The Latin Martyrdom of the *Scillitan Martyrs (martyrs in Carthage from Scillium, S00913) recounts the trial and death in Carthage of Christian men and women from Scillium, in AD 180. Written probably in Carthage, apparently using trial records, possibly soon after 180.
E08013
Literary - Hagiographical - Accounts of martyrdom
Passio Sanctorum Scilitanorum (The Martyrdom of the Scillitan Saints)
1. Praesente bis et Claudiano consulibus, XVI kalendas Augustas, Kartagine in secretario inpositis Sperato, Nartzalo et Cittino, Donata, Secunda, Vestia, Saturninus proconsul dixit: Potestis indulgentiam domni nostri imperatoris promereri, si ad bonam mentem redeatis.
‘1. In the consulship of Praesens (for the second time) and Claudianuson the seventeenth day of July there were arraigned at Carthage in the governor’s chambers Speratus, Nartzalus, Cittinus, Donata, Secunda, and Vestia. The proconsul Saturninus said: “If you return to your senses, you can obtain the pardon of our lord the emperor.”’
2. – 11. The proconsul Saturninus tries to persuade the Christians to deny their faith. In turn, Speratus, Cittinus, Donata, Vestia, and Secunda explicitly refuse to do so.
12. Saturninus proconsul dixit: Quae sunt res in capsa uestra? Speratus dixit: Libri et epistulae Pauli uiri iusti.
‘12. The proconsul Saturninus said: “What have you in your case?”
Speratus said: “Books and letters of Paul, a just man.”’
13-14. The proconsul offers the Christians a reprieve of thirty days, so that they can reconsider their position, but the Christians again refuse to apostatise [apparently rejecting this reprieve] and are condemned to be beheaded.
15. Speratus dixit: Deo gratias agimus. Nartzalus dixit: Hodie martyres in caelis sumus. Deo gratias. 16. Saturninus proconsul per praeconem dici iussit: Speratum, Nartzalum, Cittinum, Veturium, Felicem, Aquilinum, Laetantium, Ianuariam, Generosam, Vestiam, Donatam, Secundam duci iussi. 17. Uniuersi dixerunt: Deo gratias. Et statim decollati sunt pro nomine Christi. Amen.
‘15. Speratus said: “We thank God!” Nartzalus said: “Today we are martyrs in heaven. Thanks be to God!” 16. The proconsul Saturninus had the following proclaimed by a herald: “Speratus, Nartzalus, Cittinus, Veturius, Felix, Aquilinus, Laetantius, Januaria, Generosa, Vestia, Donata, Secunda, are to be led forth to execution.” 17. They all said: “Thanks be to God!” And straightway they were beheaded for the name of Christ. Amen’.
Text and translation: Musurillo 1972, translation lightly modified.
Summary: Stanisław Adamiak.
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Source
The text of the Martyrdom of the Scillitan Saints survives in different recensions, of which this version (BHL 7527) is recognised to be the earliest. Its text is based on three manuscripts, from the 9th, 11th, and 13th centuries. A Greek version (BHG 1645), surviving in a single late ninth century manuscript, is a translation from the Latin, probably made in the eighth or ninth century.There is no certainty as to when this text was compiled in its present form, though it certainly existed by the time of Augustine, because, in one of his sermons (E02683), he quotes words spoken by Donata in our Martyrdom (Rebillard 2017, 353). Some scholars, influenced by the matter-of-fact tone of the text, and the absence of miracles, extended suffering and elaborate speeches, have argued that it was written very soon after AD 180, the date given for the events it describes (e.g. Musurillo 1972; Ruggiero 1991); others (listed by Ronchey 2000, 732, note 46) have, however, been more sceptical. An in-between position would be to argue that the text was written in its present form some time after the events it describes, but using the original notarial transcript of the trial, archived at Carthage.
If the text really is of the years soon after 180, it constitutes the earliest testimony of a Christian presence in North Africa, and, indeed, the earliest surviving Christian text in Latin (Hunink 2016, 93).
