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E00267: The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of *Linus (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00110), tells that he died a martyr and was buried in Rome close to the body of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036) on 23 September [AD 67].

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posted on 2015-02-01, 00:00 authored by robert
Liber Pontificalis 2

First edition (as reconstructed by Duchesne)

Linus, natione Italus, regionis [---], patre Herculano, sedit ann. XI m. III dies XII. Fuit autem temporibus Neronis, a consulatu Saturnini et Scipionis usque ad Capitone et Rufino consulibus. Martyrio coronatur ... Qui et sepultus est iuxta corpus beati Petri in Vaticanum VIIII kal. octob.

'Linus, born in Italy, from the region [---], son of Herculanus, held the see 11 years 3 months 12 days. He was bishop in the time of Nero from the consulship of Saturninus and Scipio [AD 56] to that of Capito and Rufinus [AD 67]. He was crowned with martyrdom. ... He was buried close to the body of the blessed Peter on the Vatican on the eighth day before the Kalends of October [23 September].'


Second edition

Linus, natione Italus, regionis Tusciae, patre Herculano, sedit ann. XI m. III d. XII. Fuit autem temporibus Neronis, a consulato Saturnini et Scipionis usque ad Capitone et Rufo consulibus. Martyrio coronatur ... Qui sepultus est iuxta corpus beati Petri in Vaticanum VIIII kl. octubris.

'Linus, born in Italy, from the region of Etruria, son of Herculanus, held the see 11 years 3 months 12 days. He was bishop in the time of Nero from the consulship of Saturninus and Scipio [AD 56] to that of Capito and Rufus [AD 67]. He was crowned with martyrdom ... He was buried close to the body of the blessed Peter on the Vatican on the eighth day before the Kalends of October [23 September].'


Text: Duchesne 1886, 53 and 121. Translation: Davis 2010, 2, lightly modified.

History

Evidence ID

E00267

Saint Name

Linus, bishop of Rome, ob. c. 70 : S00110

Saint Name in Source

Linus

Type of Evidence

Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)

Language

  • Latin

Evidence not before

530

Evidence not after

546

Activity not before

65

Activity not after

75

Place of Evidence - Region

Rome and region

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Rome

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Rome Rome Rome Roma Ῥώμη Rhōmē

Major author/Major anonymous work

Liber Pontificalis

Cult activities - Festivals

  • Saint’s feast

Cult activities - Places

Burial site of a saint - unspecified

Source

The Liber Pontificalis consists of a series of short lives of popes. The preface attributes it to pope Damasus (366-384), but this attribution is obviously false. According to Louis Duchesne, the first modern editor of the Liber Pontificalis, the original series of lives was written in Rome by an anonymous author, probably a member of the lesser clergy, in the 530s, and contained the lives from *Peter the Apostle to Felix IV (ob. 530). Shortly after, before 546, the text was re-edited by another anonymous author and only this edition survives. The first edition, however, can be reconstituted on the basis of its two epitomes (and the second edition). The second edition started to be continued systematically from the time of pope Honorius (625–638). It should be noted that Theodor Mommsen dated both editions of the Liber Pontificalis to the 7th century, but his opinion is widely rejected and the commonly accepted dating is that of Duchesne. For the pre-Constantinian period (before 312), the credibility of the Liber Pontificalis is very low. The chronology is confused, and details concerning the personal lives, decisions, and ordinations of the bishops of Rome at best reflect what people in the 6th century trusted to be true, at worst are a pure invention of the author. The situation changes with the later lives. Already the information of 4th century papal foundations and offerings are generally trustworthy. The early 6th century evidence, based on the author's first hand knowledge is even better, though still imperfect.

Discussion

Linus is one of a number of early popes listed as martyrs by the Liber Pontificalis, for whom there is no other evidence of their martyrdom, nor evidence of their attracting cult. For the claim by the author of the Liber Pontificalis that almost all the early bishops of Rome were buried at the Vatican close to St Peter, see E00265.

Bibliography

Edition: Duchesne, L., Le Liber pontificalis. 2 vols (Paris: E. Thorin, 1886-1892). (With substantial introduction and commentary.) Translation: Davis, R., The Book of Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis) (Translated Texts for Historians 6; 3rd ed.; Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2010).

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    Evidence -  The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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