E00212: Eusebius of Caesarea, quoting the Letter of the Churches of Lyon and Vienne of the late 2nd c., records the martyrdom in 177 of ten people from Lyon and Vienne in central-southern Gaul (the *Martyrs of Lyon, S00316), and the humiliation and destruction of their remains by the pagans; with no reference to subsequent cult. From Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History, written in Greek in Palestine, 311/325.

Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History 5.1-3

(1.) Γαλλία μὲν οὖν ἡ χώρα ἦν, καθ’ ἣν τὸ τῶν δηλουμένων συνεκροτεῖτο στάδιον, ἧς μητροπόλεις ἐπίσημοι καὶ παρὰ τὰς ἄλλας τῶν αὐτόθι διαφέρουσαι βεβόηνται Λούγδουνος καὶ Βίεννα, δι’ ὧν ἀμφοτέρων τὴν ἅπασαν χώραν πολλῷ τῷ ῥεύματι περιρρέων ὁ Ῥοδανὸς ποταμὸς διέξεισιν. (2.) τὴν οὖν περὶ τῶν μαρτύρων γραφὴν αἱ τῇδε διαφανέσταται ἐκκλησίαι ταῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν καὶ Φρυγίαν διαπέμπονται, τὰ παρ’ αὐταῖς πραχθέντα τοῦτον ἀνιστοροῦσαι τὸν τρόπον, (3.) παραθήσομαι δὲ τὰς αὐτῶν φωνάς. «Οἱ ἐν Βιέννῃ καὶ Λουγδούνῳ τῆς Γαλλίας παροικοῦντες δοῦλοι Χριστοῦ τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν καὶ Φρυγίαν τὴν αὐτὴν τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως ἡμῖν πίστιν καὶ ἐλπίδα ἔχουσιν ἀδελφοῖς· εἰρήνη καὶ χάρις καὶ δόξα ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν».

'(1.) So Gallia was the land where the arena for the events I am describing was set up. Lugdunum and Vienna [Lyon and Vienne] are reputed to be its principal cities, exceeding the rest in the area. The river Rhodanos [Rhône] crosses both of them, flowing through the whole land with a large stream. (2.) So the most prominent churches of this region sent the document about the martyrs to those of Asia and Phrygia, describing what had happened at their home in the following terms, (3.) and I shall quote their words: "The servants of Christ living in Vienna and Lugdunum of Gallia to the brethren in Asia and Phrygia, who hold the same faith and hope of salvation with us. Peace and grace and glory from God the Father, and Christ Jesus, our Lord".'

The letter is partly summarised by Eusebius and partly quoted in full. The Christian community of the area faces great hostility from the pagans, which leads to several martyrdoms (4-7). A large group is arrested and judged by the tribune. They are imprisoned until the arrival of the governor, when a new trial takes place and the Christian Ouettios Epagathos (Vettius Epagathus) is put to death (8-10). Several appear courageous and ready for martyrdom, but about ten are feeble and discourage the enthusiasm of many. People are arrested every day, including some pagan slaves of Christians, who, out of fear, accuse the Christians of cannibalism and incest, thus increasing the hostility against them. Several are tortured (12-17). Especially harsh is the treatment of the deacon Sanctus from Vienna, the neophyte Maturus, Attalus from Pergamon and the young girl Blandina who demonstrates particular courage and strength (18-19). Sanctus is tried and tortured with burning bronze plates. His body is badly wounded, but his injuries are miraculously healed (20-24). Biblis, a repentant renegade Christian, publicly defends the Christians, confesses her Christian faith and becomes a martyr (25-26). Several die in gaol, often strangled or submitting to the harsh conditions (27-28). The ninety-year old bishop of Lugdunum, Potheinos, is arrested and led to trial, during which he is lynched by the mob. He dies in gaol two days later (29-31). Despite denying their Christian faith, even renegades are detained on accusations of murder, and suffer both the torments of the gaol and their conscience. By contrast, those confessing their faith are cheerful and some even give off ‘the sweet smell of Christ’ (32-35). Maturus, Sanctus, Blandina and Attalus are condemned to face the beasts during specially held gladiatorial games and suffer various tortures. The mob demands the execution of Attalus, but approval has to come from the emperor, because he is a Roman citizen. Encouraged by the spectacle of the martyrs, many renegades repent and declare themselves as Christians (36-45). Orders come from the emperor that they should be beheaded. During a great local festival, the governor holds a public trial of Christians again. Those of them that had Roman citizenship are condemned to beheading, and the rest to the beasts. Many repentant renegades join the martyrs (46-48). A certain Alexandros from Phrygia, who was a doctor and Christian missionary, stands by at the trial encouraging the martyrs. The mob is enraged and hands him over to the governor who condemns also him to the beasts (49-50). Next day, he is brought to the arena together with Attalus, and killed by the beasts. Attalus is burnt on an iron seat (51-52). Blandina is also thrown to the beasts together with the fifteen-year- old boy Ponticus. She dies last after several tortures (53-54). The pagans do not allow the Christians to take and bury the remains of the martyrs, causing them great distress. After exposing the remains of the bodies for six days, they eventually cremate them and throw the ashes to the Rhone. The passages read as following:

