoy