The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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

Name

Speusippos, Elasippos and Melesippos, triplets and martyrs of Cappadocia, and later of Langres

Saint ID

S02046

Number in BH

BHL 7828-7830
BHG 1646-1646g

Reported Death Not Before

270

Reported Death Not After

275

Gender

Male
Female

Type of Saint

Martyrs, Groups and pairs of saints, Converts

Related Evidence Records

ID	Title
E04612	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 17 January.
E05412	Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 17 January at Langres (eastern Gaul) of *Speusippus, Elasippus and Melasippus (triplets and martyrs of Langres, S02046). Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E05943	Letter to Bishop Ceraunius of Paris from a correspondent named Warnacharius, sending him the Acts of Speusippus, Elasippus and Melasippus (triplets and martyrs of Langres, in eastern Gaul, S02046) and of Desiderius (bishop and martyr of Langres, S02197). Written in Latin in Gaul, probably Langres, c. 610/620.
E06512	The Latin Martyrdom of Speusippus, Elasippus and Melasippus (triplets and martyrs of Langres, S02046), based very closely on the Greek Martyrdom (E06799) of Speusippos, Elasippos and Melasippos (triplets and martyrs of Cappadocia, E02046), recounts the story of triplets of Langres (eastern Gaul) during the reign of the emperor Aurelian: their conversion to Christianity under the influence of their grandmother, Leonilla, and of a missionary from the East, *Benignus (martyr of Dijon, S00320); and their arrest, torture and martyrdom. Written in eastern Gaul, possibly in the early 6th c.
E06532	The Latin Martyrdom of Benignus (martyr of Dijon, S00320) recounts the interrogation, torture and death of the martyr, who had been sent to Gaul by Polycarp (bishop and martyr of Smyrna, S00004), at Dijon (eastern Gaul) under the emperor Aurelian. Written in eastern Gaul, possibly in the early 6th c.
E06799	The Greek Martyrdom of *Speusippos, Elasippos and Melasippus/Melesippos (triplets and martyrs of Cappadocia, S02046) recounts their trial, torture and execution by burning. Their mother Neonilla, a female member of the audience named Ioulia, as well as two notaries, Neon and Ourbanos, also suffer martyrdom at the time. Probably written in Cappadocia (central Asia Minor) in the 5th century or later.
E08315	35 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.
E08523	The Latin Martyrdom of Andochius, Thyrsus and Felix (martyrs of Saulieu, S02094) recounts how Polycarp (bishop and martyr of Smyrna, S00004) sent Andochius and Thyrsus to Gaul; arriving at Marseille, they proceeded to Autun and to Saulieu (both in eastern Gaul), where Felix, a merchant, offered them hospitality; on the arrival of the emperor Aurelian, all three were arrested, tortured and martyred. Written in eastern Gaul, possibly in the early 6th c.