(57.) «ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ οὕτως κόρον ἐλάμβανεν αὐτῶν ἡ μανία καὶ ἡ πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους ὠμότης. ὑπὸ γὰρ ἀγρίου θηρὸς ἄγρια καὶ βάρβαρα φῦλα ταραχθέντα δυσπαύστως εἶχεν, καὶ ἄλλην ἰδίαν ἀρχὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς σώμασιν ἐλάμβανεν ἡ ὕβρις αὐτῶν· … (59.) καὶ γὰρ τοὺς ἐναποπνιγέντας τῇ εἱρκτῇ παρέβαλλον κυσίν, ἐπιμελῶς παραφυλάσσοντες νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ’ ἡμέραν μὴ κηδευθῇ τις ὑφ’ ἡμῶν· καὶ τότε δὴ προθέντες τά τε τῶν θηρίων τά τε τοῦ πυρὸς λείψανα, πῇ μὲν ἐσπαραγμένα, πῇ δὲ ἠνθρακευμένα, καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τὰς κεφαλὰς σὺν τοῖς ἀποτμήμασιν αὐτῶν ὡσαύτως ἀτάφους παρεφύλαττον μετὰ στρατιωτικῆς ἐπιμελείας ἡμέραις συχναῖς. ... (61.) καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀπ’ ἐκείνων τοιαύτην εἶχε τὴν ποικιλίαν, τὰ δὲ καθ’ ἡμᾶς ἐν μεγάλῳ καθειστήκει πένθει διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι τὰ σώματα κρύψαι τῇ γῇ· οὔτε γὰρ νὺξ συνεβάλλετο ἡμῖν πρὸς τοῦτο οὔτε ἀργύρια ἔπειθεν οὔτε λιτανεία ἐδυσώπει, παντὶ δὲ τρόπῳ παρετήρουν, ὡς μέγα τι κερδανοῦντες, εἰ μὴ τύχοιεν ταφῆς.» (62.) Τούτοις ἑξῆς μεθ’ ̓ἕτερά φασιν· «τὰ οὖν σώματα τῶν μαρτύρων παντοίως παραδειγματισθέντα καὶ αἰθριασθέντα ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ἕξ, μετέπειτα καέντα καὶ αἰθαλωθέντα ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνόμων κατεσαρώθη εἰς τὸν Ῥοδανὸν ποταμὸν πλησίον παραρρέοντα, ὅπως μηδὲ λείψανον αὐτῶν φαίνηται ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἔτι. (63.) καὶ ταῦτ’ ἔπραττον ὡς δυνάμενοι νικῆσαι τὸν θεὸν καὶ ἀφελέσθαι αὐτῶν τὴν παλιγγενεσίαν, ἵνα, ὡς ἔλεγον ἐκεῖνοι, «μηδὲ ἐλπίδα σχῶσιν ἀναστάσεως, ἐφ’ ᾗ πεποιθότες ξένην τινὰ καὶ καινὴν εἰσάγουσιν ἡμῖν θρῃσκείαν …»

