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As for the rulers of the Church that suffered martyrdom in the
principal cities, the first martyr of the kingdom of Christ whom we
shall mention among the monuments of the pious is Anthimus, bishop of
the city of Nicomedia, who was beheaded. Among the martyrs at
Antioch was Lucian, a presbyter of that parish, whose entire life
was most excellent. At Nicomedia, in the presence of the emperor,
he proclaimed the heavenly kingdom of Christ, first in an oral
defense, and afterwards by deeds as well. Of the martyrs in
Phoenicia the most distinguished were those devoted pastors of the
spiritual flocks of Christ: Tyrannion, bishop of the church of
Tyre; Zenobius, a presbyter of the church at Sidon; and
Silvanus, bishop of the churches about Emesa.
The last of these, with others, was made food for wild beasts at
Emesa, and was thus received into the ranks of martyrs. The other
two glorified the word of God at Antioch through patience unto death.
The bishop was thrown into the depths of the sea. But Zenobius, who
was a very skillful physician, died through severe tortures which were
applied to his sides.
Of the martyrs in Palestine, Silvanus, bishop of the churches about
Gaza, was beheaded with thirty-nine others at the copper mines of
Phaeno. There also the Egyptian bishops,
Peleus and Nilus, with others, suffered death by fire. Among these
we must mention Pamphilus, a presbyter, who was the great glory of
the parish of Caesarea, and among the men of our time most admirable.
The virtue of his manly deeds we have recorded in the proper place.
Of those who suffered death illustriously at Alexandria and throughout
Egypt and Thebais, Peter, bishop of Alexandria, one of the most
excellent teachers of the religion of Christ, should first be
mentioned; and of the presbyters with him Faustus, Dius and
Ammonius, perfect martyrs of Christ; also Phileas, Hesychius,
Pachymius and Theodorus, bishops of Egyptian churches, and besides
them many other distinguished persons who are commemorated by the
parishes of their country and region.
It is not for us to describe the conflicts of those who suffered for
the divine religion throughout the entire world, and to relate
accurately what happened to each of them. This would be the proper
work of those who were eyewitnesses of the events. I will describe for
posterity in another work those which I myself witnessed. But in the
present book I will add to what I have given the revocation issued by
our persecutors, and those events that occurred at the beginning of the
persecution, which will be most profitable to such as shall read them.
What words could sufficiently describe the greatness and abundance of
the prosperity of the Roman government before the war against us,
while the rulers were friendly and peaceable toward us? Then those who
were highest in the government, and had held the position ten or twenty
years, passed their time in tranquil peace, in festivals and public
games and most joyful pleasures and cheer. While thus their authority
was growing uninterruptedly, and increasing day by day, suddenly they
changed their peaceful attitude toward us, and began an implacable
war. But the second year of this movement was not yet past, when a
revolution took place in the entire government and overturned all
things. For a severe sickness came upon the chief of those of whom we
have spoken, by which his understanding was distracted; and with him
who was honored with the second rank, he retired into private life.
Scarcely had he done this when the entire empire was divided; a thing
which is not recorded as having ever occurred before. Not long after,
the Emperor Constantius, who through his entire life was most kindly
and favorably disposed toward his subjects, and most friendly to the
Divine Word, ended his life in the common course of nature, and left
his own son, Constantine, as emperor and Augustus in his stead. He
was the first that was ranked by them among the gods, and received
after death every honor which one could pay to an emperor. He was the
kindest and mildest of emperors, and the only one of those of our day
that passed all the time of his government in a manner worthy of his
office. Moreover, he conducted himself toward all most favorably and
beneficently. He took not the smallest part in the war against us,
but preserved the pious that were under him unharmed and unabused. He
neither threw down the church buildings, nor did he devise anything
else against us. The end of his life was honorable and thrice
blessed. He alone at death left his empire happily and gloriously to
his own son as his successor, one who was in all respects most prudent
and pious.
His son Constantine entered on the government at once, being
proclaimed supreme emperor and Augustus by the soldiers, And long
before by God himself, the King of all. He showed himself an
emulator of his father's piety toward our doctrine. Such an one was
he.
But after this, Licinius was declared emperor and Augustus by a
common vote of the rulers. These things grieved Maximinus greatly,
for until that time he had been entitled by all only Caesar. He
therefore, being exceedingly imperious, seized the dignity for
himself, and became Augustus, being made such by himself. In the
mean time he whom we have mentioned as having resumed his dignity after
his abdication, being detected in conspiring against the life of
Constantine, perished by a most shameful death. He was the first
whose decrees and statues and public monuments were destroyed because of
his wickedness and impiety.
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