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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Name

Perpetua, Felicitas and their companions, martyrs of Carthage

Saint ID

S00009

Reported Death Not Before

203

Reported Death Not After

203

Gender
Female
Male
Type of Saint
Martyrs
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00967Quodvultdeus, bishop of Carthage, in a sermon preached probably in Carthage (central North Africa), refers to the feast of *Perpetua, Felicitas, and their companions (martyrs of Carthage, S00009). Written in Latin, 429/439.
E01052The Depositio Martirum, a list of burials of martyrs (primarily of Rome), gives both the day of the year and the place of their burial; from the so-called Chronography of 354, compiled in Latin in Rome, c. 354.
E01448The early 5th c. Syriac Martyrology commemorates on 7 March the martyrdom of *Perpetua, Saturninus and their companions (martyrs of Carthage, S00009). Preserved in a manuscript written in Edessa (northern Mesopotamia) in 411.
E01666The Latin Martyrdom of *Perpetua and her Companions (martyrs of Carthage, S00009) is a compilation of accounts purportedly written by the martyrs themselves, and an account of their martyrdom. It calls for the commemoration of the martyrs as exemplars of grace and virtue, and justifies the necessity of writing their story. Written probably in Carthage (central North Africa) in the early 3rd c.  Overview entry.
E01667Greek translation, of the 4th/9th c., of the Latin Martyrdom of *Perpetua and her Companions (martyrs of Carthage, S00009).
E01668The Latin Martyrdom of *Perpetua and her Companions mentions a blood-covered ring, given by the martyr Saturus (companion of *Perpetua, S00009) to his guardsman, Pudens, in memory of his martyrdom. Written probably in Carthage (central North Africa) in the early 3rd c.
E01726The Latin Acts of *Saturus, Saturninus, Revocatus, Felicitas and Perpetua (martyrs of Carthage, S00009), of the 4th c. or later and surviving in two recensions, provide a substantially modified version of the narrative recounted by the Martyrdom of Perpetua, Felicitas, and their Companions (E01666). The text ascribes the story to the persecution of Valerian and Gallienus, indicating 7 March as the date of martyrdom.
E01757Augustine of Hippo, in his treatise On the Soul and its Origin, refers to the Martyrdom of *Perpetua (martyr of Carthage, S00009), emphasising that it is not a canonical text. Written in Latin in Hippo Regius (Numidia, central North Africa), c. 421.
E01942According to lemmas in medieval manuscripts, several sermons of Augustine of Hippo, in which no specific saints are mentioned, were delivered in the cult places of various martyrs in Carthage at various moments between 391 and 430.
E01969Victor of Vita, in his History of the Vandal Persecution (1.9), states that the Vandals, after their conquest in 439 of Carthage (central North Africa), confiscated for use by the Arian church the city's Basilica Maiorum, in which the bodies of *Perpetua and Felicitas (martyrs of Carthage, S00009) were buried, and the church dedicated to the *Scillitan Martyrs (martyrs in Carthage from Scillium, S00913). Written in Latin, probably in Carthage, 484/489.
E02275Augustine of Hippo preaches a sermon on the feast of *Perpetua and Felicitas (martyrs of Carthage, S00009), after the public reading of their Martyrdom. Sermon 280, delivered in Latin, possibly at Hippo Regius (Numidia, North Africa), sometime between 391 and 430.
E02288Augustine of Hippo preaches a sermon on the feast of *Perpetua and Felicitas (martyrs of Carthage, S00009), emphasising their womanhood. Sermon 281, delivered in Latin, possibly at Hippo Regius (Numidia, North Africa), sometime between 391 and 430.
E02289Augustine of Hippo preaches a sermon on the feast of *Perpetua and Felicitas (martyrs of Carthage, S00009), emphasising their womanhood. Sermon 282, delivered in Latin, possibly at Hippo Regius (Numidia, North Africa), sometime between 391 and 430.
E02836The Greek Martyrdom of *Polyeuktos (soldier and martyr of Melitene, S00325) recounts the story of two soldiers and friends, the Christian Nearchos and the nominally pagan Polyeuktos; the latter defiantly refuses to sacrifice and is martyred in Melitene (eastern Asia Minor). Probably written in Melitene in the 4th/5th c., with a later appendix.
E03527Prosper of Aquitaine, in his Chronicle, records the martyrdoms of *Perpetua and Felicitas (martyrs of Carthage, S00009) at Carthage in 204. Written in Latin in Gaul or Rome, in the mid 5th c.
E04604The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 9 January.
E04605The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 10 January.
E04606The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 11 January.
E04669The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 5 February.
E05068The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 29 December.
E05532Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 7 March at Carthage of *Perpetua and Felicitas (martyrs of Carthage, S00009). Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E05840The Calendar of Willibrord, in its earliest version, records the feasts of various saints in January. Written in Latin at Echternach, Frisia (north-east Gaul), 703/710.
E05853The Calendar of Willibrord, in its earliest version, records the feasts of various saints in March. Written in Latin at Echternach, Frisia (north-east Gaul), 703/710.
E05950Mosaic roundels on the barrel vaults of the Cappella Arcivescovile of Ravenna (northern Italy), with portrait busts of twelve apostles and twelve martyrs (six female, six male); created 494/520.
E06046Mosaics in the nave of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna (northern Italy) depicting twenty-two female saints, preceded by the three Magi, processing towards the Virgin and Child, and twenty-six male saints, probably originally preceded by *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), processing towards Christ; created under Bishop Agnellus, 557/570.
E06542The Latin Gelasian Sacramentary (or Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Ecclesiae), probably compiled around 750 near Paris using earlier material from Rome, records prayers to saints on their feast days in March.
E07371Latin mosaic roundels from Carthage (central North Africa), with the names of seven martyrs: *Speratus (probably one of the Scillitan martyrs, S00913); *Stephen (The First Martyr, S00030); *Sirica (otherwise unknown martyr of Africa, S02764); *Saturus and Saturninus, and probably Perpetua and Felicitas (all compnion martyrs of Carthage, S00009). Probably 6th/7th c.
E07373Painted label, identifying a frescoed figure as *Saturus (martyr of Carthage, companion of Perpetua, S00009), in wall paintings in a baptistery in Carthage (central North Africa), 4th/7th c.
E07392Two Latin inscriptions, one commemorating *Secundulus (martyr of Carthage, companion of Perpetua, S00009), and one probably commemorating *Castus and Aemilius (martyrs of Carthage, S01202), found in a large basilica, with a central crypt, at modern Mçidfa, just outside Carthage (Proconsularis, central North Africa). Probably 6th/7th.