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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Name

Hippolytus, martyr of Rome

Saint ID

S00509

Number in BH

BHL 7801-7812

Reported Death Not Before

230

Reported Death Not After

251

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Martyrs, Bishops
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00678The Notitia ecclesiarum urbis Romae, a guide to saints' graves around Rome, lists those between the via Nomentana and the via Tiburtina, east of the city. Written in Latin in Rome, 625/649.
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.
E02199Calendar of the Church of Carthage (central North Africa) lists saints whose liturgical commemorations were celebrated in August. Written in Latin in Carthage, probably between 505 and 535.
E02504The Latin Martyrdom of *Polychronius, Sixtus/Xystus, Laurence, Hippolytus and Others narrates the martyrdom and burial, with references to feast days and burial places, of a number of Persian and Roman saints, notably incorporating an augmented and rewritten version of the Martyrdom of Sixtus, Laurence and Hippolytus (E02513). Written presumably in Rome, possibly in the early 6th c., certainly before the early 8th c.
E02513The Latin Martyrdom of *Sixtus/Xystus, *Laurentius and *Hippolytus (martyrs of Rome, respectively S00037, S00201, S00509) narrates their miracles, martyrdom and burial in Rome. An augmented and rewritten version of it is incorporated in the Martyrdom of Polychronius, Sixtus/Xystus, Laurence, Hippolytus and others (E02504). Written presumably in Rome, perhaps in the 5th c.
E03694The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th century, based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Jerusalem, commemorates on 30 March *Sahak (katholikos of Armenia, ob. 439, S00076) and *Hippolytos (probably either the martyr of Antioch, S00959, or the martyr of Rome, S00509), and *Ioannes Klimakos/John Sinaites (monk on Mt Sinai, ob. 649, S01643).
E03830The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 12 August *Aaron (first High Priest, brother of Moses, S01427) and *Pantaleon (martyr in Nikomedia, S01427), *Glykerios (deacon and martyr of Nicomedia or Antioch, S00834), *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), *Elianos (martyr of Amman, S00889).
E04190Prudentius writes Crowns of the Martyrs XI, a poem on the martyrdom of *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509); the poem is an account of the visit of Prudentius to the tomb of Hippolytus on the via Tiburtina (outside Rome), and contains an account of the saint's martyrdom in Ostia (the port of Rome). Written in Latin in Calahorra (northern Spain), c. 400. Overview of Peristephanon XI.
E04191Prudentius addresses his poem (Crowns of the Martyrs XI), on *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), to Valerianus, bishop of Calahorra, who had asked him to record the names of the martyrs of Rome and the inscriptions on their tombs. Prudentius explains that he cannot do this, because there are either too many martyrs, or they lie in anonymous mass graves; but among the inscriptions, he did find Hippolytus, and he will tell his story. Written in Latin in Calahorra (northern Spain), c. 400.
E04202Prudentius, in his poem (Crowns of the Martyrs XI) on *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), tells how the saints was condemned by the emperor to be torn apart by wild horses at Ostia (the port of Rome): his dismembered body was scattered widely over the place of martyrdom; the faithful assiduously gathered together his limbs and blood, took them to Rome, and buried them there. Where Hippolytus is buried there is a painting showing the scene of martyrdom and the gathering up of the body. Written in Latin in Calahorra (northern Spain), c. 400.
E04212Prudentius, in his poem (Crowns of the Martyrs XI) on *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), describes the underground tomb (crypta) in which Hippolytus is buried, and the cult he is receiving there from both Romans and pilgrims from other regions. Written in Latin in Calahorra (northern Spain), c. 400.
E04222Prudentius, in his poem (Crowns of the Martyrs XI) on *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), describes a church in the vicinity of the saint's tomb; it is richly decorated because of the gifts of the pilgrims visiting the grave of the martyr. Written in Latin in Calahorra (northern Spain), c. 400.
E04223Prudentius, in his poem (Crowns of the Martyrs XI) on *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), tells of the feast of the saint in Rome on 13 August, and asks Bishop Valerianus of Calahorra, to whom this poem is dedicated, to introduce the feast on this day into Spain; he also mentions the feasts of *Eulalia (virgin and martyr of Mérida, S00407), *Cyprian (bishop and martyr of Carthage, S00411), and *Chelidonius (soldier and martyr of Calahorra, companion of Emeterius, S00410). Written in Latin in Calahorra (northern Spain), c. 400.
E04666The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 2 February.
E04667The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 3 February.
E04917The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 13 August.
E04925The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 20 August.
E04926The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 21 August.
E04927The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 22 August.
E04948The 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 September.