There is no absolute certainty as to when this text was compiled in its present form, before the time of Augustine, who preached a sermon, possibly in 397, in which he quotes words spoken by Donata in our Martyrdom (see E02683). Scholars, however, are agreed that the text, whenever it was definitively elaborated, closely follows notarial acts, taken at the time of the trial in 180, and then archived (Rebillard 2017, 353).
The text is the earliest testimony of the Christian presence in North Africa. It is also usually considered as the earliest existing Christian text in Latin (Hunink 2016, 93). As Musurillo states, ‘most scholars have felt that this document, like the court protocol in the Acta Cypriani, is the closest of all our extant Acts to the primitive court records.’ This is the opinion of R. Hanslik and F. Ruggiero, despite some scholars (listed by Ronchey 2000, 732, note 46) claiming that such a process could take place only in the beginning of the 4th century.
The twelve individuals named in paragraph 16, are more than the six named in paragraph 1 (and also in 14, which we have not quoted); this may be a stylistic choice of the author, or due to vagaries in the process of copying.
Discussion
The information about the consuls of the year permits us to date these events to AD 180.The place of origin of the martyrs, Scillium (or Scilli) is mentioned only in the Greek version and in the title of the manuscripts. The location of Scillium is still unknown, though it was evidently within the jurisdiction of the governor of Africa Proconsularis, based in Carthage, who tried the case. Its bishop is mentioned in the acts of the Council of Carthage in 411 (Gesta collationis, I, 143 and 206).
Despite its brevity and laconic character, the text gives us some precious information. We see the esteem in which the letters of the Apostle Paul (‘a just man’) were hold. The condemned Christians are self-conscious of soon being ‘martyrs in heaven’. The exact day of the trial, 17 July, is recorded, but it is not entirely clear whether the martyrdom happened on the same day, or a month later; it seems that the Christians declined the reprieve offered by the proconsul, but this is not explicit in the Latin.
Nartzalus and Cittinus are not Latin, but Punic names.
Bibliography
Editions:Musurillo, H., The Acts of the Christian Martyrs (Oxford Early Christian Texts; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972), 86-88.
Rebillard, É., Greek and Latin Narratives about the Ancient Martyrs (Oxford Early Christian Texts; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017).
Ruggiero, F., Atti dei martiri Scilitani. Introduzione, testo, traduzione, testimonianze e commento (Atti della Accademia nazionale dei Lincei, Classe di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche, Memorie 9, 1, 2; Rome, 1991).
Further reading:
Corsaro, F., "Note sugli Acta martyrum Scillitanorum," Nuovo Didaskaleion 6 (1956), 5-51.
Freudenberger, R., "Die Akten der scilitianischen Märtyrer als historisches Dokument," Wiener Studien 86 (1973), 196-215.
Gärtner, H.A., "Passio Sanctorum Scillitanorum. A Literary Interpretation," Studia Patristica 20 (1989), 8-14.
Hanslik, R., "Secretarium und tribunal in den Acta martyrum Scillitanorum," in: L.J. Engels, H.W.F.M. Hoppenbrouwers, and A.J. Vermeulen (eds.), Mélanges offerts à mademoiselle Christine Mohrmann, Utrecht-Anvers 1963, 165-168.
Hunink, V., "Worlds drifting apart. Notes on the Acta Martyrum Scillitanorum," Commentaria Classica 3 (2016), 93-112.
Hunink, V., Acta martyrum scillitanorum. A Literary Commentary (Turnhout: Brepols, 2021).
Karpp, H., "Die Zahl der Scillitanischen Märtyrer," Vigiliae Christianae 15 (1961), 165-172.
Ronchey, S., "Les procès verbaux des martyres chrétiens dans les Acta martyrum et leur fortune," Mélanges de l'École française de Rome – Antiquité 112:2 (2000), 723-752.
Stanisław Adamiak
17/11/2020
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00913 | Scillitan Martyrs, martyrs in Carthage from Scillium | Speratus; Nartzalus; Cittinus; Donata; Secunda; Vestia; Felix; Aquilinus; Laetantius; Ianuaria; Generosa; Veturius | Certain |
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