The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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

Name

Romanos, deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch

Saint ID

S00120

Number in BH

BHG 1600y-1600z
BHL 7297-7394

Reported Death Not Before

303

Reported Death Not After

303

Gender

Male

Type of Saint

Martyrs, Lesser clergy

Related Evidence Records

ID	Title
E00298	Eusebius of Caesarea, in his Martyrs of Palestine (2.1-5), narrates the martyrdom of *Romanos (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120), on 17 November 303. Written in Greek at Caesarea (Palestine), in 311; a longer version in Syriac tells how the martyr continued to be able to speak after his tongue had been cut out.
E00595	Mosaic in the Rotunda of Thessalonike (south Balkans/Greece), of the 5th/6th c., depicting a martyr *Romanos (perhaps the deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120), with an inscription describing him as a presbyter.
E00875	Anonymous sermon ('Eusebius Gallicanus', Sermon 57), perhaps by Faustus of Riez, on *Romanos (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120). Preached in Latin in Gaul, probably in the 5th c.
E00946	Prudentius writes Crowns of the Martyrs X, a poem on the martyrdom of *Romanos (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120), with an elaborate account of the tortures and miracles that occurred around the saint's death. Written in Latin in Calahorra (northern Hispania), c. 400. Overview of Peristephanon X.
E00947	Prudentius, in his poem (Crowns of the Martyrs X) on *Romanos (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120), addresses the saint and asks him for the gift of eloquence to compose his poem. Written in Latin in Calahorra (northern Hispania), c. 400.
E01479	The early 5th c. Syriac Martyrology commemorates on 20 April the martyrdom of Prosdoke and Bernike (mother and daughter, martyrs of Antioch, S01008), and of Romanos (possibly the deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120). Preserved in a manuscript written in Edessa (northern Mesopotamia) in 411.
E01584	The early 5th c. Syriac Martyrology commemorates on 18 November the martyrdom of *Romanos (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120). Preserved in a manuscript written in Edessa (northern Mesopotamia) in 411.
E02152	Greek inscription labelling a church dedicated to *Romanos (probably the deacon of Caesarea Maritima, martyred at Antioch, S00120). Found at Shaqrā, to the north of Izra/Zorava, between Bostra and Aere (Roman province of Arabia). Probably late 5th-7th c.
E02538	John Chrysostom composes and delivers a homily On *Romanos (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120) during a festival held in the martyr’s memory at Antioch (Syria) or Constantinople. Written in Greek, 386/407.
E03432	The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 17 November Zakchaios and Alpheios (martyrs of Caesarea of Palestine, S00119), and Romanos (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120).
E03929	The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 17 November Zakchaios and Alpheios (martyrs of Caesarea of Palestine, S00119), and Romanos of Caesarea (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120), Basil (bishop and martyr of Hama, S01135), Gregory (the Miracle-Worker, bishop and missionary of Pontus, S00687), and *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780).
E05023	The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 18 November.
E06885	Pope Symmachus, in a letter of 507/512 (probably drafted for him by Ennodius of Pavia), replies positively to a request for relics of Nazarius (martyr of Milan, S00281) and Romanos (perhaps the deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120) from African bishops exiled by the Vandal king to Sardinia. Written in Latin in Rome.
E07083	The Greek Martyrdom of *Romanos from Caesarea (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120) recounts his trial, torture, ability to preach even after his tongue has been cut out, and eventual execution by strangulation in prison on 18 November. A Christian boy is also tortured, imprisoned and beheaded. Probably written in the 4th century.
E07975	The Paschal Chronicle, in its account of the siege of Constantinople in 626, mentions various places around Constantinople dedicated to or named after saints: the church of the Maccabean martyrs (pre-Christian Jewish martyrs of Antioch, S00303), the gate of Romanos (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S001220), the bridge of Kallinikos (martyr of Gangra, S00923), the church of Nicholas (bishop of Myra, S00520), and the district around the shrine of *Konon (potentially any of three martyrs of this name: S00177, S00429, or S00430). Written in Greek at Constantinople, c. 630
E08257	Latin inscription marking the presence under an altar table of relics of the Martyrs of Massa Candida (S00904), 'Hesidorus' (probably Isidoros, soldier and martyr of Chios, S00425), the Three Hebrew Youths (of the Old Testament Book of Daniel, S01198), Martinus (probably the ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) and *Romanus (probably the deacon martyred at Antioch, S00120). Found in Calama (Numidia, central North Africa). Probably 6th/7th c.