'(57.) "But, even thus, their fury and ruthlessness towards the saints found no satisfaction. Stirred up by the wild Beast, these wild and barbarous races could hardly stop, and their atrocity found another, new beginning, over the bodies. … (59.) Those namely that had been strangled in gaol they threw to the dogs, watching sedulously day and night lest any of them be buried by us. Then they similarly exposed unburied whatever was left over by the beasts and the fire, some ripped apart, some charred, and the heads and severed parts of their bodies, keeping them under military guard for several days. ... (61.) Such were the various attitudes of them, while we were in great grief for being unable to bury the bodies in the earth. Neither did night help us to this end, nor did money persuade them, nor did supplication discomfit them, but they kept guard in every way, as if they would gain a great profit, if they would be deprived of burials." (62.) Then after other things they say, "So the bodies of the martyrs were publicly humiliated and exposed in every possible way for six days. Later they were burnt and incinerated by the lawless, and swept into the Rhodanos which was flowing nearby, so that not a single remnant of them may be seen on earth any more. And they did this as if they could defeat God and deprive the martyrs of their rebirth, so that, as they were saying, they should have no hope of resurrection, trusting in which they introduce to us this strange and new cult …".'

The letter continues with praise for the martyrs, and for the courage and humility they demonstrated while in gaol. They refused to be addressed as martyrs and forgave their persecutors. They also offered forgiveness and consolation to repentant renegades, strengthening the unity and peace of the church (5.2.1-8). The same document, according to Eusebius, contained the following account about a certain Alkibiades:

5.3 (1.) Ἡ δ’ αὐτὴ τῶν προειρημένων μαρτύρων γραφὴ καὶ ἄλλην τινὰ μνήμης ἀξίαν ἱστορίαν περιέχει, ἣν καὶ οὐδεὶς ἂν γένοιτο φθόνος μὴ οὐχὶ τῶν ἐντευξομένων εἰς γνῶσιν προθεῖναι· ἔχει δὲ οὕτως. (2.) Ἀλκιβιάδου γάρ τινος ἐξ αὐτῶν πάνυ αὐχμηρὸν βιοῦντος βίον καὶ μηδενὸς ὅλως τὸ πρότερον μεταλαμβάνοντος, ἀλλ’ ἢ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ καὶ ὕδατι χρωμένου πειρωμένου τε καὶ ἐν τῇ εἱρκτῇ οὕτω διάγειν, Ἀττάλῳ μετὰ τὸν πρῶτον ἀγῶνα ὃν ἐν τῷ ἀμφιθεάτρῳ ἤνυσεν, ἀπεκαλύφθη ὅτι μὴ καλῶς ποιοίη ὁ Ἀλκιβιάδης μὴ χρώμενος τοῖς κτίσμασι τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἄλλοις τύπον σκανδάλου ὑπολειπόμενος. (3.) πεισθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἀλκιβιάδης πάντων ἀνέδην μετελάμβανεν καὶ ηὐχαρίστει τῷ θεῷ· οὐ γὰρ ἀνεπίσκεπτοι χάριτος θεοῦ ἦσαν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἦν σύμβουλον αὐτοῖς. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὡδὶ ἐχέτω·

'5.3 (1.) The same text of the above-mentioned martyrs also contains another account worthy of remembrance, and no one would object to our bringing it to the knowledge of our readers. It is as follows. (2.) One of them called Alkibiades led a very austere life, partaking of nothing whatever but bread and water, and he attempted to live like that even in prison. Yet it was revealed to Attalus, after the first combat he endured in the amphitheatre, that in not using the creatures of God Alkibiades was not doing well, and was setting a scandalous example for others. (3.) And Alkibiades obeyed, and partook of all things without restraint, and gave thanks to God. For they were not deprived of the grace of God, but the Holy Ghost was their counsellor. So much for these matters.'

Text: Schwartz et al. 1999. Summary and translation: E. Rizos.