E04949The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 12 September.
E05006The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 2 November.
E05292Mosaic on the triumphal arch of the church of S. Lorenzo fuori le mura on the via Tiburtina, Rome, with Christ flanked by the Apostles *Peter and *Paul (S00036 and S00008), who are in turn flanked by *Laurence/Laurentius (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00037), presenting to Christ Pope Pelagius II holding a model of the basilica, and *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030) presenting *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509). 579/590.
E05348Latin and Greek visitor graffiti with invocations of *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509). Found in the Cemetery of Hippolytus, via Tiburtina, Rome. Probably late 6th - early 7th c.
E05354Latin epitaph of unknown provenance recording a burial near the tomb of a certain *Hippolytus (probably the 3rd c. martyr of Rome, S00509, or perhaps one of the *Greek Martyrs of Rome, S01873), presumably from the cemetery of Hippolytus on the via Tiburtina, or from a small cemetery with the tomb of the Greek Martyrs on the via Appia, Rome. Probably late 4th - early 5th c.
E05355Very fragmentary Latin inscription, just possibly mentioning either *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509) as a 'blessed' one, or an ordinary deceased Hippolytus. Found in the cemetery of Hippolytus on the via Tiburtina, Rome. Probably 4th-6th c.
E05357Latin epitaph invoking *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), named domnus, to aid the deceased and provide refrigerium in his afterlife. Found on the via Tiburtina, probably the cemetery of Hippolytus, Rome. Now lost. Probably 4th c.
E05385Marble statue of a person seated on a throne, reportedly found in 1551 near the cemetery of Hippolytus on the via Tiburtina, Rome, and heavily restored in the 16th c. to represent *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), bearing three inscriptions in Greek on the throne: a list of books, including many of Hippolytus’ works; a calendar of the paschal cycle; and a calendar with the dates of Easter. Inscriptions probably 3rd c.
E05604Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 13 August at Rome of *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), his nurse *Concordia (martyr of Rome, S00213), and nineteen others of his household. Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E05660Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 28 October at Rome of *Cyrilla (daughter of the emperor Decius and martyr of Rome, S00506), buried with her mother (Triphonia) next to *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509). Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E05858The Calendar of Willibrord, in its earliest version, records the feasts of various saints in August. Written in Latin at Echternach, Frisia (north-east Gaul), 703/710.
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, 557/564.
E06107Hymn in honour of *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509) composed in Latin in Spain possibly by Eugenius II, bishop of Toledo (647-657).
E06588The 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 August.
E06788Latin papyrus preserved in Monza (northern Italy) listing the 'oils of the holy martyrs who in body rest in Rome' brought from Rome for Theodelinda, queen of the Lombards, naming many Roman saints. Written at Monza or Rome, 590/604; preserved in its original copy.
E06996The De Locis Sanctis, a guide to the graves of the martyrs around Rome, lists those on the via Tiburtina, east of the city. Written in Latin in Rome, 642/683.
E07727Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (1.30), mentions a number of martyrdoms which took place during the reign of the emperor Decius (249-251), naming *Babylas (bishop and martyr of Antioch, S00061) and his companions the *Three Children (S00319), *Xystus/Sixtus II (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00201), *Laurence/Laurentius (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00037), and *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
E07862Epitaph of Dinamius (or Dynamius) of Marseille and his wife Eucheria, buried in a church or chapel dedicated to *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509). Written in Latin in southern Gaul, c. 605.
E08222The Gothic Missal compiles liturgical texts for the celebration of saints' feasts throughout the year. Written in Latin in Gaul, perhaps at Luxeuil for the Christian community of Autun, c. 680/710. Overview entry.
E08244The Gothic Missal includes prayers for the celebration of mass on the feast day of *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509). Written in Latin in Gaul, perhaps at Luxeuil for the Christian community of Autun, c. 680/710.
E08311Latin inscription recording the deposition in 474 of relics of *Laurentius/Laurence (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00037), *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509), *Euphemia (martyr of Chalcedon, S00017), possibly *Menas (soldier and martyr buried at Abu Mena,S00073), and of the Holy Cross. Found between present-day Constantine and Setif (Roman Numidia, central North Africa).
E0831535 relic labels at Sens (northern Gaul), datable by their script to the 7th or 8th c., for relics of a great diversity of saints. Written in Latin, perhaps at Sens, or at an earlier stage in their transmission.