The Latin Martyrdom of *Gallonius and companion martyrs of Timida (S02810) recounts the trial and death of Gallonius and many other martyrs, in Timida Regia and 'Utina' (both Proconsularis, central North Africa). Presumably written in Proconsularis, possibly in the 4th c.
E07525
Literary - Hagiographical - Accounts of martyrdom
The Martyrdom of Gallonius and other Martyrs of Timida
Under Diocletian and Maximian, some Christians of Timida Regia [in Africa Proconsularis] are apprehended, while celebrating their gathering ('dominicum‘), and are brought before the proconsul, Anulinus. Gallonius appears to be their leader. Anulinus has him tortured so that he would give up the holy books to be burnt, but he does not succumb. The proconsul asks Gallonius and his companions where are they from, and they respond 'from Nazareth‘, because 'every Christian is of Nazareth' ('Omnis christianus Nazareus est‘). Gallonius again declines to say where the books have been hidden. Anulinus condemns the Christians to death, with the exception of Gallonius, who is to be sent to 'Utina' for further investigation:
38. «Victorinum, Ianuarium, qui contra legem sacram conuenerunt et infaustis uocibus proclamauerunt, uiuos exuri iussi. 39. Festum uero, Datianum, Ziddinem, Vincentium, Quintanum, Apuleium, Felicem, Quartosum, Constantium, Saturninum, Romanum, Seccessum, <..>zalum, Priuatianum, Victorem, Ianuarium, Candidum et alium Ianuarium, Maximam, Mustellam, Romanam, Vrbanam, Victoriam et aliam Victoriam, hos qui supra scripti sunt, quod contra sacram iussionem conuenerunt, gladio animaduerti placet. » 40. Vniuersi dixerunt : « Deo gratias. » 41. Anolinus proconsul dixit : « Gallonius, qui de scripturis interrogatus fateri noluit, interim differatur et ad Vtinam perducatur. »
'38. "Victorinus, and Januarius, who gathered against the sacred law and shouted out ill-omened proclamations, are to be burnt alive. 39. Festus, Datianus, Ziddin, Vincentius, Quintanus, Apuleius, Felix, Quartosus, Constantius, Saturninus, Romanus, Seccessus, (...)zalus, Privatianus, Victor, Ianuarius, Candidus and the other Ianuarius, Maxima, Mustella, Romana, Urbana, Victoria, and the other Victoria, who are listed above, and who gathered against the sacred law, shall be beheaded." 40. All said, "Thanks be to God". 41. Anulinus, the proconsul, said, "Gallonius, who while interrogated did not want to disclose where the books are, will be held and conducted to Utina"'.
In Utina, after further interrogations and tortures, during which he declines to give up the books, Gallonius is sentenced to be burnt alive, while others (named as Restitutus, Savius, Fortunatus, Tec(...)ius, Restitutus, Vincentius, Varieninus, Maiosus, Octavianus, Saturninus, Saturninus [sic!], Casta, Donata, and Pelagia) are to be beheaded.
58. Passi sunt autem sancti Dei pridie Kalendas Ianuarii. Regnante domino nostro Iesu Christo, cui est honor et gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
'58. The saints of God died on the day before the Kalends of January [31 December], when our Lord Jesus Christ reigned, to whom there is honour and glory forever and ever. Amen'
Text: Chiesa 1996.
Translation and summary: Stanisław Adamiak.
Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy
Torturers/Executioners
Officials
Women
Source
This Martyrdom is preserved in one manuscript from the 13th c., preserved in the Diocesan Seminary of Gorizia (in Friuli, north-east Italy), originating from the Chapter of the Church of Aquileia.The text appears to be based closely on notarial minutes of two examinations of the martyrs, the first in Timida, the second in 'Utina', with none of the elaborations found in most martyrdom accounts: no miracles are mentioned, and the tortures that are applied are directed at a specific purpose (to reveal the hiding place of the holy books), rather than being for literary effect.
Discussion
Gallonius may be the Gallonus (or Gallonius) listed in the Calendar of Carthage as commemorated on 11 June (E02197); our Martyrdom, however, dates Gallonius' martyrdom to 31 December. Similarly, the martyrs of Timida of our Martyrdom might be the Timidenses in the Calendar, but they too are commemorated at a different time of the year, 31 May (E02196).'Utina', where Gallonius and some of his companions die, is not known from other sources, and is unidentified. Possibly it is a scribal error for Utica (in Africa Proconsularis, quite close to Timida); but there is no record there of these particular martyrs (who are certainly not the famous Utican martyrs of 'Massa Candida'). Chiesa suggests a connection of the name, as transmitted in the manuscript, to Udine, given the provenance of the manuscript in north-east Italy.
Chiesa tries to link Gallonius to some of the saints mentioned in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum, but all these suggestions are very problematic:
- Gallo/Callo, commemorated on 16 February (E04685) - but it is not even stated clearly that he is commemorated in Africa.
- Galanus (or Galarus), a martyr of Hippo, commemorated on 15 November (E05020.
- Galienus, commemorated on 31 May (E04831) - the link here is mainly through the date (identical to that for the feast of the martyrs of Timida in the Calendar of Carthage), but the text of the Martyrologium Hieronymianum clearly locates the commemoration of Galienus in Rome.
Bibliography
Edition:Chiesa, P., "Un testo agiografico africano ad Aquileia: gli Acta di Gallonio e dei martiri di Timidia Regia," Analecta Bollandiana 114 (1996), 241-268.
Mattei, P., "Actes de Gallonius. Texte critique, traduction et notes," Revue d'études augustiniennes et patristiques 52 (2006), 243-259.
Stanisław Adamiak
16/04/2019
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S02810 | Gallonius, and companion martyrs of Timida Regia | Gallonius | Certain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Stanisław Adamiak, Cult of Saints, E07525 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E07525