The Martyrs of Lyon and Vienne

Eusebius, writing in the fourth century, preserves long extracts from a letter sent by “the servants of Christ residing at Vienne and Lyons, in Gaul” to their fellow Christians in Asia and Phrygia (Eusebius, Church History 5.1.1–3).

As the letter tells it, trouble began in the streets. Christians at Lyon were barred from houses, baths and markets and set upon by the crowd, then questioned in the forum by the city authorities and held for the governor. When he arrived, a young man of rank, Vettius Epagathus, asked to speak for the accused; the governor asked only whether he too was a Christian, and he was put with the rest. About ten gave way. Pagan slaves of Christian households, afraid of torture, accused their masters of cannibal feasts and incest, and the city turned savage (Eusebius, Church History 5.1.5–15).

The letter dwells on those who held out. Sanctus, a deacon from Vienne, answered every question with “I am a Christian.” Blandina, a slave whose mistress was also on trial, wore out her torturers and kept saying, “I am a Christian, and there is nothing vile done by us.” Many died in the prison (Eusebius, Church History 5.1.17–28). Pothinus, the bishop of Lyon, more than ninety years old, was beaten before the tribunal and died in prison two days later (Eusebius, Church History 5.1.29–31).

The governor wrote to the emperor, and the reply was that those who denied should be released and the rest put to death. At a festival that drew crowds from many nations, the Roman citizens were beheaded and the others sent to the beasts; Attalus of Pergamum, a citizen, was sent to the beasts as well to please the crowd (Eusebius, Church History 5.1.44–52). Blandina had already been hung on a stake in the amphitheatre and left untouched by the animals (Eusebius, Church History 5.1.37–44). On the last day she saw Ponticus, a boy of about fifteen, die, and was then scourged, burned, tied in a net and thrown to a bull (Eusebius, Church History 5.1.53–56). The bodies were left exposed for six days, burned, and swept into the Rhône, to mock the hope of resurrection (Eusebius, Church History 5.1.59–63).

While they lived, the prisoners refused to be called martyrs, keeping that name for Christ and for those already dead (Eusebius, Church History 5.2.2–7). Through them many who had denied the faith came back and confessed it (Eusebius, Church History 5.1.45–48). Eusebius adds that from prison they also wrote to Asia and Phrygia and to Eleutherus of Rome about the prophecy of Montanus (see the New Prophecy of Montanus) (Eusebius, Church History 5.3.4). They sent their letter to Rome by the presbyter Irenaeus, who succeeded Pothinus as bishop (Eusebius, Church History 5.4.1–2; 5.5.8).